Sgt Grit Marine Forums

OPSEC!!!

I have noticed in the past few weeks, that OPSEC isn't really at the top of everyone's list anymore. I have seen several post where people state roughly how many days they have left until a homecoming ("I can count it on one hand and I don't even need all the fingers anymore."). Sometimes it is pretty easy to guess when those guys will be home. I have also seen post about the guys coming home tonight, which are made way ahead of time. 

Let's make it a rule also to not say such things. NO LOCATIONS as to where they have landed on their way home. When you want to let everyone know your Marine is on his way home, just use the word SOON or VERY SOON. 

From gathering information over the weeks, I know exactly where the guys have had stops on their way home from Iraq,etc. It is not hard to find out stuff and people need to realize, that terrorist are very smart. Unfortunately it seems like it is underestimated how "sneaky" their work is.

Let me put this in perspective for you. 
"Yea! My Marine is coming in tonight!" So the the terrorist already know where you are stationed from previous posts.  Now they know a group of Marines from that location are coming in tonight. Hey, let's send a terrorist to that location!

Any questions let me know.  It is very important that we keep this and any info off the forums.  We want our Marines to be safe when they are coming home!

Ann
Sgt Grit Forums Admin.

Thank you for the reminder, I too had noticed a lot of this going on recently as well.  OPSEC should definitely be our top priority!

Thanks for the reminder!

Maggie:

OPSEC should definitely be our top priority!

 

I absolutely agree!!  Thanks for the reminder! 

Thanks Ann! Glad u reminded us all of how important this issue really is!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Ann. This is sucha serious subject. I've seen so many wives (not on the board- other places) who seem to have no clue how important OPSEC is.

One girl posted on her myspace, exactly what day her husband was supposed to leave, what base he was going to, and how long he was going to be there! My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe she could be so flippant about that kind of important information. She was griping about how long it was going to be gone and blah blah blah. I wrote to her and told her she needed to take down that information IMMEDIATELY that it was a matter of her husband and his unit's safety. I wanted to chew her out for being so stupid, but I didn't have it in me. I just couldn't believe it.

WHY DON'T ALL WIVES & GIRLFRIENDS KNOW THIS?! It should be the first thing a Marine tells his lady, "By the way, when I tell you where I'll be, how long I'll be there, how I'm getting there or who I'm going with- DON'T TELL THE WHOLE FREAKING ONLINE WORLD!"

Again, thank you, Ann, for keeping all of our Marines in mind and helping us to keep them safe.

Thank you Ann!!!

alally:

Let me put this in perspective for you. 
"Yea! My Marine is coming in tonight!" So the the terrorist already know where you are stationed from previous posts.  Now they know a group of Marines from that location are coming in tonight. Hey, let's send a terrorist to that location!

 

Absolutely! That puts it in GREAT perspective. I hope for future references everyone reads the new guidlines.

Thanks Ann.

Thanks for the reminder. I've noticed that here lately as well. Keep em' safe ladies!

Thanks ann for posting and giving us a reminder.

I hope I haven't broken any OPSEC rules. I try to be careful. Thanks for the reminder Ann!

Let's not forget the "My Marine left tonight what am I going to do without him for 7 months"

 

Yup, very important. I know we want to scream and shout to the world when our loved ones will be home ... but it is soo important to just hold it in for a little longer until they are actually with us. When my hubby came home so many people here commented on how they didn't even know he was going to be home so soon ... there was a reason why, and it was not because I was not excited and ready to pee my pants!

  This post was starting to slip down from its position as a sticky.

That's weird how its no longer a sticky...Can we make this a sticky again? It's very important info.

Hi, As a new member to the forum, I must say that I am very, very surprised at the amount of personal information regarding husbands, boyfriends and fiancee's that members have posted on the forum boards. Soldiers names, locations, dates and destinations have all been mentioned, and many of you have even provided a nice clear photo of your guy for the whole word to see. I wouldn't call that keeping your National Security secure, do you?

I live in the United Kingdom, and I work for the Military. I have a USMC friend, who I have written to for going on five years now, hence my interest in this forum.  Such forums like this do not exist in the United Kingdom, for one simple reason, our National Security is paramount. It's what is referred to here as "The need to know" policy. In other words, Tui Mua sat at his PC in China really doesn't need to know who your husband is, who he is serving with, where he is serving, and how long for. You really have no need to blab it to the whole world, the only person who needs to know where their guy is, who he is serving with, and for how long, is YOU.

Also, I am amazed at the amount of information I can read via the Internet about the USMC. Many USMC Bases even have their own online monthly magazine, which are available to view freely by the worldwide public. The pages of these magazines show named photos of deployed USMC Soldiers whilst on duty. For example, hypothetically of course, one views a nice picture of L/Cpl Stones, with his weapon, who is serving in Iraqi with whatever platoon. This type of thing is not allowed here in the United Kingdom, to publish such a picture, especially a named picture, would be deemed a breach of our National Security. I find compared to the United Kingdoms Security, US security appears to be a little "relaxed". Of course, you have the freedom of speech, but please do not make your right to the freedom of speech breach your country's security. My advice, please think before you post. 

Please take onboard and respect OPSEC, for your own sake, your husbands/boyfriends sake, and for the sake of the Security of your country.

 Thanks for posting this notice/reminder Ann.... Well done!

Ashton.

