Be mindful of what you say online

Operational security (OPSEC) is the safeguarding of information that, if disseminated to the general public, could cause a threat or bring harm to military personnel or property. This is not only something to keep in mind while deployed, but an action that should be taken seriously at all locations, even home.

"Our stateside mission affects the deployed mission," said Special Agent Wesley Nickels, Air Force Office of Special Investigation Detachment 120. "Everything we do here plays a vital role in what happens downrange. OPSEC is important. You can go back to the World War II days where they put up posters stating, 'loose lips sink ships.' It's the same principle today."

Here are a few ways to practice good OPSEC:

• Don't speak out of your lane: Unless you are the subject matter expert and have been given approval to speak on a subject — don't talk about it.
• Need to know: "It's exactly what it sounds like," said Nickels. "If you've been entrusted with some information, and the guy sitting next to you at a bar doesn't need to know because he's not going to have a major impact on the mission, then you don't need to tell it to him."
• Know who your OPSEC monitor is: Every squadron should have an OPSEC monitor. Find out who yours is and clear everything through them before you speak.

"If you're unsure if you should be talking about something, contact your OPSEC monitor to make certain," said Nickels.

Talk to your public affairs office before releasing information or talking to the press: "Never, agree to an interview or answer media questions before contacting public affairs — at your home station or in a deployed location," said 1st Lt. Stephanie Schonberger, 27th Special Operations Wing public affairs officer. "Public affairs acts as the liaison between you and the media, and wants to ensure that the interviews portray both you and the Air Force accurately."

• Educate your family members: Talk to them to make sure they aren't doing anything they shouldn't.

"Please remind your family that social media and public releases of information are read by everyone and could compromise the safety of a loved one," said Nickels.

• Report the unusual: If you see anything abnormal, make an Eagle Eye report. Every instillation has a different extension for this program, so make sure you know yours.

"You can never go wrong reporting something," said Nickels. "The way Intel works is a little bit of information is collected from several sources to create a big picture. You may see one piece of the puzzle and someone else may see another — put them together and we might be able to identify a threat."

"If you see something definitely call it in and report it, even if you think it's minute. It might be part of something bigger," he said.

• Social media: "Know who's on your Facebook account and don't friend strangers," said Nickels. "Don't post anything that specifically talks about your job or mission."

"Posting something on Facebook is equivalent to releasing it worldwide," said Schonberger. "Your status update stating that your spouse is leaving for a certain foreign country on a particular date may not seem like a big deal, but that's critical information that could be used maliciously when combined with other intelligence."

The U.S. Air Force has supplied a guide on how to correctly and safely navigate social media as a military member, which can also be used to educate your loved ones. For a copy, visit http://www.af.mil

• Know who belongs in your workplace, and who doesn't: "No one is going to know who shouldn't be in the workplace better than the people who work there," said Nickels. "It doesn't hurt to ask questions. Find out who the stranger is and what they are doing there -If it's something you're not aware of, it only takes one phone call or trip down the hall to contact their chain of command to verify."

Remember that OPSEC is always important. It can mean the difference between life and death. Do you want to be the person who accidentally gives out information that allows a terrorist group to act?

Eagle Eyes reporting makes a difference. The extension for Cannon Air Force Base is 575-884-4111