Risk assessment and counterterrorism measures for the Pentagon building

Running head: RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE PENTAGON 1

RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE PENTAGON 15

Risk Assessment of the Pentagon (Military Headquarters) Abstract Terrorists and other criminal groups are evolving and modifying their ways of executing attacks on innocent civilians and government facilities. This calls for the adoption of proper risk management strategies to mitigate against and alleviate the damages associated with attacks from such dangerous groups. The Pentagon is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world because of its iconic, five-sided shape and its function as the representation of American military power. According to EVILDONE which is the first step in identifying the most vulnerable targets, the Pentagon house scores 28 out of 40 in target attractiveness showing that the facility is among the primary targeted areas. Some of the threats/hazards that Pentagon faces include improvised explosive device or bomb that can be detonated on or near the building via a projectile, vehicle or person, chemical or radioactive agents, and armed attacks e. The risk calculated for the Pentagon house is high. This is completely unacceptable and immediate mitigation measures should be taken to make the facility safe. Countering acts of terrorism effectively require a strategic and comprehensive approach using a wide range of measures and policies. Proactive counterterrorism measures entails directly confronting the terrorist group and its supporters. Intelligence agencies offer electronic, technical, financial, anti-terror, military, and strategic intelligence. The Pentagon building’s security handlers have the responsibility of providing protecting measures to guard the facility from terrorist and security threats.

Table of Contents Introduction 3 Threat/Hazard or Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis of the Pentagon 4 Threat/Hazard Assessment 4 Vulnerability Assessment 7 Risk Assessment 8 Stakeholder Roles for Preventing a Terror Attack on Pentagon House 9 Protection Plan Outline 12 References 15

Introduction There has been a noteworthy increase in the risks associated with terror attacks. It is, therefore, important that buildings keep up with the changes as stakeholders identify the potential risk these buildings are predisposed to and establish mitigation measures. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a manual to guide individuals in risk assessment and management (Gallagher, 2014). This paper delves into the concept of risk management providing insights into hazard/threat, vulnerability and risk assessment and the protection measures against terrorist attacks on the Pentagon house, Arlington, Virginia. The Pentagon is the home to the Department of Defense located in Arlington, Virginia, and functions as the United States military headquarters (Bigler, n.d). It houses all the three military services including Airforce, Navy, and Army. It is the biggest office structure globally as a six-million-square-foot concrete structure covering thirty-four acres. The Pentagon was constructed within seventeen months to house the War Department a day before the U.S entered in the World War II (1939-1945) (Bigler, n.d). From 1942, the Pentagon has functioned as the pivotal point of the planning and operations of the American military (Bigler, n.d). Important decisions during World War II such as the development of the atomic bomb and D-Day invasion of Europe were made at the Pentagon. In the following years, the Pentagon has made more critical decisions include the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. During the 9/11 attacks, the bombers hit Pentagon leading to 184 death cases and causing severe damages to the structure. (Bigler, n.d). The Pentagon is recognized for its five-sided shape and the role it plays in protecting American and making it among the strongest nations in the world regarding military might. The Pentagon is practically a city in itself with more than 23,000 employees both in civilian and military capacities (Bigler, n.d). The Pentagon has banking facilities, dry cleaners, multiple shopping and food vendors, close to twenty escalators, about 130 stairways, seventeen miles of corridors, over fifteen parking lots covering approximately seventy acres and transport facilities (Bigler, n.d). Threat/Hazard or Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis of the Pentagon All structures have a particular degree of risk connected to numerous hazards. These threats may be due to intentional acts to cause harm, accidents, or natural disasters. Natural hazards are natural events like seismic, wind and flood disaster. Human-made hazards include terrorism or technological hazards. The nature of the hazard notwithstanding, the owners of a facility bears the responsibility of managing and minimizing the dangers (Stewart, 2017). The government has determined the Risk Management Process to be implemented in Federal Facilities. Facility owners especially those of public structures ought to create and execute a security risk management practice that observes to the criterion set by Interagency Security Committee (ISC) while promoting the organization’s safety requirements. Threat/Hazard Assessment Threat assessment is the initial stage in risk management. The phase entails pondering on the wide range of hazards (accidental, terrorist, criminal, and natural) for the facility. A terrorist attack is one of the threats the Pentagon is predisposed to, and it is always difficult to predict when, why, and how terrorist may attack (Gallagher, 2014). Physical attacks and terrorism on buildings have experienced an upsurge in the past decade. The geographical isolation of the United States is not adequate to guard it and its citizens