As a family member of the military

community, you are a vital player in our

success. We cannot complete our job

without your support. You may not

know it, but you also play a crucial role

in ensuring your loved one’s safety just

by what you know of the military’s daily

operations. You can protect your loved

ones by protecting that military

operations information. This is known in

the military as operations security, or

OPSEC.

You are a

v ital player

in our

succes s

375TH AIR MOBILITY WING

OPSEC OFFICE

Phone: (618) 256-3056

E-mail: opsec@scott.af.mil

To safeguard you, your family and your

belongings, here are a few tips for your

home. Note that all help to control the infor-

mation you share with others.

Do not put your children’s names on

their backpacks.

Do not put the box your brand new TV

came in on the curb for trash pick-up.

You are only advertising.

Do not leave your trash can on the curb

when you are out of town.

Have some one pick up your news

papers and mail while you are away.

Have automatic lights set for random

times.

Be mindful that if it has snowed for a

few days and there are no tracks in your

driveway, this is a pretty good indicator

that you are not home. Have the

neighbors kids shovel your driveway to

make it look like you are home.

Don’t share photos online that contain

geotags (location the photo was taken),

addresses, school districts (on buses,

etc.)

Be mindful of what you’re sharing with

others on bumper stickers and vanity

plates.

OPSEC AT HOME

A GUIDE FOR

THE FAMILY

Operations

security

OPSEC is the process of safeguarding our

critical unclassified information from potential

adversaries. As the name suggests, it

protects our operations planned, operations

in progress and operations completed.

Success depends on secrecy and surprise.

For example; have you ever watched a

football game? If the offense can trick or

surprise the defense, the play is successful.

Enemies of freedom want our information no

matter how small or insignificant and they

are not just looking for information from the

military member.

So why you? ? ?

As a civilian, why would anyone want to

target you as a source of information?

Without realizing it, you

may know small bits of

information that an

adversary can piece

together to complete a

bigger picture. They are trained to ask

certain questions in such a casual way, they

make you feel comfortable enough to reveal

information they can use.

What c an you do ?

Even though this information may not be “SECRET”,

it’s what we call “Critical Information.” Critical

Information deals with specific facts about military

intentions, capabilities, operations or activities. If an

adversary knew this detailed information, our

mission and personnel safety

could be jeopardized. It must

be protected to ensure an

adversary doesn’t gain a

significant advantage.

By being a member of the military family, you will

often know some details of military information. Do

not discuss them outside of your immediate family

and especially not over the telephone, e-mail or

social networking sites.

Examples of Critical Information

Detailed information about missions of assigned

units

Details concerning locations and times of units

deployments

Details concerning security procedures

Details of TDYs to include length and or location

Critical Information at home

Where you hide your key outside

How long you will be on vacation or how long

your spouse will be deployed

What e xac tly

i s o psec ?

Puzz le P i eces

These pieces of information may seem

insignificant. However, to a trained

adversary, they are small pieces of a puzzle

that highlight what we are doing and

planning. Remember, the elements of

security, secrecy and surprise are vital to

the accomplishment of our goals and our

collective personnel protection.

Where and how

you discuss this

information is

j u s t a s

important as

with whom you

d i s c u s s i t .

Adversaries agents tasked with collecting

information frequently visit some of the

same stores, clubs, recreational areas,

places of worship AND social networking

sites like Facebook and Myspace.

Determined individuals can easily collect

data from cordless and cellular phones and

baby monitors using inexpensive receivers

available from local electronic stores.

If anyone, especially a foreign national

persistently seeks information from you,

notify your military sponsor immediately. He

or she will notify the unit OPSEC program

manager or local office of investigations.