Training, education essential for good security program

By Col. Paul HossenloppSeptember 6, 2012

FORT SILL, Okla. -- Did you know that all Department of the Army employees are required to have Information Security refresher training annually as part of the Security Education Training Awareness (SETA) program?

Security education is continuous, rather than periodic and has a great influence on individual security performance. Unlike other mandatory training, the circulation of directives or similar material on a "read-and-initial" basis does not fulfill the requirement of Army Regulation 380-5.

The key to a successful security program is a well-trained and educated workforce. In addition, all unit personnel must be knowledgeable of security requirements and their personal responsibilities for safeguarding classified or sensitive information. Informed personnel are equipped to handle themselves and classified materials in such a way as to reduce security violations and the ensuing damage cause by them.

Now, who should provide training?

Commanders are responsible for establishing security education programs; this responsibility normally is passed down to the organizations security manager. Security and Intelligence Division (S & ID), DPTMS, helps lighten the burden on commanders and unit security personnel by providing quarterly SETA briefings.

SETA is a one-stop training session which includes several mandatory security disciplines.

S & ID coordinates and conducts quarterly SETA sessions which include information security; physical security and crime prevention; foreign disclosure, threat awareness and reporting program (TARP); operations security (OPSEC) and personal identifying information (PII).

Training is held on two consecutive days with two training sessions per day starting at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Each session is about three and a half hours in duration. Training is provided by subject matter experts from S & ID, the Directorate of Emergency Services, 902nd Military Intelligence Group, Plans and Operations, DPTMS, and the Directorate of Human Resources.

These professionals facilitate training and answer any security questions in their respective areas. There are 16 SETA sessions schedule per year.

All DA personnel (military, civilians and contractors) assigned to Fort Sill are encouraged to attend one of the scheduled sessions.

So you ask, "Where do I go to take advantage of this training?"

SETA for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 is Sept. 11 and 12 in Kerwin Auditorium, Snow Hall, Building 730.

Attendance at only one session is required to meet your annual training requirement.

Unit security managers are responsible for providing training to personnel who are unable to attend one of the scheduled training sessions.

The SETA training schedule for fiscal 2013 will be published soon. First quarter training is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12 and 13.

In addition to presenting quarterly SETA, S & ID also conducts quarterly training for newly appointed security managers, refresher training for experienced security personnel and coordinates the annual Lawton-Fort Sill security managers' conference.

Training and conferences provide an essential forum to network with other security professionals and receive up-to-date security information.

Each is an important part of the Fort Sill security program.