against this vice. Some of the recent acts of terrorism in the United States include an attack on Pentagon, Arlington, VA; Murrah Federal Building Oklahoma City, OK; and World Trade Center, New York, NY (Grant & Stewart, 2014). The Department of Defense (DoD) uses billions of dollars every year on information security. No facilities regardless of location, type and size should assume that it is immune to sabotage, bomb threats, workplace violence, cyber terrorism and computer hacking, and terrorism. Bombings at the World Trade Center, 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Oklahoma City and the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon and World Trade Center highlights the point that the United States is not safe from attacks (Grant & Stewart, 2014). The Pentagon does not only worry about external attacks alone. Domestic groups like animal rights organizations, anti-abortion, anti-government, and militia were responsible for approximately 335 incidents between 1980 and 2000 classified as confirmed or suspected terrorism (Grant & Stewart, 2014). Workplace violence is also a deadly and serious hazard regarding both psychological damage and physical injury. In most cases, bomb threats are hoaxes to disrupt the normal functioning of a facility. Nonetheless, any bomb alert should be taken seriously; the relevant authorities notified and never dismissed as a hoax. Suspected sabotage is also a threat that cannot be ignored since orchestrated mischief, half-truths, and a repeated pattern of distortions have devastating consequences to the military. For natural disasters, the federally declared ones in Arlington, Virginia include wind-related events like flooding, tornados, and severe tornados followed by winter storms events. The terrorist threats/hazards that Pentagon is exposed to include improvised explosive device or bomb that can be detonated on or near the building via a projectile, vehicle or person. Chemical agents include aerosol or liquid contaminants that can be dispensed using aerosol generators or sprayers or liquids vaporizing from containers or puddles. Arson and incendiary attack include the initiation of an explosion or fire near or on the target using a projectile remotely or directly. Moreover, armed attacks may involve a sniper or tactical assault buildings near Pentagon while biological agents could be dispensed using aerosol dispensers. Lastly, cyberterrorism entails electronic attacks by use of computer systems while nuclear device detonation can occur on the air, at the surface or on the ground. There is also forced entry where an attacker uses explosives, weapons, power tools or hands to gain access or enter a building using false credentials. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) holds that assessing and identifying the dangers related to terror attacks on buildings starts with having a good background about the attackers (Gallagher, 2014). To recognize the terror attack threats that Pentagon faces, DoD ought to understand how terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda operate. The assessment process includes identification of the tactics, weapons, and tools that these networks use. It would assist in the modification of Pentagon design and boost its future survival against terrorist attack. The process of assessing terror entails obtaining security details from the U.S Homeland Security Offices, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, and law enforcement. The risks associated with the technological application must also be included in the assessment. The Local Emergency Planning Committee can provide this information. These bodies and structures are empowered to help competently in determining the buildings and facilities that are vulnerable to terrorist attacks (Gallagher, 2014). Obtaining this information helps in developing tactics of managing emergency to limit the damaging occurrences of assets and individuals. Evaluating and identifying the dangers of terrorism on the Pentagon building focuses on learning that tactics that terrorists employ. It includes understanding their monitored and supported surveillance, terrorist vehicles, and forced entry weapons. Ideally, attackers evaluate the building to determine the tactics, type of weapon, and type of attack to employ to accomplish their mission. Vulnerability Assessment Once the hazard or threat is determined, it facilitates the vulnerability assessment. A vulnerability analysis entails a comprehensive analysis of the site characteristics, systems, and building functions to establish the loopholes as well as the corrective or mitigation actions that can be employed to minimize the vulnerabilities (Mavrouli et al., 2014). It details the functions of an asset, which an attacker could exploit. The impact of the loss is also determined, which provides the degree to which an attack would impair the building. In the Pentagon building, vulnerability assessment would assist in designing the required corrective measures against any possible terrorist attacks. Vulnerabilities include a deficiency in protection systems, security, process systems, building constructions, and loss of prevention programs. The vulnerability assessment entails planning the resources required during the process, assessing the structure site, preparing of the building assortment and determining the Pentagon house’s vulnerability rating. For instance, using the elements of CARVER to determine the vulnerability of the Pentagon building has the following findings (Paton, 2013). On criticality, an attacked within the building can provide severe the services and operation of the facility. Concerning accessibility, an attacker may hack into the systems of the Pentagon facility and gain access. Recoverability of the Pentagon house after complete damage would not be so easy. The vulnerability of the Pentagon house is high since security measures are continually put in place and update. The effect in this regard would be enormous since Pentagon house is home to DoD and all the military operations would be crumbled increasing the vulnerability of the country to attacks. The Pentagon house is quite iconic and prominent and highly recognized and is protected by advanced security proportions making it very important. According to EVILDONE which is the first step in identifying the most vulnerable targets, the Pentagon house scores 28 out of 40 in target attractiveness which is significantly high (Paton, 2013).  