Monday, January 28, 2008

Just a Reminder..."OpSec"

"OpSec"....short for "Operational Security". You can read more about it here:

Click here: DefendAmerica - An Operational Security (OPSEC) Primer

I'm no expert on OpSec, but I think most of it is just 'common sense' stuff, if you stop and think.

OpSec is the reason that organizations like   Soldiers Angels  or   Anysoldier.com  don't just post the addresses of deployed soldiers for everyone in the blogosphere to see. You have to join those organizations and be approved by them, to receive addresses.

OpSec is the reason that I did Not post the address of my fiancee's son on this blog, when he deployed.  The people who wish to support him (and our unending Thanks! to all those great folks who have been sending him letters and care packages! :) are people I know, and feel comfortable giving his address.

OpSec is the reason that Soldiers Angels says "Please do not post the name,etc. of your soldier,without his permission." and it's the reason that I usually redact the identifying information from any part of a note I receive that I do repost on here.

There was recently a bulletin circulating around MySpace, that asked for very Specific information about soldiers, it had questions like:

what unit is your soldier in?

where is he currently deployed?

what is his rank?

(etc.etc.)

I don't know how may military girlfriend's/wives actually responded to the bulletin? as most of them are pretty protective of their loved ones....but finally someone on MySpace issued a bulletin themselves, reminding everyone that it is Not in the best interests of your deployed soldier, to answer very specific questions like those and circulate them around the Internet,whether it be on MySpace or elsewhere.

For a little more info about "OpSec", you can check out these links, on what other bloggers have had to say about it:

Click here: OPSEC is everyone’s responsibility

and I like what The Watchcat had to say here, to be thinking about what the children of fallen soldiers might see, if they Googled their parent's name?

Click here: The WatchCat: OPSEC and FAMSEC: The Promise

There's a very interesting discussion here on The Danger Room at Wired.com (sort of side-tracked in the comments with discussion about 'trolls',also, but you can wade thru the pertinent stuff)

Click here: Marines May Drop Armor; Security Bunnies Get Silly | Danger Room from Wired.com

Again, I'm no expert, but I think it all boils down to common sense, and thinking before you post.

Just a reminder:) Hope everyone has a good week!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an AWESOME journal you have!
Ang

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Angie :)

You made my day!