First of all, thank you for taking time to read this guide. Our goal is to provide you with a greater understanding of our installation's security concerns. The information provided is not intended to frighten you or make you suspicious that everyone you meet is a secret agent or terrorist.
As a family member of the military community, you are a vital player in our success and we could not do our job without your support. You may not know it, but you also play a crucial role in ensuring your loved ones' safety just by what you know of the military's day-to-day operations. You can protect your loved ones by protecting the information that you know. This is known in the military as "Operations Security" or OPSEC.
OPSEC is keeping potential adversaries from discovering critical Department of Defense information. As the name suggests, it protects U.S. operations -- planned, in progress and those completed. Success depends on secrecy and surprise, so the military can accomplish the mission more quickly and with less risk. Enemies of freedom want this information, and they are not just after the military member to get it. They want you, the family member.
The posting of pictures and information that is pertinent to your loved ones' military unit to personal or family Web sites has the potential to jeopardize their safety and that of the entire unit. Contact any of your unit's security representatives or station Public Affairs for any OPSEC questions or clarification. Please do your part in contributing to OPSEC and keep our U.S. forces safe.