Target attractiveness is measuring a structure regarding function and importance according to the attacker. If the facility is a high target to the attacker and has inadequate countermeasures, the extent of damage can be great because it is a prime (Mavrouli et al., 2014). However, those that are not high profile yet they have adequate countermeasures are considered lowly attractive. The Pentagon has a population of more than 23,000 employees, which is significantly high. Terrorists mostly target people and destruction of the facility is secondary. They disperse special bombs that could injure as many individuals as possible. As such, the Pentagon building being a densely occupied special-purpose facility would be a terrorist attack target. The vulnerability assessment process may also entail comprehensive analysis into the effect of a biological, chemical or explosive attack. Trained professionals conduct such detailed analyses. The assets at risk at the Pentagon building include people, property including critical infrastructure and buildings, supply chain, systems or equipment, information technology, military operations, reputation or confidence in the DoD, contractual and regulatory obligations, and the environment. Risk Assessment The risk is the possibility of damage to or loss of an asset. It is measured by the value of the assets of the associated vulnerabilities and threats. A risk assessment is an analysis of the possibility of a hazard occurring, and the asset vulnerabilities and value (Gallagher, 2014) Analysis of the risks combines the vulnerability rating and the impact of the loss of the building. The combination is utilized to determine the possible risk of the building to a particular hazard or danger. While the impact of the loss is measured as minor, noticeable, severe or devastating, vulnerability is measured as low, medium, high or very high. Evaluating the risks associated with a Pentagon building’s terrorist attack should entail the assessment for damage or loss of the structure. Various techniques and methods can be utilized in evaluating the risk possibility of experiencing a terror attack on the Pentagon house. It may entail assessing the value of the structure, evaluation of its vulnerabilities and threats so as quantify the associated risks with each asset found within the facility (Gallagher, 2014). Therefore, the risk is the equal to the vulnerability rating multiplied by the involved threat rating and the asset value. After identifying the terrorist threat, the assessment of vulnerabilities is conducted. Understanding the associated risks with a terror attack on the structure can subsequently be utilized as a standard for the creation of strategic alleviation measures that would assist in minimizing the risks (Gallagher, 2014). When the risk calculated is very high, it is completely unacceptable, and immediate mitigation measures should be taken. A lower risk is within acceptable limits and measures to minimize the risk should be implemented alongside other mitigation and security upgrades. Stakeholder Roles for Preventing a Terror Attack on Pentagon House Mitigation measures to counter to terror attacks entail establishing and closing all the possible openings that the aggressors could use to implement their terrorist plans. The proceeding processes of value asset, threat, vulnerability, and risk assessment determine the mitigation measures to be adopted (Rose, 2015). After obtaining confidential information, data and infrastructural resources within the Pentagon house that is predisposed to attacks, measures to counter them are developed. Ideally, attacks target key facilities and equipment that when destructed, it would cause significant impacts to the targeted system. Mitigation measures should locate the key equipment or systems and establish how they can quickly be rescued in the event of an attack. The continuous flow of information is quite important, and the lines of communication should be safeguarded. It also ensures that there is a faster and easy movement of assets and individuals in case of an attack. The mitigation measures should also entail determining the accessibility of the facility and the effectiveness of the emergency response structures within the house (Rose, 2015). Individuals working within the Pentagon house should also be properly educated to utilize the calamity services available within the house. There are different stakeholders involved in ensuring that the Pentagon building is shielded from terrorist attacks. Therefore, a succinct and strategic counterterrorism approach should be developed. Ideally, terrorists strategically plan for their attacks including assembling weapons, funds, supporters, and recruits, obtaining the ability to travel unhampered, other forms of material support like places to hide and communication means, as well as gaining access to the vulnerable targets (Stewart, 2017). As such, countering acts of terrorism effectively requires a strategic and comprehensive approach using a wide range of measures and policies. For successful counter-terrorism, the civil society, the media, the private sector, the federal and state government, police agencies, DoD, and employers must be fully involved. A holistic approach to counterterrorism