OPSEC & Advertising SAR/DR Training

[ande.boyer]

Simple question...

Does OPSEC prohibit posting the dates and times of upcoming SAR/DR Training Exercises on public electronic and/or paper calendars?

NOTE: By SAR/DR Training I mean looking for practice beacons in hangars, conducting visual and electronic airborne search for simulated downed aircraft, and conducting other classroom and practical training on the tasks as published in the various SQTR's AND NOT ADIZ Air Force Interception Missions, CD Training, DoD support missions, or HLS support missions.

Thanks,
Ande

[Gunner C]

Simple question...

Does OPSEC prohibit posting the dates and times of upcoming SAR/DR Training Exercises on public electronic and/or paper calendars?

NOTE: By SAR/DR Training I mean looking for practice beacons in hangars, conducting visual and electronic airborne search for simulated downed aircraft, and conducting other classroom and practical training on the tasks as published in the various SQTR's AND NOT ADIZ Air Force Interception Missions, CD Training, DoD support missions, or HLS support missions.

Thanks,
Ande

Check with your chain of command.

[dbaran]

California Wing expects that the dates WILL be posted for all to see.  Take a look at the first page of the CAWG web site:  http://www.cawg.cap.gov

If the event is not something that should be public, but we know that an aircraft will be committed to it, we often just say "xxx activity" where "xxx" is the unit that the responsibility for scheduling the asset.

Many units try to invite the local press to them. 

OPSEC should be reserved for where it matters - personal info and anything that an agency that we are supporting would prefer not to have out in the public.

[lordmonar]

It being training......OPSEC is not really an issue.

The key to what infromation you want to hold close...is how will it effect the mission.

A training DR exercise is not a real operation so you don't care if the bad guys know about it.

[RiverAux]

Heck, if your Mission Information Officer is doing their job, every media outlet in 50 miles will have been alerted to the upcoming exercise and several of them might show up. 

[RADIOMAN015]

Our Wing does not advertising practice missions, nor does it invite the media.  Apparently many years ago, they had an incident, and still are distrustful of the press.  It's almost aburd to even have a mission PIO assigned to come up with press releases that don't get released to anyone. 

With budget cuts looming everywhere, and donations down, CAP should try to be in the public lime light as much as possible, not hide under the premise of OPSEC. 

I know that IF it involves CAP's involvement in joint activity with another organization, that organization usually does a great job of getting the press involved.  Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned in this?!

Generally, I don't see any problem with the media involved.  At the National level we sure the heck are spending a lot of money on PR!!!  Frankly this is another example where National needs to specifically ask EVERY wing that has a funded SAREX to provide them with what was released to the press & what actually got published, etc.

RM     

[sardak]

This is the opening sentence of a letter from the National Commander that accompanied the release of the latest revision to CAPR 190-1 (CAP Public Affairs Program) in 2007:

The newly revised CAPR 190-1 requires a trained and certified MIO, in accordance with CAPR 60-3, to handle media relations for every mission and training exercise.

Section 11b from the current 190-1 (not quite the same as what General Courter said):
A MIO, fully qualified in accordance with current MIO training requirements, should be appointed for every actual mission and training exercise, except counterdrug missions.

Mike

[heliodoc]

Read what sardak was reading...

You know we are NOT a responding agency as such, and as I recall, radio freq's were"OPSEC"

One would think that CAP would want so better press on these thing such as training...

We really 'gotta" get over this "CAP Special Operations" and OPSEC craziness

AND when when an organization gets a PIO/ MIO, they can craft and get a message out for all your "OPSEC requirements"

Man, some of the EMA agencies I have worked have all had some operations open to the public and some not and for REAL reasons. 

CAP sometimes REALLY does go overboard on "OPSEC!!!!" 

Some of you CAP'ers reall have not be OPSEC'd to death until you have had it in the RM at least twice daily and then one would truly understand the meaning..................OPSEC

[lordmonar]

For you normal training, SAR, animal counts, sunset flights and that sort of thing OPSEC is not really an issue.   Since there are no bad guys....tell the world.

CD, DHS, Boarder Patrols, and the 1AF agressor missions....OPSEC does play a role.

Every operation should have a MIO ready and/or on duty....just in case the media shows up and starts asking question....even on CD missions I think someone should be ready to deal with media, just in case.

[RADIOMAN015]

Every operation should have a MIO ready and/or on duty....just in case the media shows up and starts asking question....even on CD missions I think someone should be ready to deal with media, just in case.

The whole point is that during our typical TRAINING exercises we should be INVITING the press & courting them to see what we train our cadets & seniors to do. 

I'm not sure the MIO model is what we need in this regards.  We need someone who is a professional public relations type, not someone dressed in BDU's running around like "loose lip will sink ships" OPEC, numbness mentality!!!

Again you go to the National website and you see one thing -- that has to trickle down to the local press, and one of the best ways is inviting them to local training exercises, so they can see what it is all about.   
RM

[RiverAux]

I'm not sure the MIO model is what we need in this regards.  We need someone who is a professional public relations type, not someone dressed in BDU's running around like "loose lip will sink ships" OPEC, numbness mentality!!!

That isn't what MIOs do.  But since your wing apparently doesn't use them correctly, I'm not surprised that you might get that wrong impression.