Because it might be suspicious activity
The information has been shared with state and local law enforcement; at the Air Guard's request, the Delaware State Police has increased patrols around all military facilities in the state, including Dover Air Force Base, according to police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz. In addition, the base has reported the situation to the national Air National Guard, which has in turn informed Air Force officials.
“Better safe than sorry. ... Because it might be suspicious activity, it might not be. We just want to be proactive.”
Lt. Col. Len Gratteri, a Delaware National Guard spokesman
The base is home to the 166th Airlift Wing, which includes a highly classified cybersecurity unit, the 166th Network Warfare Squadron. The unit is an active participant in real-world cyber operations and conducts both offensive and defensive cyber missions, officials say.
The base also hosts Vice President Biden when he flies home to Delaware. President Obama has landed twice at the base.
Security at the base is sometimes raised randomly, despite the absence of any sort of threat, in an effort to vary the posture and keep anyone who might consider approaching off balance. "You've got to mix it up," Gratteri said.
"Safety of our personnel and security of our facilities are our top priorities," the state Guard's initial news release stated. "While we can't discuss specifics of our security measures, our actions are simply a matter of procedure and increased vigilance."