Thursday, February 28, 2008
First Blog Entry!
Ok here it is, my first deployment update for my blog. I figured that instead of typing a bunch of different emails that basically say the same thing that i would just do a blog and let everyone read it and find out whats going on over here in the barren wasteland known as Iraq. Hopefully you will be able to figure this out mom, ill try to explain it to you if you have any trouble. The things i post on my blog will have to be a little vague, i cant give it sensitive information since some guy in a government agency monitors all this stuff to makes sure we dont give out too much information. Its called op-sec or operational security. We left California 2 weeks ago but it actually took us 1 week to get to Fallujah. We made stops in Maine, Ireland, Germany and finally Kuwait. We had a lot of down time waiting for a military flight in Kuwait but we finally got one and flew to a base near Fallujah. We then drove from that base to Fallujah. Ive been here for a week now and im starting to get to know the base, at least all the important locations like the gym the chow hall and the internet center. Were getting ready to change over with the unit that well be replacing so things are probably going to get a little hectic and we'll be working long hours.
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from a website i found... incase anyones wondering
:: OPSEC ::
Balancing the need to stay informed while protecting intelligence and operational information is a difficulty but essential task. We must be aware that our adversaries have the capability to actively monitor communications, the news media, the internet and command information channels.
Consider carefully the potential value of information we place in the public domain. The following guidelines are provided to assist all personnel.
A. General. Service members and their families must be aware of their personal responsibility in securing operational information. OPSEC is essential to our force protection and our ability to effectively carry our military operations. Casual conversations about sensitive information or speculation about surroundings at all times when discussing operational matters.
B. Security Posture.
1. Defense conditions are classified secret, while force protection conditions are unclassified.
2. Vulnerability of oconus installations to sabotage or penetration is classified secret if U.S. Intelligence information is made.
C. Deployments.
1. The identity of units planned for deployment is confidential until an official announcement of the deployment is made.
2. General geographic location of units deployed ( I.E. City, Country or Area) is unclassified.
3. Specific geographic location of units deployed is confidential.
4. Details of allied military participation in operations is secret.
5. The Global reach of the World Wide Web requires special precautions to be taken when posting information. The following types of information shall not be posted to publicly accessible websites:
Information that is for official use only (FOUO). This type of information would pose an unacceptable risk to the Marine Corps, especially in electronically aggregated form. While records containing FOUO information will normally be marked at the time of their creation, records that do not bare such markings shall be assumed to contain FOUO information.
Analysis and recommendations concerning lessons learned which would reveal sensitive military operations, exercises or vulnerabilities.
Reference to unclassified information that would reveal sensitive movements of military assets or the location of units, installations, or personnel where uncertainty regarding location is an element of a military plan or program.
Personal information including compilations of names or personnel assigned overseas, sensitive, or routinely deployable units.
Names, locations, and specific identifying information about family members of Marines and Marine Corps employees.
Technical information that can be used or be adapted for use to design, engineer, product, manufacture, operate, repair, overhaul, or reproduce any military or space equipment or technology concerning such equipment.
Unclassified information pertaining to classified programs. The clearance review procedures for unclassified information pertaining to classified programs proposed for posting to a publicly accessible web sites must take into account the likelihoods of classification compilation.
If all of these 'technical' terms are a bit too much to understand. Below is the basic gist of them OPSEC Rules:
Don’t discuss current or future destinations or ports of call.
Don’t discuss current or future operations or missions.
Don’t discuss current or future dates and times of when Marines will be in port or conducting exercises.
Don’t discuss readiness issues and numbers.
Don’t discuss specific training equipment.
Don’t discuss people’s names and billets in conjunction with operations.
Don’t speculate about current or future operations.
Don’t spread rumors about current, future, or past operations or movements.
Don’t assume the enemy is not trying to collect information on you; he is.
Be smart, use your head, and always think OPSEC when using email, phone, chat rooms and message boards.
Howdy from Chris Garrett in San Diego.
Our thoughts are with you every day
Hey Andy- thanks for doing the blog...it makes it easier for us to understand your environment.
Hang in there!
Love,
Cindy
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