Airmen, families critical to OPSEC success

  • Published
  • By Cynthia Bauer
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) --  With our nation at war, operations security becomes a vital part of success in battle and force protection at home.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during a nationally televised press conference on Iraq March 20, concluded his remarks with a strong reminder to those who have access to classified information.

"It's essential that everyone with access to classified operational details exercise discipline," said the secretary. "There is no excuse for anyone revealing sensitive information that will almost certainly put the lives of men and women in uniform at risk."

Although Rumsfeld pointed to classified information, there is another category of information called critical information that's also important to protect. It is that information about intentions, capabilities, operations or activities that could possibly give our adversaries an advantage. Such information may seem insignificant, but when pieced as a puzzle with other bits of information, can reveal important details of ongoing or planned operations.

Capt. Allen Reeves, chief of defensive counter information with the 67th Information Warfare Flight here, said the vigilance of family members as well as airmen is necessary to prevent critical information from getting into enemy hands.

"The success of our military mission depends on secrecy and surprise," he said. "Secrecy and surprise helps us do our mission both more quickly and with less risk. Enemies of freedom want information, and they're not just targeting our airmen, they'll target our families, too."

Every Air Force family has bits and pieces of information about the military mission. Members of the Air Force family must take care not to discuss information outside of their immediate family, Reeves said.

"Some bits of critical information could include detailed unit mission information, times and locations of deployments, and large numbers of personnel transactions including pay information, powers of attorneys and wills," he said. "References about unit morale or personnel problems or details about security also fall into the critical information category."

Reeves said where and how information is discussed is important, too.

"We all need to remember an adversary's agents tasked with collecting information frequently visit some of the same stores, clubs, recreational areas or even churches as we do," he said.

Reeves said agents can also easily collect data from cordless and cellular phones and even baby monitors using inexpensive receivers available from local electronics stores.

His advice for families? "Be alert, be careful! Spies are a reality. Our adversaries gain useful information through their agents. A foreign agent may use a variety of approaches to befriend someone and get sensitive information that can compromise operations and leave the door open for terrorism. If the person you are talking to shows excessive interest in the military affairs of your family member, notify your sponsor, the unit OPSEC program manager of the local Air Force Office of Special Investigations."