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The 86th Airlift Wing Operations Security program managers recently conducted an inspection of the unserviceable vehicles that were turned into the Ramstein auto recycling center (junkyard).
The OPSEC program managers looked for documents personnel left in their vehicle. Unfortunately, during the OPSEC inspection several personal documents were found. Among the documents found were USAA insurance forms, service members’ group life insurance, bank statements, medical incident reports, student loan documents and a personal notebook. The documents contained information such as name, rank, address, dependent data, e-mail addresses, account numbers along with balances and medical diagnosis.
“Eighty percent of our adversaries’ intelligence comes from unclassified sources such as trash, unsecured phone (landline and cell), e-mails, and social engineering; therefore, it’s critical we don’t leave our personal information behind as adversaries can use that information to cause mission failure and even loss of life,” said OPSEC Program Manager Senior Master Sgt. Francisco Robinson-Brown.
The staff at the auto recycling center does inform military and civilian personnel to remove all documents upon vehicle turn-in, but it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to remove the documents.
“It’s not just the personal documents we are concerned about,” said Maj. Gerald I. Smith Jr., 86th AW OPSEC program manager. “All personnel need to be concerned about any type of information that our adversaries can piece together to determine our capabilities, intentions and operations. It’s critical for all Ramstein personnel to understand the importance of OPSEC.”
OPSEC is all about one thing: protecting unclassified, critical or sensitive information. Since all personnel at Ramstein work daily with unclassified information, it’s imperative for everyone to integrate OPSEC into their day-to-day activities. To do this, everyone needs to be familiar with their wing and unit Critical Information List.
The wing and unit CIL should be posted next to everyone’s phone or computer for easy reference as a reminder to what information is considered critical or sensitive and therefore requires additional measures to protect. Among the measures personnel should take to protect critical information is to shred all documents to include stationery such as post-it-notes. The rationale for shredding all information is to eliminate the process of trying to determine what is considered critical information and to prevent the accidental throwing away of critical information.
Even information that may seem insignificant can be pieced together with other information by our adversaries to derive critical information which can be exploited. Therefore complying with the wing’s 100 percent shred policy makes sense.
Other measures personnel can take to protect critical information is to encrypt e-mails or use secure communication when sending information that is considered critical. Additional measures Sergeant Robinson-Brown recommends include securing buildings and offices, using privacy act cover sheets, limiting workplace discussion to a need-to-know basis and for personnel not to discuss operations outside of work or with family.
Most importantly, Major Smith warns that personnel need to be aware that the inappropriate posting of critical information on social media sites is punishable by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“The best OPSEC measure personnel can take is to ensure they receive their initial and annual OPSEC awareness training from their unit OPSEC coordinator,” Sergeant Robinson-Brown said.
Lastly, to create an OPSEC culture in the unit and to prevent an incoming caller from disclosing critical information, Major Smith recommends all personnel answer the phone, as part of their greeting, with the phrase, “Unsecure line.”
“Good OPSEC is absolutely critical, not only for mission success, but also for the safety and well being of our Airmen, civilians and their families,” Major Smith said.
(Courtesy of 86th Airlift Wing Plans and Programs)
