Operation Security

Operation Security is the most elementary practice to keep sensitive information that may benefit yourself, your loved ones, or more relevantly, fellow soldiers. One of the mistakes most individuals, via soldiers make is their lack of awareness. They don't realize how important Operation Security is, mostly credited to their inexperience to being in a position where their knowledge is actually something that others should not know, or could be use against them to cause something more than social suicide but severe harm to them or others. Many of today's new generation of soldier is coming out of a very social network. School or social hives that most soldiers were apart of before they became apart of the military involved opening up to those around you.

Making friends is inevitable as a soldier, those you serve with we earn the respect that allows you to open up. But being open to them about your personal life is no longer the same. Your not in class or the typical employee at work where all topics are taboo. Soldier's know things that the average person does not know. You must master separation of your personal life and your soldier life. Being a soldier removes you from the normal circle of awareness, and you must keep one must keep them self from disclosing that awareness, even if they don't see the immediate harm it may have. If its not broadcast-ed on television for all to watch during dinner, that's its not table talk or the right topic to be having at your local military dining facility.

Operational Security must be instilled in soldiers early on, they need to know regardless of the privileges they receive, that they are not civilians. They're are many predators that will seek out sensitive information about our troops through popular social sites. Individuals who want you to participate in some sort of online competition and send your vote, will try to appeal to their minds in many different ways, but at the end of the encounter that soldier will be giving if not their personal information, information that the predator didn't have before, that can be gained by soldiers simply entertaining them without disclosing anything sensitive. And the advances will continue under possibly under a different alias. Soldiers are unaware that Operation Security is not only while deployed by while we stay battle ready in our home front.

Sensitive items are anything that is considered classified or a mission essential item. These items can include protective gear, maps, or a piece of paper designating patrol routes. The importance of securing sensitive items comes down to maintaining accountability for operation security, mission success and a soldiers over all readiness. The habits of exercising security and accountability of a soldiers items allow the soldier and their team to operate to the highest standards or have items be accessed by an opposing adversary creating loss of overall mission success.

Operational security is a process that denied critical information to an adversary. If one were to obtain the information presented it could be used against friendly forces. Utilizing all assets to maintain and secure sensitive items and classified information promote proper operational security and soldier readiness. Not securing items of sensitive nature acquire the risk of loss by being intercepted by unauthorized persons. All personnel should maintain accountability of all sensitive material to allow full utilization by themselves and anyone involved with the mission and still maintain operational security.

Operational security can be compromised through the loss of sensitive items