One man’s trash is the enemy’s treasure

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nesha Humes
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Knowledge is powerful. If significant knowledge were to get in the wrong hands, the impact could be devastating.

In order to mitigate this risk, 86th Airlift Wing Operational Security program managers teamed with unit coordinators across the base and conducted risk assessments by searching dumpsters for improperly disposed critical information on Ramstein Air Base, May 30-31, 2017.

The 86/AW OPSEC teams conduct various risk assessments throughout the year, this month the team sifted through rubbish.

“We did a dumpster dive to sanitize all operational security items and to ensure that personnel are following the guideline,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Calin A. Cronin, 86th Security Forces Squadron police services noncommissioned officer in-charge and OPSEC unit coordinator. “If we do find anything we’re disposing of it properly and also reporting it to the proper channels.”

Protecting all non-classified documents and information disseminated digitally, handwritten, typed or by word of mouth is extremely important to every military operation.

“It’s the non-secret, day to day stuff,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Gott, 86th Airlift Wing Plans and Programs superintendent and wing OPSEC program manager. “It may not seem like it’s really important, but pieced together it could provide insight on what we do as a mission here that not everybody may need to know about.”

Once a hand-shredded flight schedule or crumpled up bank statement goes in the trash, it doesn’t always stay there.

“If you find one thing in a dumpster dive, it could easily go to googling certain information, to finding a linking chain of personnel names, units, agencies and who they’re connected to,” Cronin said. “It’s very easy. Then, we got huge problems in our mission. Ramstein is the gateway to so many missions in the AFRICOM and European theatre.”

Calin said personally identifiable information, mission priority items, or items that have to do with the U.S. Air Force that are on a need-to-know basis need to be machine-shredded, burned, or discarded properly.

“Protect them in the best way possible, so they don’t get in the wrong hands,” Cronin continued.

Airmen can use OPSEC countermeasures and protect critical information by not sharing mission communication on social media sites and outside work, refraining from sending critical information to personal e-mail accounts and adhering to Ramstein’s 100% shred policy.

“Whether it’s official documentation or notes with official information, it’s all 100% shred,” Gott said.

The success of our mission depends on securing critical information. Providing our adversaries the knowledge of our strengths and vulnerabilities could put service members’ lives at risk.

For more information on how to maintain OPSEC, contact your unit coordinator or the 86th AW OPSEC at DSN: 480-5526.