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Protect the base by practicing good OPSEC

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Kerry Jackson
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --  Operational Security is an important part of how personnel here successfully conduct daily operations.

Unlike security measures that protect classified information, OPSEC focuses on the unclassified, but sensitive information that still pose a threat to U.S. forces at home and abroad. Because of these potential threats, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing OPSEC manager has implemented new products and procedures to help people living in the Grand Slam community mitigate security concerns.

“OPSEC is something we take very seriously, and we work hard to educate the base populace to help avoid future violations,” said Master Sgt. Shelton Humphries, the 379th AEW OPSEC manager. “All personnel are responsible for protecting critical information; both classified and unclassified, and ensuring it is communicated in the most secure manner possible.”

Critical information is any detail about friendly intentions, or capabilities needed by the adversary to disrupt mission accomplishment. One area of concern that the OPSEC office is focusing its efforts on is the installation shred policy because of increased OPSEC related violations since July.

“There have been way too many shred violations and Critical Information (CI) violations,” Humphries said. “We reiterate this at every opportunity, but all items with Personally Identifiable Information (PII), For Official Use Only (FOUO), and information pertaining to items listed in the Wing Critical Information List (CIL), must be shredded.”

The Critical Information List was developed by the Wing OPSEC Program Manager in coordination with units to address information at all levels. According to Air Force and DoD policy, all critical information, classified and unclassified, must be communicated in the most secure manner possible to include Secure Internet Protocol Router Networks, Voice Over Secure Internet Protocol and encrypted e-mail.

As part of the base OPSEC program, base dumpsters are routinely screened for both critical and unclassified information before they leave the base. All personnel at Al Udeid AB must comply with OPSEC programs, such as the 100 percent shred policy and the correct disposal of military uniforms to prevent the adversary from conducting a successful “dumpster dive” to find critical information.

To help prevent OPSEC violations, Humphries has positioned four massive un-classified paper shred and uniform drop-off bins at locations around the Blatchford Preston Compound and the Coalition Compound to help people securely destroy these items. Now OPSEC violators have very little reason to not securely destroy their material, but there’s a catch.

“In less than a week, we have had three pickup truck loads from just one bin,” said Humphries. “Now when individuals fail to place their shredding materials into these bins, and continue to put them in the trash, their units have the option of sending them to shred everyone else’s shredding materials.”

The un-classified paper shredder and uniform drop-off bins are located near in the CC near the theater, in the BPC near the dining facility, the base track and near Jack’s Place.

For more information about the Al Udeid OPSEC program, contact your unit OPSEC managers.