Guarding the Golden Gate

Soldiers Magazine, March, 2004 by Steve Harding

FEW--structures in the United States are as physically imposing, economically important and universally recognized as California's Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately, in today's world those qualities also make it an ideal target for terrorists.

"This bridge is a national icon," said CPT John T. Preston of the California Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 143rd Field Artillery Regiment. "And the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, showed us clearly that those who want to strike a psychological blow against this country are drawn to our national icons."

Though his usual Guard assignment is as a 143rd FA firing-battery commander, Preston is currently the mission OIC for Operation Golden Span II, the California Guard's effort to protect the bridge against terrorist attack.

The first Operation Golden Span was initiated just after the Sept. 11 attacks to secure two bridges in Southern California, the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco with nearby Oakland, Preston said. The mission evolved over time and eventually came to include just the Golden Gate.

A Vital Link

The Golden Gate is more than just a symbol--it is also a high-value economic target.

The historic span--which connects San Francisco with Marin County to the north--is a vital transportation link crossed by some 111,000 vehicles each day, and if terrorists succeeded in destroying it or blocking the roadway, traffic would have to take a lengthy and time-consuming detour, officials said. Moreover, the tolls charged to motorists traveling across the bridge from north to south pour nearly $5 million into California's coffers every month.

Given the bridge's importance, ensuring that it remains open, unobstructed and secure is a task that involves a number of organizations.

"Several agencies--federal, state and local--share responsibility for the safety and security of the bridge and its approaches," said LTC James M. Kennedy, commander of the 1st Bn., 143rd FA, and task force commander for Operation Golden Span II.

"The Golden Gate Bridge Authority's police force is responsible for the overall security of the structure, the California Highway Patrol is responsible for the thoroughfare across the bridge, the Coast Guard is responsible for the water beneath it and the National Park Service is responsible for the historic sites at each end. So the effort to secure the bridge is obviously a multi-agency joint operation," Kennedy said.

The Guard's role in the operation is to provide the sort of round-the-clock military protection that the other agencies cannot offer, he said.

"Guard Soldiers on state active duty are authorized by law to provide armed support to civilian law-enforcement organizations, and have the weapons, equipment and training to do the job," Kennedy added.

A Robust Force

While information on the exact size and makeup of the Guard's bridge-security force is restricted for obvious security reasons, Kennedy called it "robust."

"The 143rd FA has command and control of the mission, and about half the Soldiers involved in Operation Golden Span ii are from that unit," he said. "The remainder belong to the California Guard's 1st Bn., 184th Inf. Regt., and other units based mainly in the northern part of the state."

The mission is controlled by a headquarters located in the vicinity of the bridge, Preston said. And because several agencies have a stake in the bridge and its security, coordination among all the players is essential.

"In addition to maintaining constant communications within the unit, we communicate directly with the other agencies," he said. "While there are several lines of jurisdiction, there are no turf wars because we all have a great sense of teamwork."

That close coordination at the command level prevents a duplication of effort by the various agencies involved, Kennedy said, and allows the Soldiers on the ground to concentrate on the job at hand.

The nature of that job is wide-ranging, and the way the Guard Soldiers go about it is based on an in-depth assessment of the structure's vulnerabilities, he said.

"Without getting too specific because of operational-security concerns, it's safe to say that this mission includes such things as roving patrols and guarding certain key bridge structures and facilities," Kennedy said.

Trained and Motivated

The Soldiers assigned to Operation Golden Span II work in teams, each of which is usually led by a staff sergeant. While most team members have artillery MOSs, there are also infantrymen and Soldiers from other skill areas. The Soldiers are armed and are authorized to use their weapons within established parameters, Preston said.

"We put a lot of emphasis on Soldiers understanding the rules governing the use of force," he said. "We train in a variety of areas, including observation and reporting techniques, weapons qualification and reinforcing common tasks."

The other "secret weapon" in the mission, Kennedy said, is the motivation of the Soldiers involved.

"They take this mission very seriously, and they don't see it as just a 9-to-5 job," he said. "The potential threat against this structure is a serious one, and these Soldiers are dedicated to ensuring that no harm comes to the bridge or those who use it or work on it.