WASHINGTON, 31 August 2005 — The US Army is fighting an additional battle in Iraq — trying to get its soldiers to stop posting photos and information on their Web logs that may inadvertently reveal “vulnerabilities and tactics” and “needlessly place lives at risk.”
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker circulated a memo to all Army personnel last week urging his soldiers “to do a better job” at operational security, “OPSEC,” in military lingo.
“The enemy is actively searching the unclassified networks for information, especially in sensitive photos, in order to obtain targeting data, weapons system vulnerabilities, and for use against the coalition. A more aggressive attitude toward protecting friendly information is vital to mission success. The enemy is a pro at exploiting our OPSEC vulnerabilities,” he said.
“Such OPSEC violations needlessly place lives at risk and degrade the effectiveness of our operations,” Gen. Schoomaker wrote, while specifically reminding all US Army personnel “that the enemy will exploit sensitive photos showing results of IED strikes, battle scenes, casualties, destroyed or damaged equipment, and enemy KIAs (killed in actions) as propaganda and terrorist training tools.” He also ordered Army staff at the Pentagon to “track and report, on a quarterly basis,” (such) OPSEC violations.”
“Get the word out and focus on this issue now,” he said.
Soldiers serving in Iraq already have had to register their blogs, as the popular online dairies are called, and are prohibited from revealing classified data, naming casualties until after their families have been informed, or writing bout incidents that are being investigated.
Another memo from Gen. Richard Cody, spells out how even seemingly innocuous material can assist the enemy.
“Inform your personnel that we could unwittingly magnify enemy capability simply by exchanging photos with friends, relatives, or by publishing them on the Internet or other media. We are not limiting authorized communication (to include the appropriate use of photos) under the existing public affairs guidance, but we must protect photos that reveal to the enemy our battle losses, ongoing friendly operations, TTP, equipment vulnerabilities, or disclose intelligence collection efforts and methods. Moreover, we must protect information that may have a negative impact on foreign relations with coalitions allies or world opinion.”
“Our mission success and soldiers lives depend on aggressively denying the enemy any advantage. I need your focus on this critical issue,” said Gen. Schoomaker.
He promised that amendments to Army regulations would be circulated within a month.
A copy of the memo was posted on the website (http://www.blackfive.net/main/2005/08/military_blogs_.html).
