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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Sending an e-mail, talking on the phone, carrying documents to a meeting in another building, talking to a friend in the galley about work - all of these everyday activities require one thing - Operations Security.
"It is everyone's responsibility. We cannot get complacent. If you see a violation, make a quick on-the-spot correction. OPSEC is everyone's concern," said Mr. Gary Belch, Operations Security Programs manager, Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
The military widely attributes the formal beginning of OPSEC to a team originally named Purple Dragon during the Vietnam War. The Purple Dragon was a team of Soldiers whose objective was to institute the OPSEC process to all critical information. Key leaders noticed that once OPSEC measures were being carried out there was an increase in mission effectiveness.
The OPSEC process includes: identification of critical information; threat analysis; vulnerability analysis; risk assessment and countermeasures. Most of what is shared by everyone falls under countermeasures, from shedding all mission related material to censoring your phone calls home to friends and family.
"This is a real-world environment," said Belch, when asked about a few of the biggest OPSEC challenges here in the JTF. "Soldiers train so much in this area it is nothing new, but it is just so much more important here. It is common knowledge that the Cubans are very good at gathering information so we need to be practicing good OPSEC."
There are common violations that Belch frequently sees that can be easily corrected. The display of security badges in public places, uncovered mission-related documents left in cars, computer stations left unoccupied and logged in and mission related documents left unclaimed at the printer.
While the formal beginnings of OPSEC are documented, OPSEC has been a part of U.S. military history since the beginning. George Washington was quoted as saying, "Even minutiae should have a place in our collection, for things of a seemingly trifling nature, when enjoined with others of a more serious cast, may lead to valuable conclusion."
While the idea of OPSEC is old, it is a current mission that is indeed everyone's responsibility.
"I think people are afraid of sending too much stuff on [the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network]," said Belch. "When in doubt send it on SIPR or when in doubt shred it and remind people on the phone that the line is unsecure. Just a few little things anyone can do."
http://www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2008 08:57 |
| Story ID: | 23190 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 168 |
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