Today I want to share an interview I conducted with an OPSEC grey beard (GB) who insisted he remain nameless. Originally, I refused to do the interview with this particular stipulation but as you read on I think you’ll agree that even without identification the information shared is valuable enough to overlook the anonymity clause. We sat down in a small bar in a busy city near our nations capital. After ordering, I hit record and began the interview.
Rev: How long have you been in OPSEC?
GB: Since before they called it OPSEC.
Rev: What did they call it before they coined the term OPSEC?
GB: They didn’t call it anything - that’s the point isn’t it? It didn’t have a name. But we knew it as using your common sense - doing the right thing - being smart - protecting your ass from the guy trying to shoot it off.
Rev: Do you see OPSEC as primarily a wartime program?
GB: First, I don’t see it as a program - I see it as a way of life. But to answer your question up until very recently yes, it’s application was mainly in support of military operations - specifically wartime operations. But in the past ten years I think we have come to realize that every day is a wartime situation. Every conversation, every text, every tweet, every email could harm not only our all-volunteer military but also innocent civilians.
Rev: So would you say that in these times spreading the gospel is critical.
GB: Spreading the gospel, as you say, has always been critical. OPSEC can truly be a life saving art but if no one understands it and therefore no one uses it then its no more useful than the warnings on a pack of cigarettes. The most important step in the OPSEC process, as we know it now, isn’t even one of the five steps because it is a concept followed - if we’re lucky - by an action.
Rev: And what is that?
GB: Awareness! The most important OPSEC concept is awareness. If the people in your military unit or even your corporation don’t understand the “why” of OPSEC then you guys can take the OPSEC process and work it into the ground and it won’t be worth a damn because no one understands why you are doing it. And more importantly why they should use it. Listen; I’ve known guys who knew OPSEC cold…knew how to work each of the five steps, and could write an OPSEC plan so beautiful you would marvel at its magnificence. But some of these guys couldn’t sell the concept - they couldn’t show people how or why they should care about, much less use, OPSEC in their daily operations.
Rev: Is it true that the OPSEC process was at one time 12 steps and then 9 steps before we arrived at the five steps we have now?
GB: Absolutely. And it was 15 steps and 10 steps and one pretty highly placed, but ignorant, guy wanted it to be three steps.
Rev: Well, how many steps do you think it should be?
GB: To be honest, I wasn’t happy with the five steps when it first came out. I thought they left out two steps that I thought we’re pretty important.
Rev: Which were…?
GB: Not important now. People seem to be doing them just as a matter of course so I don’t want to upset those that are responsible for this process. But let me make another point before we move on; the average person in your organization doesn’t care how many steps it is. They don’t care about what you have to do to accomplish the five steps of the OPSEC process. You know what they care about if they care at all?
Rev: Tell me, please.
GB: Two things - what do I need to protect and how do I protect it. And that is all they should care about. The OPSEC Manager needs to do all the work and be able to answer those questions for the warfighter. If you can’t tell them what needs to be protected and how to protect it then what are you there for? To give the annual training? To fill the square? Bullshit. You are there to protect the mission and to protect life so if you can’t tell the trigger pullers what to protect and how to protect it then crawl back into your cubicle and work on your next PowerPoint presentation cuz brother they don’t need you.
Rev: Strong words sir.
GB: Yes they are. Look, I’ve worked at this too long and too hard to try to soften the blow of what I’ve learned over the years. You asked me so I’m telling you. I believe I’ve saved lives using OPSEC and if I couldn’t say that then why would I have stayed in OPSEC? For the glamour? For the glory? For the money? No, no and hell no! (long pause) In my military service I took lives… Since I laid down my weapon I have been trying to save lives and as I said I believe I have. (pause) OPSEC is important. It’s more than going to the conference once a year. It’s more than giving your annual briefing. It’s more than putting up a poster or two. Actually, it is all of that but so much more.
This is the end of part one of the interview. I’ll have part two for you soon.
Keep the Faith!
Revelator