OPSEC (Split from Mission)

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by LAW0306

Well Eddie was it a violation?

Was it a violation of OPSEC? Come on man, you're a Warrant Officer, of course it's a violation of OPSEC. It's who, when, where, and what.

Or did I say things that are open source and backed it up with a site too see open source info?

That's irrelevant. Last I checked, you are a BN Gunner. Which means you oversee fire support requests and push them from lower units to higher units as I don't think you have organic fire support assets other than mortars. Though I could be wrong about that, I admit.

OT: In Iraq, it takes a Division Commander's approval to fire anything other than ILLUM right now. Most FSOs/FSNCOs/Gunners are being utilized as an Effects Cell, meaning they're the ones paying out projects and microgrants. Out where the Marines are, no different to my knowledge. My Brigade shared a border with them, so I know the area somewhat of where you're going most likely. I hope you like chai.

Now that being said, I don't see your BN's or Regiment's deployment information anywhere. I've never heard of that being "open source." In fact, OPORDs, timelines, destinations, etc. are always SECRET classification or higher. That's why all officers have a SECRET clearance. At the very worst, it rates an FOUO rating, which this site definitely is not.

Is the information easy to deduce? If you're familiar with military deployments, then yeah, you can pretty much figure out that timeline. But it's an educated guess in that instance. You took that guess and confirmed it.

After all, "would you give the enemy a loaded firearm?" Sorry, a little S-2 paranoia humor. We have a screensaver on all Army computers that has a little graphic of that crap.

A site too keep my Friends/Family here informed on what I will be doing at a non-secure level(The same site thats here on the net to provide people with information).

You could just as easily have sent them PMs, called them, or sent them emails.

And yes PM and I will come and see you anytime .

We already got that settled.

This was a post among friends too tell them were I would be for the next few months.

I have no issue with that. What I have issue with is the forum in which you did it. In a public internet forum, you just confirmed a major unit's movement and big picture plan. Kato's right, we don't need to get in a big trolling war/flaming war on his boards. What you did was wrong at best, reckless at worst.

Is the information available other places? Probably. But you're not an S-2 officer and you're not a unit commander, so you don't have the authority to release or confirm information to the public. Yeah, I just sat through the OPSEC briefing again yesterday morning when I was at work at 0715 on a frikkin' Saturday morning. Hell, I operated in Iraq for 15 months, had an estimated return date on my orders, but still couldn't tell my wife that, "Yeah, I'm done at the JSS and have moved back to Taji now."

Also He is another Officer and we will talk it out among men.

I'm glad you have that sentiment. Let me draw your attention to your opening sentence then.

"Well Eddie was it a violation?"

That sentence is very poor for the intention of this last quoted section. It instantly put me on the defensive by having to publicly defend my earlier statement and very bluntly say, "Yeah, you were wrong for posting it."

Now, then, I've not just said that in a vacuum, an empty accusation, as it were. I gave examples of what information people can draw from it, I explained why it's wrong, and I explained why I'm being blunt about it.

Do I really care? No. I don't. I'm not in the Marines and I'm not deploying with your unit. You want to give out information? Cool, man. You want to make yourself sound bad to your buddies? Cool, man.

If you still have issues, like you said, we can agree to disagree for now and talk them over at lunch.