Last Military Blog

There is a regulation regarding my ability to post my thoughts and experiences on a blog, therefore I will no longer be updating this blog while deployed. Army Regulaton 350-1 "Operations Security" sets forth rules I am bound by oath to follow. Today I was informed my blog needed to be reported to my chain of command so that S-2 (Military Intelligence section) can approve and monitor what I post, and I am now remedying any problems that may have arisen out of things I have posted. I do so willingly, and was not ordered to remove posts or delete my blog. I could take a class, probably sit through a Power Point Presentation, and then continue blogging as I have, however I feel it insults my intelligence, and as such choose to not blog on this forum any longer. I will still send personal E-mails as I have been as they are not covered by AR 350-1.

Army personnel must “consult with their immediate supervisor and their OPSEC (Operations Security) Officer for an OPSEC review prior to publishing or posting information in a public forum,” according to the new regulation. “This includes, but is not limited to letters, resumes, articles for publication, electronic mail (e-mail), web site postings, Web log (blog) postings, discussion in Internet information, forums, discussion in Internet message boards or other forms of dissemination or documentation.”

In no way does every blog post/update a Soldier makes on his or her blog need to be monitored or first approved by an immediate supervisor and OPSEC officer. After receiving guidance and awareness training from the appointed OPSEC officer, Soldiers are entrusted to practice OPSEC when posting in a public forum. Soldiers who blog about non-military topics would not have to declare their blogs or go through OPSEC training. In addition, personal email does not need to be cleared in advance. I for one don't think I need a class to teach me what I need to keep to myself when it comes to operational security.

Soldiers do not have to seek permission from a supervisor to send personal E-mails. Personal E-mails are considered private communication. However, AR 530-1 does mention if someone later posts an E-mail in a public forum containing information sensitive to OPSEC considerations, an issue may then arise. Family members and friends cannot be mandated by commanders to practice OPSEC, but that they should be aware of OPSEC issues so that they can help safeguard potentially critical and sensitive information.

I don't blog critical and sensitive information. If something is classified, I don't discuss it, refer to it, or hint at my awareness of it. That is already a Federal criminal offense for civilians, and a court-martial offense for Soldiers. If something is a part of EEFI, I don't talk about it either. I don't discuss Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures. I don't talk about mission timing or planned operations, or how we react to IED strikes, or where the latest mortar rounds impacted, other than in the most general of terms.

I go one step further, in that I don't air dirty laundry on the damn internet. This is a public forum. While I am operating in my capacity as a citizen of the United States of America, not in my official capacity as a Non-commissioned Officer in the United States Army, I still abide by Articles 89, 91 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

I do not wish to have to have everything I write related to my military experiences reviewed by someone sitting in a TOC or Battalion level office; someone approving what I can and can't say, as if I don't have the common sense to not give away vital information that keeps ME and MY SOLDIERS safe on a daily basis. As if the people we're fighting, who build EFPs aimed so precisely they can choose which passenger they kill with their attacks, and know when and where to exploit our obvious weaknesses need to read my blog to figure out how we operate. So again, I made the choice to stop publishing my blog after hearing my options.