OPSEC

R 182300Z SEP 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//PP&O//
TO MARADMIN
BT
UNCLAS //N05354//
MARADMIN 439/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/PP&O//
SUBJ/INFORMATION (INFOSEC) AND OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC)
REMINDER//
REF/A/MARADMIN/C4/221200Z AUG 01//
RMKS/1. PURPOSE. TO REINFORCE THE PROPER HANDLING, RELEASE AND SECURITY OF INFORMATION.
2. BACKGROUND. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS IN NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON DC, WE MUST BE EXTREMELY MINDFUL OF THE CONTENT AND POSSIBLE INTELLIGENCE VALUE OF INFORMATION WE RECEIVE AND PROVIDE. AMERICANS HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO NEARLY INSTANTANEOUS ACCESS TO ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING OUR NATION'S MILITARY AND ITS OPERATIONS. BALANCING THE NEED TO STAY INFORMED WHILE PROTECTING INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONAL INFORMATION IS A DIFFICULT BUT ESSENTIAL TASK. WE MUST BE AWARE THAT OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO
ACTIVELY MONITOR OUR COMMUNICATIONS, THE NEWS MEDIA, THE INTERNET AND COMMAND INFORMATION CHANNELS.
3. CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF INFORMATION WE PLACE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE PROVIDED TO ASSIST ALL PERSONNEL.
A. GENERAL. SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES MUST BE AWARE THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SECURING OPERATIONAL INFORMATION.
OPSEC IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR FORCE PROTECTION AND OUR ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY CARRY OUT MILITARY OPERATIONS. CASUAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SENSITIVE INFORMATION OR SPECULATION ABOUT OPERATIONAL MATTERS IN PUBLIC VENUES CAN BE EXPLOITED. INDIVIDUALS MUST BE COGNIZANT OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES WHEN DISCUSSING OPERATIONAL MATTERS.
B. SECURITY POSTURE.
1. DEFENSE CONDITIONS ARE CLASSIFIED SECRET, WHILE FORCE
PROTECTION CONDITIONS ARE UNCLASSIFIED.
2. VULNERABILITY OF OCONUS INSTALLATIONS TO SABOTAGE OR
PENETRATION IS CLASSIFIED SECRET IF U.S. INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION
IS REVEALED.
C. DEPLOYMENTS
1. THE IDENTITY OF UNITS PLANNED FOR DEPLOYMENT IS CONFIDENTIAL
UNTIL AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DEPLOYMENT IS MADE.
2. GENERAL GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF UNITS DEPLOYED (E.G. CITY,
COUNTRY OR AREA) IS UNCLASSIFIED.
3. SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF UNITS DEPLOYED IS
CONFIDENTIAL.
4. DETAILS OF ALLIED MILITARY PARTICIPATION IN OPERATIONS IS SECRET.
4. THE GLOBAL REACH OF THE WORLDWIDE WEB REQUIRES SPECIAL
PRECAUTIONS BE TAKEN WHEN POSTING INFORMATION. THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE POSTED TO PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES:
A. INFORMATION THAT IS FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION WOULD POSE AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO THE MARINE CORPS, ESPECIALLY IN ELECTRONICALLY AGGREGATED FORM. WHILE RECORDS CONTAINING FOUO INFORMATION WILL NORMALLY BE MARKED AT THE TIME OF THEIR CREATION, RECORDS THAT DO NOT BEAR SUCH MARKINGS SHALL BE ASSUMED TO CONTAIN FOUO INFORMATION.
B. ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING LESSONS LEARNED WHICH WOULD REVEAL SENSITIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS, EXERCISES OR VULNERABILITIES.
C. REFERENCE TO UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION THAT WOULD REVEAL
SENSITIVE MOVEMENTS OF MILITARY ASSETS OR THE LOCATION OF UNITS,INSTALLATIONS, OR PERSONNEL WHERE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING LOCATION IS AN ELEMENT OF A MILITARY PLAN OR PROGRAM.
D. PERSONAL INFORMATION INCLUDING COMPILATIONS OF NAMES OF
PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO OVERSEAS, SENSITIVE, OR ROUTINELY DEPLOYABLE UNITS.
E. NAMES, LOCATIONS, AND SPECIFIC IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY MEMBERS OF MARINES AND MARINE CORPS EMPLOYEES.
F. TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED OR BE ADAPTED FOR USE TO DESIGN, ENGINEER, PRODUCE, MANUFACTURE, OPERATE, REPAIR, OVERHAUL, OR REPRODUCE ANY MILITARY OR SPACE EQUIPMENT OR TECHNOLOGY CONCERNING SUCH EQUIPMENT.
G. UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CLASSIFIED PROGRAMS. THE CLEARANCE REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CLASSIFIED PROGRAMS PROPOSED FOR POSTING TO A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LIKELIHOOD OF CLASSIFICATION BY COMPILATION.
5. PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES (PEDS): REF A IS THE MARINE CORPS INTERIM POLICY ON APPROPRIATE USE OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THE TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATED WITH PEDS IS ADVANCING AT SUCH A RAPID PACE THAT KNOWLEDGE OF RELATED VULNERABILITIES IS FREQUENTLY INSUFFICIENT OR INADEQUATELY DISSEMINATED. A BALANCE BETWEEN SECURITY AND FUNCTIONALITY IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM PEDS WHILE PRESERVING THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT SECURE DISCUSSIONS,
MEETINGS, AND COMMUNICATIONS.
6. ACTION:
A. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MARINES WHO HANDLE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION ADHERE TO ALL APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND POLICIES CONCERNING ACCESS AND NEED-TO-KNOW.
B. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MARINES, THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHERS WITH ACCESS TO OPERATIONAL INFORMATION ARE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL EXPLOITATION OF THIS INFORMATION BY ALL ADVERSARIES.
C. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MEDIA UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE FOR A MORE RESTRICTIVE APPROACH TOWARD THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION.//
BT



