[Infowarrior] - Army blogging: Army's Info-Cop Speaks

[Richard Forno]

Army's Info-Cop Speaks
http://blog.wired.com/defense/

The Army has issued stringent new regulations about how information is
supposed to be handled.  Everything from blog posts to e-mail to resumes
must now get prior approval from a supervisor.  And everyone from soldiers
to civilians to contractors to family members is covered.

I asked the Major Ray Ceralde, author of Army Regulation 530­1: Operations
Security (OPSEC), a few questions about the new policies by e-mail.  Here's
what he told me.

Q: Why did you decide that the new regs were needed?  What's in them that
isn't in the 2005 edition?

The 2005 regulation, created from minor revisions made to the 1995
regulation, made brief additions to the regulation, specifically to address
new technology such as e-mail, Web sites, and blogs, but carried over most
of the regulations from 1995.  The 2007 regulation is a major revision and
provides significant updates in the areas of responsibilities, policy and
procedures, and training requirements.  It updates and clarifies individual
as well as unit/organizational responsibilities.  It emphasizes that in
addition to Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, contractors, and
U.S. Army Families must be included in practicing operational security.  The
2007 regulation also provides updated guidance how to establish OPSEC
programs for units and organizations as well as updated training
requirements.

Q: The Army News Service story about the regulations indicates that
"Families and friends," as well as Army civilians and contractors, are now
covered under the new regs.  But, if I'm not mistaken, the new regs
themselves are marked FOUO [For Official Use Only], and kept behind the AKO
[Army Knowledge Online] firewall.  So how can these people learn about the
guidelines which apply to them?

Contractors and U.S. Army Family Members can obtain AKO accounts with
sponsorship from authorized Army personnel.  With their AKO accounts, they
can access the U.S. Army OPSEC regulation.  However, commanders and leaders
are more likely to inform contractors, and especially U.S. Army Families
about OPSEC. While commanders cannot issue orders and directives to Family
Members, they can inform them, especially during Family Readiness Group
meetings, how poor OPSEC can put their Soldiers as well as themselves in
danger and how practicing OPSEC protects all of them.