encompasses the development of the measures to address circumstances that are conducive to the occurrence of terrorism and measures of preventing and combating terrorism. After the 9/11 attacks, the New York City Building Department introduced approaches to analyzing the building code about terrorist threats (Grant & Stewart, 2014). The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also updated the standards on security system installation within any premises. Proactive counterterrorism measures entail directly confronting the terrorist group and their supporters. It may entail killing and capturing the terrorist attacks, eliminating their safe havens, curbing their finances, and destroying their resources including training camps. For instance, the former President Obama authorized the use of drone attacks to kill the terrorist operatives and leaders. The role of the government and military is to ensure the United States is protected from terrorist attacks. The approaches to achieving this may also include preemptive attacks or retaliatory raid against the terrorist groups. The intelligence community plays a significant and important role in protecting the country and facilities within it from terror attacks (Stewart, 2017). Terror attacks result from different issues such as geopolitics, religious fundamentalism, and ideological differences. The intelligence community provides information about any impending plans for a terror attack. Intelligence agencies offer electronic, technical, financial, anti-terror, military, and strategic intelligence. The Pentagon building’s security handlers have the responsibility of providing measures to protect the facility from terrorist and security threats. Some of the protective measures include enhancing perimeter security, building and maintaining strengthened perimeter walls and columns, thorough inspection of the vehicles, and employing sufficient security personnel (Rose, 2015). The facility design should also be impact and blast resistant, has alternative load paths, enhanced ductility and connectivity, and enhanced structural measures. The first line of defense is detection and prevention. The protective measures may also minimize facility utility and function. For instance, improved perimeter security may minimize public and occupant parking which results in reduced business activity within the building. Implementation of protective mitigation measures within government or icon building is cost-effective since they have significantly higher damage consequences. The employers should carefully implement the provided mitigation guidelines to ensure they safeguard themselves from terrorist attacks. Unfortunately, no one is safe, and the public buildings such as the Pentagon are the prime targets for the terrorists as seen from the 9/11 attacks (Stewart, 2017). However, the military has provided the soft target hardening activities model and attack mitigation measures that should be adopted within facilities. Facilities should no longer feel helpless against any rising threat because they can confidently go ahead and prepare the users, staff and the building for any eventualities. Protection Plan Outline Threats: The threats come from rogue criminal, terrorist, and non-state developers who gain control of the Pentagon systems by exploiting the vulnerabilities of the facility. Vulnerabilities All applications, networks, and systems including intentional implanted logic like spyware, bombs, or back doors and unintentional vulnerabilities exploited maliciously like a fragile or poor quality code. Consequences Some effects include the stealing important technology or data, denial of crucial warfighting capability, and destruction of important information. The plan provides a guideline to the identification and management of the risks that the Pentagon building is exposed to and developing a comprehensive protection program to protect it. The process is essential to protect leading-edge research and technology, mission-critical elements and components, and the information about applications, processes, capabilities, and end-times. The process will emphasize the use of risk-based affordable countermeasures. The process will happen in different steps including: Threat Assessment To establish the terrorist attack dangers that the Pentagon house is predisposed to, DoD ought to understand how extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda operate. The assessment process includes identification of the tactics, weapons, and tools that these networks use. Vulnerability Assessment The process will entail an assessment of the vulnerability of critical components in the Pentagon building. Vulnerability assessment would assist in designing the requisite corrective measures against any possible terrorist attacks. Vulnerabilities include a deficiency in protection systems, security, process systems, building constructions, and loss of prevention programs. Asset-Value Assessment The effect of loss is determined to provide the gravity of an attack and the way it would impair the building. The assets at risk at the Pentagon building include people, property including critical infrastructure and buildings, supply chain, systems or equipment, information technology, military operations, reputation or confidence in the DoD, contractual and regulatory obligations, and the environment. Risk Assessment The process will consider the criticality analysis results, the vulnerability assessment results, and the threat analysis results to determine the consequence of a terrorist attack and the likelihood of the attack happening. Mitigation Measures The risk mitigation measures are then developed to alleviate the likelihood of the attack happening and minimize the consequences of a terrorist attack. Allocate roles to different stakeholders regarding protecting the building from terror attacks.