What is OPSEC?
OPSEC is keeping potential adversaries from discovering critical Department Of Defense information. As the name suggests, it protects US operations - planned, in progress and those completed. Success depends on secrecy and surprise, so the military can accomplish the mission more quickly and with less risk. Enemies of freedom want this information, and they are not just after the military member to get it. They want you, the family member.

Unofficial Websites
The posting of pictures and information that is pertinent to your loved ones military unit to personal or family websites has the potential to jeopardize their safety and that of the entire unit. Coordinate with your unit's Family Readiness Officer and have pictures screened and posted to the "Official" Key Volunteer website. This will ensure that you contribute to OPSEC and keep the force safe.

What Information Is Sensitive?

Examples of Critical Information
The following examples may help you in defining parameters for your communications. It is important to remember that there are many more examples than those listed below:

Detailed information about the mission of assigned units.
Details concerning locations and times of unit deployments.
Personnel transactions that occur in large numbers (e.g., pay information, power of attorney, wills or deployment information).
References to trend in unit morale or personnel problems.
Details concerning security procedures.
Puzzle Pieces
These bits of information may seem insignificant. However, to a trained adversary, they are small pieces of a puzzle that highlight what US forces are doing and planning. Remember, the elements of security and surprise are vital to the accomplishment of US goals and collective DOD personnel protection.

Where and how you discuss this information is just as important as with whom you discuss it. An adversary's agents tasked with collecting information frequently visit some of the same stores, clubs, recreational areas or places of worship as you do.

Determined individuals can easily collect data from cordless and cellular phones and even baby monitors using inexpensive receivers available from local electronics stores.

If anyone, especially a foreign national, persistently seeks information, notify your military sponsor immediately.

What Can You Do?
There are many countries and organizations that would like to harm Americans and degrade US influence in the world. It is possible and not unprecedented for spouses and family members of US military personnel to be targeted for intelligence collection. This is true in the United States, and especially true overseas! What can you do?

Be Alert
Foreign Governments and organizations can collect significant amounts of useful information by using spies. A foreign agent may use a variety of approaches to befriend someone and get sensitive information. This sensitive information can be critical to the success of a terrorist or spy, and consequently deadly to Americans.

