OPSEC

The following was released by Command for general distribution.  Please read and heed!

OPERATIONAL SECURITY!!!

Operations security is everyone's responsibility. Failure to properly implement OPSEC measures can result in serious injury or death to our personnel, damage to weapons systems, equipment and facilities, loss of sensitive technologies and mission failure. OPSEC is a continuous process and an inherent part of military culture and as such, must be fully integrated into the execution of all Army operations and supporting activities.

OPSEC Rules for Social Media

1. Do not post exact deployment dates or redeployment dates.
2. Do not reveal camp locations, including nearby cities. After the depoyment is officially announced by Military officials, you may discuss locations that have been released, normally on the Country level.
3. Do not discuss convoy routes.
4. Do not discuss detailed information on the mission, capabilities or morale of a unit.
5. Do not reveal specific names or actual nicknames.
6. Do not discuss personnel transactions that occur in large numbers.
7. Do not reveal details concerning security procedures, response times, tactics etc.
8. Don't discuss equipment or lack thereof, to include training equipment.
9. Don't speculate about future operations.
10. If posting pictures, don't post anything that could be misconstrued or used for propaganda purposes. A good rule of thumb is to look at your picture without your caption or explanation and consider if it could be re-captioned to reflect poorly on coalition forces.
11. Avoid the use of count-up or count-down tickers for the same reason as rule #1
12. Be very careful if posting pictures of your loved one. Avoid images that show significant landmarks near their base of operations, and black out last names and unit affiliations
13. Do not EVER post information about casualties (coalition or enemy) before the official release of the information.
14. Do not pass on rumors ("I heard they're coming home early", etc).

If you are not sure if something you are going to post is, or is not, an OPSEC violation either do not post it or check with [someone in FRG leadership who can, in turn, ask] the S2 shop [which is the seat of all intel matters in a unit].

Additional note from me to those reading this:

If you read my disclaimer and my "Terms of Use," so to speak, for this blog, I want you to know that the one area where I appreciate criticism for this blog is in matters of OPSEC.  I am human, I make mistakes everyday, and I am not so arrogant as to think that I could never misstep and give too much information accidentally, SO PLEASE CALL ME OUT if you know I have made an error; if you are uncertain about the safety of anything I post, please ask me about it. 

The following information was taken from the USPS Web site and distributed by Command FYI:

Before you send a letter or package to one of our troops overseas, make sure you’re aware of certain restrictions. Every country has customs regulations regarding incoming mail.

Although there are specific restrictions for each 5-digit Military Post Office™ ZIP Code™ (APO/FPO/DPO), generally, the following are prohibited in current areas of operation such as Operation New Dawn in Iraq or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan...

• Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc).
• Any matter depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or sexual items, or non-authorized political materials.
• Bulk quantities of religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith. Items for the personal use of the addressee are permissible.
• Pork or pork by-products.

To make sure package contents arrive in good shape, take into consideration...

• Extreme Temperatures: Desert temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees; this can damage delicate goods (e.g. electronics).

When completing a customs declaration form, take into consideration…

• APO/FPO/DPO mailpieces bearing a PS Form 2976-A or PS Form 2976 customs declaration that was not completed or submitted online (e.g., using Click-N-Ship®), must be presented by the customer to an employee at a retail service counter at a Post Office location.
• APO/FPO/DPO mailpieces that require a customs declaration form and bear postage stamps must also be presented to an employee at a retail service counter at a Post Office location.

You can also call 1-800-ASK-USPS® (1-800-275-8777), consult your local Post Office, or phone the Military Postal Service Agency at 1-800-810-6098.