R 182300Z SEP 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//PP&O//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N05354//
MARADMIN 439/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/PP&O//
SUBJ/INFORMATION (INFOSEC) AND OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC)
REMINDER//
REF/A/MARADMIN/C4/221200Z AUG 01//
RMKS/1. PURPOSE. TO REINFORCE THE PROPER HANDLING, RELEASE AND
SECURITY OF INFORMATION.
2. BACKGROUND. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS IN NEW YORK
CITY AND WASHINGTON DC, WE MUST BE EXTREMELY MINDFUL OF THE CONTENT
AND POSSIBLE INTELLIGENCE VALUE OF INFORMATION WE RECEIVE AND
PROVIDE. AMERICANS HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO NEARLY INSTANTANEOUS
ACCESS TO ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING OUR NATION'S MILITARY AND ITS
OPERATIONS. BALANCING THE NEED TO STAY INFORMED WHILE PROTECTING
INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONAL INFORMATION IS A DIFFICULT BUT ESSENTIAL
TASK. WE MUST BE AWARE THAT OUR ADVERSARIES HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO
ACTIVELY MONITOR OUR COMMUNICATIONS, THE NEWS MEDIA, THE INTERNET AND
COMMAND INFORMATION CHANNELS.
3. CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF INFORMATION WE PLACE IN
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE PROVIDED TO ASSIST
ALL PERSONNEL.
A. GENERAL. SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES MUST BE AWARE OF
THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SECURING OPERATIONAL INFORMATION.
OPSEC IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR FORCE PROTECTION AND OUR ABILITY TO
EFFECTIVELY CARRY OUT MILITARY OPERATIONS. CASUAL CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT SENSITIVE INFORMATION OR SPECULATION ABOUT OPERATIONAL
MATTERS IN PUBLIC VENUES CAN BE EXPLOITED. INDIVIDUALS MUST BE
COGNIZANT OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES WHEN DISCUSSING
OPERATIONAL MATTERS.
B. SECURITY POSTURE.
1. DEFENSE CONDITIONS ARE CLASSIFIED SECRET, WHILE FORCE
PROTECTION CONDITIONS ARE UNCLASSIFIED.
2. VULNERABILITY OF OCONUS INSTALLATIONS TO SABOTAGE OR
PENETRATION IS CLASSIFIED SECRET IF U.S. INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION
IS REVEALED.
C. DEPLOYMENTS
1. THE IDENTITY OF UNITS PLANNED FOR DEPLOYMENT IS CONFIDENTIAL
UNTIL AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DEPLOYMENT IS MADE.
2. GENERAL GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF UNITS DEPLOYED (E.G. CITY,
COUNTRY OR AREA) IS UNCLASSIFIED.
3. SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF UNITS DEPLOYED IS
CONFIDENTIAL.
4. DETAILS OF ALLIED MILITARY PARTICIPATION IN OPERATIONS IS
SECRET.
4. THE GLOBAL REACH OF THE WORLDWIDE WEB REQUIRES SPECIAL
PRECAUTIONS BE TAKEN WHEN POSTING INFORMATION. THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF
INFORMATION SHALL NOT BE POSTED TO PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES:
A. INFORMATION THAT IS FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO). THIS TYPE OF
INFORMATION WOULD POSE AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO THE MARINE CORPS,
ESPECIALLY IN ELECTRONICALLY AGGREGATED FORM. WHILE RECORDS
CONTAINING FOUO INFORMATION WILL NORMALLY BE MARKED AT THE TIME OF
THEIR CREATION, RECORDS THAT DO NOT BEAR SUCH MARKINGS SHALL BE
ASSUMED TO CONTAIN FOUO INFORMATION.
B. ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING LESSONS LEARNED WHICH
WOULD REVEAL SENSITIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS, EXERCISES OR
VULNERABILITIES.
C. REFERENCE TO UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION THAT WOULD REVEAL
SENSITIVE MOVEMENTS OF MILITARY ASSETS OR THE LOCATION OF UNITS,
INSTALLATIONS, OR PERSONNEL WHERE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING LOCATION IS
AN ELEMENT OF A MILITARY PLAN OR PROGRAM.
D. PERSONAL INFORMATION INCLUDING COMPILATIONS OF NAMES OF
PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO OVERSEAS, SENSITIVE, OR ROUTINELY DEPLOYABLE
UNITS.
E. NAMES, LOCATIONS, AND SPECIFIC IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ABOUT
FAMILY MEMBERS OF MARINES AND MARINE CORPS EMPLOYEES.
F. TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED OR BE ADAPTED FOR USE TO
DESIGN, ENGINEER, PRODUCE, MANUFACTURE, OPERATE, REPAIR, OVERHAUL,
OR REPRODUCE ANY MILITARY OR SPACE EQUIPMENT OR TECHNOLOGY
CONCERNING SUCH EQUIPMENT.
G. UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CLASSIFIED PROGRAMS. THE
CLEARANCE REVIEW PROCEDURES FOR UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION PERTAINING
TO CLASSIFIED PROGRAMS PROPOSED FOR POSTING TO A PUBLICLY
ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LIKELIHOOD OF
CLASSIFICATION BY COMPILATION.
5. PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES (PEDS): REF A IS THE MARINE CORPS
INTERIM POLICY ON APPROPRIATE USE OF PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
THE TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATED WITH PEDS IS ADVANCING AT SUCH A RAPID PACE
THAT KNOWLEDGE OF RELATED VULNERABILITIES IS FREQUENTLY INSUFFICIENT
OR INADEQUATELY DISSEMINATED. A BALANCE BETWEEN SECURITY AND
FUNCTIONALITY IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS DERIVED
FROM PEDS WHILE PRESERVING THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT SECURE DISCUSSIONS,
MEETINGS, AND COMMUNICATIONS.
6. ACTION:
A. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MARINES WHO HANDLE CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION ADHERE TO ALL APPLICABLE REGULATIONS AND POLICIES
CONCERNING ACCESS AND NEED-TO-KNOW.
B. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MARINES, THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHERS
WITH ACCESS TO OPERATIONAL INFORMATION ARE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL
EXPLOITATION OF THIS INFORMATION BY ALL ADVERSARIES.
C. COMMANDERS MUST ENSURE THAT MEDIA UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE FOR
A MORE RESTRICTIVE APPROACH TOWARD THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION.//
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