Be Careful
There may be times when your spouse cannot talk about the specifics of his or her job. It is very important to conceal and protect certain information such as flight schedules, ship movements, temporary duty locations and installation activities, just to name a few. Something as simple as a phone discussion concerning where your spouse is going on temporary duty or deploying to can be very useful to US adversaries.

Protecting Critical Information
Even though this information may not be secret, it is what the Department of Defense calls "critical information." Critical information deals with specific facts about military intentions, capabilities, operations or activities. If an adversary knew this detailed information, US mission accomplishment and personnel safety could be jeopardized. It must be protected to ensure an adversary doesn't gain a significant advantage. By being a member of the military family, you will often know some bits of critical information. Do not discuss them outside of your immediate family and especially not over the telephone.


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OPSEC, also known as Operational Security, is the principle that we, as Military wives and Military family members, should all abide by when talking about our soldiers. If you’ve been on any military related message board on the internet, you have more than likely seen a warning to be sure to practice OPSEC. This means protecting the information you know about your soldier and his or her unit.

Generally, it means that you should not give out the following:

(1) Your soldier’s exact location overseas

(2) Any information on troop movements – this includes any movement while they are deployed and in transit to/from theater (including R&R). Do not ever give dates or times.

(3) Any information on weapons systems, how they train or numbers – for this reason, many pictures from overseas can easily violate OPSEC.

If your soldier is in a special operations unit, the OPSEC guidelines can be stricter. You may not be able to say he or she is deployed at all, much less where. His unit and/or FRG should provide the OPSEC guidelines for these situations.

Always abide by the rules set forth by his unit. Just because it is on the news does not mean that you can talk about the issue. By talking about it, you are only verifying the information.

CORRECT: "My soldier is deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom."

INCORRECT: "My soldier is in XYZ Unit and is stationed at ABC Camp in XXX city in Iraq."

Give only general locations IF his unit allows it. The above incorrect statement is entirely too much information.

INCORRECT: "My soldier’s unit is returning from deployment and flying into XYZ Airport at 8pm next Thursday."

Never give dates or times for troop movements. Keep in mind that “next Thursday” is a date. This includes R&R dates as well as deployment and redeployment dates. Planes have been delayed for days or weeks because an excited family member made this information public.

INCORRECT: "Please pray for my soldier. He called today and told me he is going out on a very dangerous mission tonight. They will be gone for three days and I’m very worried about him."

When our soldiers are in dangerous situations, it is natural to want to reach out to others. But the above statement puts your soldier and his unit in danger. You could have very well just alerted the enemy about their mission.

It is important to realize that putting together the bits and pieces needed to create the larger picture can be amazingly simple on the internet. Many mistakenly believe that if they don’t talk about it all at once, the information is safe. This is wrong and dangerous to assume.

The internet is a wonderful tool, but in regards to our military, it is a very dangerous one as well. It takes only minutes of searching online to find enough pieces of information that could potentially endanger our soldiers.

DEPLOYMENT TICKERS

Many family members like to use deployment tickers to count down their soldier’s deployment. Never have a ticker that shows XX days until your soldier returns. If you must have a ticker, then have one with the amount of time he or she has been gone, although it is best to not have this type of ticker at all.

Finally, for your own personal safety, be very aware of what you are putting on the internet or saying in conversations in public. With the internet, it is not difficult to track down an address and phone number. Do not make yourself a target by letting the world know that your loved one is deployed.

PERSEC

PERSEC is also known as personal security. Like OPSEC, this involves guarding the information that you know. Do not give out your soldier’s name along with rank. This includes blacking out his or her name tape and rank in pictures. If he or she is in a special operations unit, you should also black out any unit affiliation.

Be vague on the internet about your personal information as an Military wife or Military family member. This is plain common sense in just every day life whether you have a family member in the military or not.

The old saying "loose lips sink ships" still holds true today. Keep your soldier, your family and his or her unit safe by keeping the information you know to yourself. You never know who is lurking and gathering information on message boards, myspace pages, and profiles. Better safe than sorry!