OPSEC and PERSEC Can Save Your Life (and Hubby's Life, too)

By Anita Tedaldi

Of all the “mil-speak” that inundates the lives of the military family, no terms are more important than OPSEC and PERSEC.  Knowing them is even more important than the physique you try to achieve while your man is deployed – and may even save his life.

Opsec – Operations Security – and Persec – Personal Security – are about safety for you and your man in uniform, and all those who depend on him.  So you’ve got to take this business seriously.

OPSEC. The fancy definition is that OPSEC is about preventing the “accumulation of one or more elements of sensitive/unclassified information or data that could damage national security by revealing classified information.” Practically speaking, it’s like giving someone pieces of an “intelligence” puzzle that are not themselves classified – and may even seem harmless – but that when assembled, could lead someone to discover a classified or sensitive unclassified program, activity, or project.

“Military families should always be aware that others may be listening to their conversations.  Sometimes what may seem like the smallest detail could cause a security breach,” explained Sylvia Kidd, Director of Family Programs for Association of the United States Army.

Whether you’re writing, blogging or talking to someone on the phone or in person, you have to be cognizant of what you’re saying. Even if you’re unconvinced your loose lips can really sink ships, the legal consequences of breaking OPSEC can be serious. A few years ago a young wife at a Navy base in California was shopping at the NEX, getting ready for her hubby’s deployment when she met one of her friends. She told her friend the exact date he was leaving, the type of plane, where it would be stopping and even the kinds of missions he’d be doing.  Unfortunately for her, a military criminal investigator happened to be shopping in the same aisle at that exact moment, and upon overhearing the young woman’s talk, stopped and questioned her on the spot. He then started an investigation into security violation.

So be vigilant about sharing names, destinations, training information, weapons systems or any specific information with friends or even family.  And be aware that with increased communication with our loved ones comes increased risk.  Your private communications with your husband may not be as private as you think.  Investigators routinely monitor phone and email conversations from warzones, and if you think Facebook is popular with your friends, it’s just as popular with the people enforcing OPSEC.  So be careful – and remind your husband to be careful, too.  The world doesn’t need to know what Op he’s about to prosecute, right next to a “What Cartoon Character Are You?” quiz.

Which brings me to the second term in our security equation – PERSEC. Basically you shouldn’t share information that could put your loved one or yourself in danger. I see countdown calendars on blogs and MySpace pages, or stories about missing a loved one who’s gone overseas – ladies, not a good idea. This tells anyone that you are alone and that your husband is deployed, which violates OPSEC, but also endangers you on a personal level.  You just made very public that you’re home, and alone.

 “I've been guilty of having a ‘half my heart is in Iraq‘ bumper sticker,” said Karen Francis founder of Parents Zone. “I realized that all I was doing was giving people notice that I didn't have my husband home at the time.” 

At this point, it may sound like your only option is to disconnect the phone, lock yourself in your closet and stop communicating with the world.  But that’s not the right approach either.  Both you and your loved one need communication, and you can still have plenty of it without violating OPSEC or PERSEC.

“Families should not use their concerns about operational and personnel security to close themselves and their children off from support resources during a deployment,” said Joyce Raezer executive director of the National Military Family Association. “For example, a child’s school counselor, principal, and teacher can provide great support for the child and the entire family during the deployment, if they know the family is experiencing the deployment of a loved one.”

Everyone plays a critical role in national security through OPSEC.  And through PERSEC, we’re in charge of ensuring the security of our immediate family too.  So keep that communication going with your husband – for your sake and for his – and remember that when it comes to safety and security, he’s not the only one with a role to play.