Operational Security: Knowing is half the battle

by Master Sgt. Gloria Wilson
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

4/14/2014 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Operations security is the safeguarding of information that, if disseminated to the general public, could cause a threat or bring harm to military members or property. This is something that not only military members should think about, but also family members wherever they are, to include at home.

Bad OPSEC practices can lead to mission degradation and put lives at risk, while smart OPSEC habits can help ensure safe mission continuation.

In order to be able to contribute to OPSEC success all members should be familiar with the wing and unit critical information list. These lists are designed to capture information deemed most important to protect. At a minimum family members here at Incirlik should know the basics and receive family consolidated CIL cards.

"It's important for people to know information, such as, when and where a unit is arriving could be information an adversary wants," said Maj. Ryan Williams, 39th Air Base Wing OPSEC monitor. "We need to protect critical or sensitive information and prevent anyone who doesn't have a need to know, from gaining access to it. We also need to understand how an adversary can gather information."

Here are some methods that can be used to gain access to information:

Surveillance - This can be done electronically or in person and can include someone listening in on conversations, tapping into phone lines or intercepting emails.

Elicitation - This is when individuals actively try to gain information using various methods such as asking questions or offering favors, money or gifts.

Imagery - This is when individuals take photos of various things that may include key facilities, flight line, power plant, gates, aircraft and personnel.

Dumpster Diving - This is when individuals attempt to gather documents from trash, shred bins or unattended work areas.

"When everyone is aware of methods used against us, we can more efficiently apply countermeasures to protect our critical information," said Williams. "Countermeasures can effectively cut off our adversary's ability to collect against us."

Some countermeasures to bolster OPSEC integrity include:

Don't speak out of your lane: Unless someone is a subject matter expert and has been given approval to speak on a subject, they shouldn't talk about it.

Need to know: "It's exactly what it sounds like," said Williams. "If you've been entrusted with some information, and the guy sitting next to you doesn't need to know because he's not going to have a major impact on the mission, then you don't need to tell it to him."

Know who your OPSEC monitor is: Every unit has an OPSEC coordinator. Everyone should know who their monitor is and clear everything through them before divulging potentially protected or sensitive information.

Talk to your public affairs office before releasing information or talking to the press: "Never agree to an interview or answer media questions about official matters before contacting public affairs. This applies both at home station and in a deployed location," said 1st Lt. David Liapis, 39th Air Base Wing public affairs officer. "Public Affairs is the liaison between you and the media to help ensure interviews portray both you and the Air Force accurately as well as without security or OPSEC risks."

Educate your family members: Talk to them to make sure they know what must be protected.

Report the unusual: If you see anything abnormal, people here at Incirlik AB can make an Eagle Eyes report to 676-EYES (3937).

100 percent shred policy: The base has a 100 percent shred policy to protect information. Ensure compliance.

Social media: It's important for people to know who is on their social media account and to not "friend" strangers. Don't post anything that specifically talks about the job or mission.

"Posting something on Facebook is equivalent to releasing it worldwide," said Liapis. "Your status update stating your spouse is leaving for a certain foreign country on a particular date may not seem like a big deal, but that's critical information that could be used maliciously when combined with other intelligence."

The U.S. Air Force has supplied a guide on how to correctly and safely navigate social media as a military member, which can also be used to educate your loved ones. For a copy, click here.

Know who belongs in your workplace, and who doesn't: "No one is going to know who shouldn't be in the workplace better than the people who work there," said Williams. "It doesn't hurt to ask questions. If you find someone in your workplace you don't recognize, find out who the stranger is and what they are doing there. If it's something you're not aware of, contact your chain of command to verify."

Remember that OPSEC is always important. It can mean the difference between life and death. Not taking it seriously can inadvertently give out information that helps an enemy.

All in all, it is important to be informed and aware. If unsure, ask; and never forget that Eagle Eyes reporting makes a difference when something suspicious happens.