OpSec is no party, but it can save lives

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Tudor
  • 457th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) --  With the number of things to keep in mind when dealing with operational security -- from computers to paperwork to conversation -- it's no wonder some of us stand around, scratch our heads and ask, "What exactly is OpSec?"

So, I give you a birthday party.

It is a surprise birthday party. It may be for a friend. It may be for a son or daughter. But let's just say you are the one planning and carrying it out. On your credit card. At your expense. And time.

Needless to say, you are really into the whole surprise factor. You have found out the honoree's favorite kind of cake and what he wants for his birthday, and you have bought so many little pointed hats, you wardrobe 100 tiny witches.

Now, in order to really make this party the Oscar-like extravaganza you have in mind for the person, you will need help. So, you get four friends. One is in charge of location. One will chose the decor. Another will go buy the gift. Another is the cake go-to person.

You gather for the first planning meeting. You all decide on the restaurant with the large rat on the sign as the venue. You'll only need a small amount of decorations, but they all have to be NASCAR-oriented. A large chocolate cake with the Bear in the Big Blue House is appropriate. You've got a handle on the rest -- invitations and clean up.

With these words, you dispatch your crew:

"Not a WORD to our esteemed honoree or I will break each and every one of your fingers. This means a lot to me and to him.

And they are off. As they go, one after another bumps into others' said friends. And bit by bit, sure enough, they start drooling out the best details of the party. All those things make the rounds until finally, the one for whom the surprise was important, knows damn near everything, including the show time and what to wear.

There you are, bumping around the department store one day when the honoree rolls up and says, "Hey, man. I've got my NASCAR-themed toga and I'll love the Jeff Gordon Food processor as gift! Is 2 p.m. rather than 3 p.m. OK, though? The Lakers are on."

Suddenly, that vein that has been recessed in your forehead for at least a good six months rises up like an oil pipeline and you can actually feel your body temperature increasing four degrees.

Not only does he know, but also he has invited all the people you planned to invite. And now they are changing the plans for you, moving the location, changing the cake and even asking Crackles the Pie-Crust-Wearing Clown to do the floor show.

This is nothing like you've planned. The whole thing is ruined.

Get the point now?

OpSec means not leaking even the smallest bits of information. And this is no party. If the wrong information gets mishandled, or the smaller bits are turned into mission-critical bits, people can die.

The war is not over yet. There is still the chance that harm can be done to any of us. Remember operational security and keep all of us safe.

It is something to keep in mind.