Warnings from the Pentagon that retired senior military personnel who had served in Iraq and Syria and who now live in Florida could face a terrorist threat must be taken seriously, retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills said on Newsmax on Sunday. 

"If the Pentagon's going to put out a warning like this, there is a lot of staff work, analysis, and intelligence behind it, so they just don't lightly put this out," Mills, a former director of cybersecurity policy for the Department of Defense, told "Wake Up America." "I would be vigilant."

Last week, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) alerted retired special forces veterans living in Florida that they could be targeted by terrorists. 

The alert, which has been circulated on social media, was quietly shared with former senior military personnel who served in Iraq and Syria. The USASOC did not name a specific group or country of origin, but military officials said the threat was serious enough for the "duty to warn" notification.

Mills pointed out that Florida is a Second Amendment state, meaning citizens have a right to defend themselves, and should stay vigilant. 

"I lived through the ISIS notifications and other notifications of the duty to warn process, when something like this happens," he said. "So if this came out, this means there's something behind it."

Mills said the veterans, to keep themselves safe, should take tactical steps. 

"Probably something like a front door camera would always be a good idea, so you always have visibility toward the front yard and the street," he said. "Also, make sure you keep your garage door closed. Sometimes when we're out and about doing things, fixing things, we'll leave those garage doors open. Keep those garage doors closed. Always keep your front door closed."

People should also keep the gates to their backyards closed and locked, said Mills. 

"Just be vigilant about observation; that's a lot of it," he said. "If you see a car on the street that you don't recognize, watch it. If it's still there, and especially if there are multiple personnel in the car, call the local law enforcement."

Meanwhile, when asked why the military isn't providing extra security to the retirees, Mills pointed out that there are not enough resources to assign a guard to everyone. 

"There's a DOD directive on the different classifications," he said. "You have to triage and base it on the threat and the visibility of senior commanders and senior enlisted personnel. You know, they are going to be visible, known targets."

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