Protecting people, missions requires vigilance from everyone Published March 21, 2006 By Col. Michael Gardiner 39th Air Base Wing commander INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (USAFENS) -- It is amazing how much information can be gathered on a person by just paying attention to their habits and routines. You can tell when pay day is just by noting when the most people go to the commissary and base exchange or shop off base. You can tell when holidays are by watching decorations go up around base. You can be sure our adversaries are watching all of these things and more. There are things we cannot control that give away information, but the things we can control we should. Just because a piece of information is not classified or for official use only does not mean it is okay to give that information away. In fact, information used against us is often openly available to anyone who knows where to look and what to ask. A casual conversation between friends, overheard by the wrong people, can be a gold mine of information. Friends will talk about things they are doing at work or things spouses are doing. While this kind of information may seem harmless, you never know what kind of information our enemies already have. With all of the activity at Incirlik, it is important to keep operational security in mind whenever you can. Information gathering can be likened to trying to put together a puzzle with the pieces you found under the couch: every piece may come from a different location and contain just a small portion of the entire picture, but if you find enough pieces you can figure out what the puzzle will look like when put together. Keeping these pieces out of the hands of our enemies is the responsibility of every person on this base. Today’s society is so focused on communication that it can be difficult to practice good OPSEC. The term “loose lips sink ships” may be truer now than ever. But, if you remember just a few basic rules, you may keep that vital piece of the puzzle out of enemy hands. Certain forms of communication are less secure than others. Two of these are cellular telephones and e-mail. Neither of these is very secure. They may be some of the least secure forms of communication available, so think hard before hitting send or making that call. Consider who may be listening in and if there is a more secure way of getting the information out. There are proper channels for discussing classified information; use them. When you are out and about in the local community or on vacation, pay attention to any unusual activity or people in the area, especially if there is someone asking unusual or very specific questions. If this happens, report it right away to the law enforcement desk at 6-3200. OPSEC is also a key component of force protection and antiterrorism. Antiterrorism relies heavily on OPSEC as a means of denying terrorists information that identifies targets to them. Our most precious asset is our people and keeping them safe requires us to keep as much information as we can out of enemy hands. A vehicle with blatantly American or Air Force stickers may be fine in the United States , but overseas it is the same as painting a target on your back. Keeping a low profile in the local community is key to keeping ourselves, our friends and our families safe. Do not be the one to give away the critical piece of the puzzle. Be aware of your actions and practice good OPSEC.