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• Part 3 of 3: Learn more about DEFCON

1 Learn to read the DEFCON scale. The DEFCON scale is a way of measuring the numerical readiness of American troops.High DEFCON scores are used when readiness is low (in peacetime), and lower DEFCON scores are used when readiness is higher (in stressful situations where there is a possibility of military intervention). DEFCON level 5 corresponds to normal peacetime, and DEFCON level 1 (which has not yet been observed) corresponds to the most dangerous situations, such as thermonuclear war.

• Note that different military formations may have different DEFCON levels. For example, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is generally considered one of the most tense moments in American military history, the Air Force's Strategic Air Command moved to level 2 on the DEFCON scale, while the rest of the troops remained at level 3 DEFCON.

2 Use DEFCON 5 in peacetime. DEFCON level 5 is a very good indicator; this degree is used to indicate normal peacetime combat readiness. At Level 5, the US military does not take on any large-scale protection measures beyond what is normally required.

• Please note that DEFCON 5 should not be considered a sure sign that the world is not at war; During the 5th DEFCON level, conflicts can occur in the world, and even very large ones. But in this case, the military command believes that in such cases they do not pose a significant danger.

3 Use DEFCON 4 on high alert. DEFCON 4 is the first level of availability above the DEFCON 5 baseline, and thus there is a slightly noticeable increase in the level of availability (although the upgrade from DEFCON 5 to DEFCON 4 is definitely important). This level of alertness signals increased intelligence gathering and sometimes increased state security measures. However, this does not always mean that the threat of an attack looms over the troops (or the country).

• In the modern world, it is believed that at times DEFCON 4 is announced after minor to moderate terrorist attacks and assassinations for political reasons or after the disclosure of alleged conspiracies. This is likely being done in anticipation of a further attack in an attempt to prepare and prevent it.

4 Use DEFCON 3 in tense military / political situations. For a Level 3 DEFCON declaration, the situation must be serious; it does not have to be an immediate threat to the existence or stability of the American state; it just requires vigilance. At this level, the US military is on alert pending mobilization; in particular, the air force is ready to begin operations within 15 minutes of being ordered. In addition, all military communications can be encrypted using secret protocols.

• Previously, DEFCON Level 3 was usually declared in situations where there was a real possibility of attacking the United States or one of its allies. For example, during Operation Paul Bunyan, which led to grade 3 alert, two American officers were killed by the North Korean military in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (KDZ). In this case, the 3rd degree was declared due to the possible threat of an open war in the event of any mistake on the Korean border (politically and militarily tense territory - both then and now).

5 Use DEFCON 2 for serious threats. Grade 2 means increased combat readiness - almost maximum. The combat forces are ready for large-scale operations within a few hours. A rise to grade 2 is very serious; in such situations, there is a significant risk of major military operations against the United States or its allies, including the use of nuclear weapons. Usually DEFCON 2 is announced in a tense international environment.

• The most notable example of Grade 2 Alertness is the Cuban Missile Crisis, although the Air Force Strategic Command has imposed an alert limit. Despite this, this can be considered the only case of a large-scale announcement of a level 2 alert, however, due to the fact that information regarding the level of alert (DEFCON) is usually classified, it is impossible to say for sure how many times the level of alertness reached this level.

6 Use DEFCON 1 at maximum combat readiness. DEFCON 1 indicates maximum combat readiness; military forces ordered to operate within the 1st degree are constantly prepared for an immediate attack. DEFCON 1 is designed for the most dangerous and serious situations, which include an imminent or incipient nuclear war in which the United States or one of its allies is involved.

• Although noted earlier, it is worth noting that DEFCON grades are classified based on the fact that alert level 1 has not yet been observed in any of the US military formations.
• There is unverifiable evidence claiming that some military units were put on 1st degree combat readiness during the first Gulf War. However, even if these claims are true, it applied only to individual military units, and not to all military formations.

Part 3 of 3: Learn more about DEFCON

1. 1 Check out how DEFCON degrees are awarded. The process of announcing an increase in the DEFCON level by the military itself is not particularly clear to the broad masses. It is usually assumed that the increased readiness is announced by the Chiefs of Staff (the highest command of the US military) in consultation with the President. However, there are isolated examples from which it is clear that the high military command can increase the degree of DEFCON without the consent of the president; For example, some sources claim that the decision of the Air Force's Strategic Air Command to declare Degree 2 combat readiness during the Cuban missile crisis was made without the participation of President Kennedy.
   • Again, we remind you that the very actions taken by the military units at each degree of DEFCON, for obvious reasons, are kept secret. Thus, most of the information that is available to the public about the DEFCON scale is based on old declassified documents or historical DEFCON “enhancements” that people discovered after it happened. While some non-military and nongovernmental resources claim to have an idea of ​​the DEFCON grade at the moment, it is impossible to verify.
2. 2 It is worth noting that there are other scales for measuring the level of US combat readiness. The DEFCON scale is not the only measurement used by the US government and military to determine the degree of their readiness to confront external and internal threats. There are also LERTCON (used by the US and NATO allies), REDCON (used by individual US military units), and others. But the most important alert scale after DEFCON is undoubtedly the EMERGCON scale. These conditions (which may have never occurred yet) may occur in the event of a nuclear war; they include instructions for both military and civilian. EMERGCON has two grades:
   • A state of emergency: declared in the event of a major enemy attack on the United States or foreign allied forces. Declared as commander-in-chief of the combined forces or higher authorities.
   • Air raid: announced in the event of an attack on the United States, Canada or military bases in Greenland. Declared the supreme commander of the aerospace defense of the North American continent.
   • Note that, by definition, in the event of a declaration of an emergency (EMERGCON), all military formations go to 1 DEFCON degree.
3. 3 Check out the history of the DEFCON scale. Although most of the information about the history of the DEFCON scale is understandably kept secret, declassified information available to the broad masses. Originating in the late 1950s as a means of coordinating NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) between the United States and Canada, the DEFCON system has undergone several changes from its inception to the present day.
   • For example, the original DEFCON scale had “subcategories” for different DEFCON levels: “Charlie” and “Delta” in DEFCON 4, and “Alpha” and “Bravo” in DEFCON 3. In addition, there was an “Extreme” level before DEFCON 1. which is very similar to the EMERGCON scale described above.