New terror threat targets retired military officers who served in Syria, Iraq, U.S. Army memo warns

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is warning retired senior officers who served in Iraq or Syria of a possible terror threat against them based in Florida, according to a memo issued by the USAOC and the U.S. Army Military Police reviewed by Just the News.

A “duty to warn” notification was also sent to active-duty special operators as an extra precaution, though current intelligence does not indicate the threat extends to them, the memo states.

“This message is to inform you of a recent ‘Duty to Warn’ notification regarding a potential terrorist threat targeting retired senior officials who previously served in the Department of Defense with roles in the Syria/Iraq theater,” a July 17 notification stated. “The current geographic focus of this threat is Florida."

“While this threat does not directly target active duty USASOC personnel, we are issuing this notice to reinforce the importance of vigilance and situational awareness,” it added. "We encourage all personnel to remain alert to their surroundings, both on and off post, and to report any suspicious activity to appropriate authorities.

Army officials declined to identify the actors behind the threat or more information about their targets.

"The military gets reports of threats all the time. In this case, they wanted to ensure folks were tracking," a U.S. Army spokesperson said in a statement to Just the News. "We can’t name specific people or terrorist organizations, and we always encourage our service members and retirees to be vigilant."

The memo urged all personnel to:

• Share the warning with “any retired military personnel you know who are currently residing in Florida”;
• Remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement;
• Follow “established personal security measures, including maintaining a heightened awareness of your surroundings”; and
• Secure their personal residences.

In June of this year, the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin advising veterans of the Mid-East conflict and others in part, that "The conflict could also motivate violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators seeking to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the US government or military in the Homeland."