thedrifter
02-25-04, 03:26 PM
Issue Date: March 01, 2004
Be cautious when sharing information, Hagee urges
By Gordon Lubold
Times staff writer
Posters on military bases during World War II reminded service members that “loose lips sink ships.” Six decades later, Commandant Gen. Mike Hagee is urging that same level of caution among Marines and wants them to be more mindful of the information they share.
In a Feb. 3 Corpswide message, Hagee stressed that “at no time in history has the need to protect critical information been more essential than today.”
It’s been more than two years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but the commandant published his message to make sure all Marines know the critical role they play when it comes to defending the nation’s security.
“Today, as technology makes information available instantaneously through almost any personal computer, protecting critical information and our intentions is vital to preserving the lives of men and women involved in military operations,” according to the message, an AlMar appropriately numbered “007.”
Hagee ordered all commanders to review the Corps’ operational security program and develop new methods to support opsec. He also appointed the Information Operations and Space Integration Branch at Marine Corps headquarters as the new opsec go-to agency.
Much like the Corps’ effort to change the Marine mind-set about safety, commanders now aim to convince leathernecks of the vital role operational security plays in their everyday lives.
“Opsec” is a term often used but not always understood by all Marines, said Lt. Col. David Wilbur, joint action officer at the information operations and space integration branch.
“It needs to be a change in culture, a change in the way we fundamentally think,” Wilbur said.
“We have to make sure we’re thinking about opsec all the time in our lives and that we don’t talk about things that include critical information.”
The question is figuring out which information should stay under wraps. It’s not always the “Secret Squirrel” stuff that can put people’s lives at risk and ruin missions.
Sometimes, it’s the seemingly innocent details that people share in e-mails or barroom conversations that could land in the wrong hands, he said.
This is all the more important given the advent of the Internet. But while both society and the military were particularly mindful of security in the wake of 9/11, it’s important that service members not become complacent, he said.
Declaring war on loose lips isn’t just talk. The Corps released a Feb. 19 Corpswide message, MarAdmin 071/04, providing new security guidance regarding the Corps’ many public Web sites.
Security officials discovered more than 1,500 incidents in 2003 in which “for official use only” and other sensitive but unclassified data was made available on publicly accessible sites. This can include information about operations, contingency plans and standard operating procedures.
The message instructs Marines supporting Marine Corps Web sites to review material to ensure it is “appropriate for viewing by a worldwide audience.” If not, it must be removed or otherwise secured.
Of course, too much security isn’t a good thing, either.
“If you try to be too tight on information, it can also inhibit your operation,” Wilbur said. “[Security] needs to be tight, but not too tight.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=0-MARINEPAPER-2659817.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Be cautious when sharing information, Hagee urges
By Gordon Lubold
Times staff writer
Posters on military bases during World War II reminded service members that “loose lips sink ships.” Six decades later, Commandant Gen. Mike Hagee is urging that same level of caution among Marines and wants them to be more mindful of the information they share.
In a Feb. 3 Corpswide message, Hagee stressed that “at no time in history has the need to protect critical information been more essential than today.”
It’s been more than two years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but the commandant published his message to make sure all Marines know the critical role they play when it comes to defending the nation’s security.
“Today, as technology makes information available instantaneously through almost any personal computer, protecting critical information and our intentions is vital to preserving the lives of men and women involved in military operations,” according to the message, an AlMar appropriately numbered “007.”
Hagee ordered all commanders to review the Corps’ operational security program and develop new methods to support opsec. He also appointed the Information Operations and Space Integration Branch at Marine Corps headquarters as the new opsec go-to agency.
Much like the Corps’ effort to change the Marine mind-set about safety, commanders now aim to convince leathernecks of the vital role operational security plays in their everyday lives.
“Opsec” is a term often used but not always understood by all Marines, said Lt. Col. David Wilbur, joint action officer at the information operations and space integration branch.
“It needs to be a change in culture, a change in the way we fundamentally think,” Wilbur said.
“We have to make sure we’re thinking about opsec all the time in our lives and that we don’t talk about things that include critical information.”
The question is figuring out which information should stay under wraps. It’s not always the “Secret Squirrel” stuff that can put people’s lives at risk and ruin missions.
Sometimes, it’s the seemingly innocent details that people share in e-mails or barroom conversations that could land in the wrong hands, he said.
This is all the more important given the advent of the Internet. But while both society and the military were particularly mindful of security in the wake of 9/11, it’s important that service members not become complacent, he said.
Declaring war on loose lips isn’t just talk. The Corps released a Feb. 19 Corpswide message, MarAdmin 071/04, providing new security guidance regarding the Corps’ many public Web sites.
Security officials discovered more than 1,500 incidents in 2003 in which “for official use only” and other sensitive but unclassified data was made available on publicly accessible sites. This can include information about operations, contingency plans and standard operating procedures.
The message instructs Marines supporting Marine Corps Web sites to review material to ensure it is “appropriate for viewing by a worldwide audience.” If not, it must be removed or otherwise secured.
Of course, too much security isn’t a good thing, either.
“If you try to be too tight on information, it can also inhibit your operation,” Wilbur said. “[Security] needs to be tight, but not too tight.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=0-MARINEPAPER-2659817.php
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: