Oct. 1, 2001

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, new security and safety measures immediately went into place at the Pentagon and military installations across the country. Those measures include force protection and increased access control at those facilities, according to Col. Monty Garabato, who is the senior Army military police officer at the Pentagon, charged with ensuring security at U.S. Army bases and the Pentagon.

“There are also about 42 other buildings military personnel occupy in the area known as the national capitol region (NCR),” he says. “We have to reassess and revalidate their plans for antiterrorism and whether their security is sufficient to withstand any type of security breach.”

Garabato, a 1971 Central Washington University graduate, with a bachelor's degree in education, has held the post of the Army's Chief of Security, Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection and Law Enforcement for the past two-and-a-half years.

He is responsible for ensuring that Army policies, procedures and antiterrorism/force protection standards are in place for worldwide defense of U.S. personnel, information, and critical resources for any and all threats, including terrorism.

“We’ve got to ensure that we have the right mix of military police forces — both active and reserve components — training and equipment when we deploy our forces throughout the world and that it's consistent with the overall homeland defense plans,” he says. “Our forces need the right kind of tools to get the job done.”

For nearly 20 years, unlike the Navy, Marines and Air Force, many Army bases in the U.S. have had open door policies, in an attempt to be portrayed as “good neighbors” in their communities. However, the Army has been implementing antiterrorism/force protection plans that enhance and ramp up the Army’s security posture nationwide for the past 18 months, according to Garabato.

“We’ve been predicting that it was not a matter of if, but when terrorists were going to strike,” he adds. “Our philosophy has always been, ‘We've got to be ready now.’ Army installations will always have a welcome mat out for visitors but because of threats to our military forces worldwide, we need to know who is on our bases.”

Owing to the recent terrorist attacks, Garabato’s focus now is entirely on the anti-terrorism/force protection components of his job, which is different from counter-terrorism.

“Basically, anti-terrorism is the attempt to prevent terrorist attacks; making sure you have validated plans, forces and equipment to protect and defend your personnel and other critical resources,” he says. “Counter-terrorism is offensive in nature —bringing the fight to the terrorist.”

Shortly after the recent attack, it was determined that Army Military Police (MPs) were needed to augment civilian law enforcement personnel in protecting the Pentagon, so a battalion of active duty soldiers was called in, according to Garabato.

“That’s because they have more fire power and additional training,” he states. “These young MPs are motivated and want to do the job, and, they know what they’re doing. They also know what they’re doing is extremely important and will impact the future of America. The Military Police is the Army’s 911 force for protecting our installations.”

Garabato has oversight for a $1.7 billion budget that funds the physical security, antiterrorism/force protection, law enforcement and anti-drug programs for the Army.

Garabato, who is actually the Army staff’s police chief, is well trained in law enforcement, having served five years with the Tacoma Police Department. He was also a teacher and coach in the Clover Park School District following his service as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Marine Corp. He was given the unique opportunity to transfer his Marines' commission to the Army.

Garabato is currently stationed in the Army Operations Center, deep within the Pentagon, where the activity is “24/7,” with 18-hour shifts very common.

“But, the spirit remains high and people are still keeping their sense of humor,” he says. “That’s a great sign. This setback has energized the folks in the Pentagon and throughout our military. For what they are asked to do and perform, you would be proud of your men and women in uniform and the civilians that make up our military.” .