 

 

Ashton, I have to say, I'm kind of offended by your post.  If you feel that no one needs to know any information about their Marine (or whomever may be their connection to the Corps), then why did you join this forum in the first place?  I haven't been here long, but I have seen some OPSEC violations - which were immediately corrected by a moderator, if  not a member of the forum.  If you feel that that is incorrect, please find the specific thread/post to which you are referring and PM it to Judi (DOCSWIFE) or to Yeti (theYeti1775).  I am confident that they will be more than happy to remedy the situation. 

However, in my opinion, I think that everyone here does a great job of keeping our Marines (they are not soldiers) safe and complying with OPSEC rules. 

Hi SaraLou, No offence meant. If you read my post again, you may realise that I compared the British system to the US. The United Kingdom adopts to policy of "The need to know," therefore, that is the system I familiar with. I did say in my post that I was very surprised at the amount of information that has been posted, for it would not be possible to post such things on the web here, it would be a violation of security. The USA appear to be more open, as I stated, with your freedom of speech. That was my point. Here we do not really have that, although our Government will tell the rest of the world that we do have freedom of speech. It is not so. We cannot post on forums such as this.

I do think the forum here is a wonderful thing, it is a community, where folks can make friends, gain support if need be, and just be there for each other. However, we do not have this type of thing in the UK, which was my point, actually. There are posts on the forum that would be deleted immediately on any military forums here in the UK. 

The US security obviously do not have a problem with the forum posts. That is fine. I merely stated the difference between two countries security guidelines, and if you find my speaking up to remind folks that the forum is in the public domain, worldwide, and that they ought to be careful in what they disclose (the reason why Ann posted the reminder in the first place), offensive, then I am sorry that you didn't understand my point.

The war on terror goes on. It is a sad fact, and it affects us here in the United Kingdom, as it does you in the USA.   

Ashton  

PS, I was in London on the day of the bombings and I believe me, I know first hand of what a terror attack is. My thoughts are also with the casualties of 9/11. Terrorism must end.

ashton:

 Soldiers names, locations, dates and destinations have all been mentioned.

The pages of these magazines show named photos of deployed USMC Soldiers whilst on duty

 

 

They are NOT soldiers. They are Marines. Of course, I'm sure your USMC friend has told you that  .

Why so nasty? I do stand infront of them, I am in the MILITARY, I actually do work for your US Military. So why the nastiness?

I refer to online magazines, whether they show USMC or US Soldiers, or even Sailors. We don't have those here online. Supporting the US troops, whether serving in the USMC, Army, Navy was never an issue on my part, only you have made it one with your nasty comment, which was not warranted.

 

Ashton, was your last post directed at me? I'm a little confused by it- All I said was that people serving in the United States Marine Corps are not soldiers. They are called Marines, and members of the United States Army are called soldiers. It is important to the people on our forum to use the proper terms and treat the Corps with respect. I assumed since you were from abroad you may not have known that they are referred to differently. I'm not sure where you saw any nastiness, if you were directing your comments to me. If you thought the graphic in my signature was directed towards you, I can assure you that's been in my signature for months now and certainly isn't directed to anyone. I'm also a little bit confused as to your occupation, because initially you stated you work FOR the military in the UK and then you stated you are IN the military. We like new members to make an introduction post telling us about themselves so we can get to know them better. Hopefully you will make one so we can learn more about you!

I don't really like where this is going, ladies, and I'm going to just step in and lay things out as I see them.

I think that some of the ladies here interpreted your first post, Ashton, as being a sort of "UK is superior to US post" and not as a post of simple musing and comparison that you said that it was in the second post. As such, they're acting on the defensive. I must admit that I felt this way. I thought, "Why come here and tell us that we shouldn't have our forum, that we're all putting our men at risk by using their first names and posting pictures (with nametape blurred), and sharing our troubles." The second post cleared that up a little, but, no offense meant, it did come off rather condenscending.

We try to follow OPSEC as is laid out by the US and not provide information that isn't otherwise available elsewhere. Like you said in your second post, the US is really concerned with freedom of speech and also freedom of information. To the point that things that are classified eventually become declassified, and information that isn't "secret" is readily available all over the net.

Back to the original intent of this post, though, I think that we need to take a step back and cool down. The ladies here were offended by your post because they interpreted it as preaching superiority of the UK over the US, and I think we get a little hotheaded too quickly since that is not the case.

Wondergirl, I owe you an apology. I did think your signature graphic had been directed at me. I am very sorry. I seem to have got off on the wrong foot by stating the difference in the openess of public speech in the USA compared to here in the UK. You are very fortunate to have such a great forum.

Yes, I serve in the Military for my Government, and I also undetake work for the US Government too, in Washington DC. I cannot disclose anything further to my post or occupation, to do so would place me in violation of my security status.

Ashton

  

Thank you Samantha, Yes, I agree with what you have said. I did not intend to be offensive to anyone, and if offence was taken, then please accept my appology. As for the United Kingdom and the word "superior"... as Joan Rivers would say "Ha! Don't make me laugh!" The UK is not superior at anything. You did infact make my point very clear, thanks, and that is, what started out to be top secret, soon becomes not so top secret, thanks to websites and the internet.

I work in the military, for the British government, but I also undertake work for the US Government too. I work on both sides of the pond.

I do think that this is an excellent forum, and my greatest wish it that one day they will allow such things here. The support, friendship and cheer in most of the postings is wonderful, you are in a very nice community, an online community, that you are fortunate to have.