OPSEC Memo

The Defense Department recently issued a directive "to update established policy and assigned responsibilities governing the DOD [Operations Security] program." According to that June 20 memo:

It is DoD policy that all DoD missions, functions, programs, and activities shall be protected by an OPSEC program that implements DoD Manual 5205.02 (Reference (c)).

a. OPSEC shall be considered across the entire spectrum of DoD missions, functions, programs, and activities. The level of OPSEC to apply is dependent on the threat, vulnerability, and risk to the assigned mission, function, program, or activity, and available resources.

b. OPSEC and other security and information operations programs shall be closely coordinated to account for force protection and the security of information and activities.

c. DoD personnel shall maintain essential secrecy of information that is useful to adversaries and potential adversaries to plan, prepare, and conduct military and other operations against the United States and shall safeguard such information from unauthorized access and disclosure in accordance with DoD Manual 5200.01 (Reference (d)).

d. The OPSEC process shall be used to identify and mitigate indicators of U.S. intentions, capabilities, operations, and activities.

e. OPSEC countermeasures shall be employed to deny to adversaries and potential adversaries indicators that reveal critical information about DoD missions and functions.