The news is constantly running; at work, at home, during the daily commute, and filling up the newsfeed with endless information and stories. One of the common threats, day in and day out, is the threat of terrorism.

Whether it is news of another attack, news of an attempted attack or of the authorities preventing one; there is a daily reminder of the threat faced worldwide.

This is the world today. Dealing with it has become a way of life. What can people do to increase their chances as they travel the world? The number one thing people can do is take a look around.

Do the research of the local area, take heed of the United States Department of State warnings at, http://www.fcg.pentagon.mil/ and practice the steps that the Department of Defense constantly trains on. The primary focus of all of this training is what to look for and how to react.

"The cornerstone of all good anti-terrorist measures is to remain vigilant" says Lt. Jeffery Brauser, force protection officer, Commander, 6th Fleet.

Noticing what is going on while traveling and the environment travelled in is smart for the traveler. Whether paying extra for a safer hotel, picking a seat at a cafe facing the road, or leaving that American flag T-shirt at home. Situational awareness is the first step in protecting yourself.

"Staying vigilant of your surroundings 24/7 is essential in the world we live in today," said Lt. Heather Ehrlich, antiterrorism officer, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Southwest Asia. "If you see something out of the ordinary during your daily routine, report it even if you think it may be nothing. I feel safer knowing someone is willing to speak up even if they are uncertain if something is a threat."

Travel is not the only time to be vigilant of surroundings. Vigilance is a day-to-day process; taking notice at work and at home when something is abnormal. Complacency is the primary threat to good force protection especially at home. It is more of a threat at home because people may be lulled into a false sense of comfort in their normal daily routine. A person can break out of that mindset by keeping their eyes open and their minds engaged. Noticing that one little thing that does not quite look right could be all that is needed to stop the next attack.

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia, visit http://www.navy.mil/.