Operations Security, or OPSEC, is a term that gets thrown around; it is almost a punch line. For newcomers entering the workforce, OPSEC is a trigger word that reminds us of our annual trauma – I mean training. For the outside world, it’s a term that individuals feel special knowing and are quick to type the acronym on Facebook.
I am talking specifically to the mothers and fathers of cleared individuals who like to play keyboard warrior and take on the responsibility of censorship. It is always worth a good chuckle, but I do appreciate it when someone posts a deployment date on an open forum, and someone’s mom reminds the group that dates should never be posted because of OPSEC.
The last bucket of people using the term are those involved in mission training and actual operators. You know who you are, you know what you do, and you know why OPSEC can make or break your schedule.
Four Rookie OPSEC Mistakes Everyone Notices
The longer you are in the industry, the easier it is to spot those who are new. I want to be perfectly clear: being new isn’t a bad thing. We were all new at some point and understand the growing pains that come with this industry. By sharing a few rookie habits, maybe you can help cut that time down, feel new, and embrace your new way of life more quickly.
1. Wearing Your Badge to Lunch
If you go outside your building for lunch, it is important that you don’t have your government ID hanging around your neck. The rookies leave it visible, or maybe just flip it around. If you are seasoned, it’s tucked inside your shirt or put away safely in your wallet.
2. Advertising Where You Live on Your Car
Please don’t advertise where you live. If you laugh at this one, I am probably writing this specifically for you. You obviously weren’t paying attention during your indoc briefing. If Heather on your neighborhood Facebook page has an issue with you not having a neighborhood sticker, send her to me. I will take care of it.
3. Leading with the “What Do You Do?” Question
Most people in this industry dread that question because it’s a guaranteed conversation fumble. When someone asks me that right away, I know they haven’t been in the industry that long. A seasoned professional typically skips right past that question.
4. Complaining About Work in the Wrong Crowd
It’s such a rookie move and can put a target on your back. No one likes coming to work. No one likes their boss all the time, and not many people enjoy working in a SCIF. So, save the complaints….it’s a rookie move.
