What are the typical levels of Force Protection Condition (FPCON)?

• A. Elevated, Guarded, Secluded, Unsecured.
• B. Normal, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta.
• C. Low, Moderate, Significant, Severe, Critical.
• D. Green, Blue, Yellow, Red, Black.

Answer: (B)

Force Protection Conditioning levels show how prepared security forces are to defend people and assets in response to threats. The standard sequence is Normal, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta. Normal is routine security with no specific threats. Alpha means an increased general threat of terrorism, prompting heightened awareness and rehearsed procedures. Bravo indicates a greater likelihood of a threat or more persistent risk, leading to additional protective measures and tighter access controls. Charlie signals a credible or imminent threat, or an actual incident, with security posture raised further and more stringent controls. Delta is the highest level, used when an attack is imminent or has occurred, resulting in maximum protective measures and often significant restrictions to movement and access. Other term sets don’t reflect the official DoD FPCON terminology, so they don’t align with the recognized levels.