What is OPSEC?

By Michael Luchner, DPTMS, US Army Garrison-Rock Island ArsenalAugust 25, 2011

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Rock Island, Ill. -- Eighty percent of the intelligence our adversaries collect is from "open source" that someone placed on unsecure websites.

What are they are looking for:

- Names/photographs of important people

- Present and future U.S. capabilities

- Meetings of top officials

- News about U.S. diplomacy

- Important government places

- Information about military facilities:

-- Location

-- Units

-- Amount of lighting

-- Exterior size and shape of buildings

-- Number of Soldiers / officers

-- Ammunition depot locations

- Leave policies

- Brigade and company names

- Degree & speed of mobilization

The U.S. Army, and all government organizations, have communications concerns other organizations do not. Release of inappropriate information can result in lost lives.

- Policies and ROE that govern the use of weapons and electronic or acoustic warfare systems.

- Vulnerabilities of defensive dispositions.

- Vulnerabilities to attack.

- Vulnerabilities/capabilities of units, weapons systems.

- Doctrine for using various weapons.

- New weapons that are available or are being employed.

- Overall bed/treatment capacity.

- Shortages in medical specialties/personnel.

Related Links:

DOD Social Media Education & Training

RIA on Facebook

U.S. Army Social Media Handbook

National OPSEC Program: Interagency OPSEC Support Staff (IOSS)