Learning threat assessment is not something most people do or even think about. This mentality is, at its core, a proactive approach to making sure your travel plans are safe. I remember late one summer I had a charter scheduled that we called the “gold run”. My crew and I would be taking some people into Bamako, Mali, which is located in the Northwestern portion of Africa, where they would be negotiating with a tribe to purchase gold. After the purchase, we would load the gold on the plane to get it back to the United States. Doing an operation like this meant going through the State Department for approval. However, that was the least of our concerns since it was known that corruption in a lot of these places was very high. In fact, we had heard rumors of another crew that was arrested and detained for a year doing the same type of mission and not paying off the right people. Looking at the trip, Bamako, Mali, wasn’t exactly the paradise destination for an American. Shortly after our time there, France started fighting jihadists in a heated battle that would eventually shut the borders for a time.
Flying into the airport I first noticed it was surrounded by many fields and could see cattle walking all over the place to include the roads. We landed on the cracked weather torn runway only to have the first attempt to kidnap our passengers happen with a typical bait and switch tactic. This is when a driver shows up saying they are new, and the other driver is out sick. Ideally the passengers would get in the car willingly only to be taken to a safe house kidnapped, tortured, and then set for ransom. This was not a good start for a visit to Mali! Using my previous security training from my military days I navigated the complexity of the environment and got everyone safely to their hotels. The situation was bad. Sadly, we ended up leaving the passengers behind because they didn’t want to pay us to stay longer. Something like this is rare but the point is I didn’t really have a choice on traveling to Mali since this was for my job after all. So, what would you do if you were in my shoes? What are some steps you can take to empower yourself on giving you the tools needed to be safe and keep you and your family or colleagues away from danger? A good place to start is assessing the country’s threat level and risk to you, your family, or your colleagues.
Assess the Country Threat Risk
It is a good idea to assess the country(s) you are traveling too so that you can get a good feeling of the climate. Everything from political unrest to widespread fires, or in our current state of affairs – the COVID19 pandemic. It is vital to go visit the State Department’s travel advisory website and evaluate the country’s threat level (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/ ). Using the Republic of Mali as an example, the website at the time of this blog gives the country a Level 4: Do Not Travel. There are also 4 codes used to describe why:
C – T – H – K
“C” indicates crime is widespread and violent. This also means local law enforcement is limited in what they can do to help you. “T” is warning you that terrorism risk is high and that attacks have and could occur while you are there visiting. “H” is for health and aside from the current state of affairs with COVID19, you may need to get vaccinations before you go. “K” means the kidnapping threat is very high and dangerous for travelers. This website also gives you vital information on passport and visa requirements, vaccinations, and currency restrictions. Be sure to write down the Embassy address and phone number located on the site’s web page for when you travel. If you are really concerned, don’t be afraid to call the Embassy directly and ask for any additional tips or information they can give you before visiting.
Although I love the State Department’s website, it is viewing the world through the filter of America. When I travel abroad, I like to also look at our close sister’s filter as well – the United Kingdom. They too have a fantastic travel website simply titled, “Foreign Travel Advice,” and I highly recommend going there also. I have learned a great deal about a location looking through both the U.S. and the U.K. filter for travel guidance. Eventually, this COVID19 pandemic will ease and travel will resume. Make sure you are proactive in your research that will empower you to make better decisions when you travel.
Register for STEP
Side note – a really important “step” to take is to register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or also known as the STEP program, with the state department. This is a free program offered to U.S. citizens traveling abroad or even living overseas. Enrolling in this program will update the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate that you will be in the country. If something happens, like a war breaks out, the Embassy will know you are in the country and where to look. Lebanon is a good example. I love this place and it is like the Paris of the middle east. However, tensions can get high there and civil war could break out while you are there. You can see bullet holes in some of the buildings in downtown Beirut where this has happened before. Mind you, this doesn’t mean you stay away. It just means you educate yourself before you visit. Go to the website, sign up, and be sure to keep it updated if your travel plans change.
