CAP Talk

General Discussion => The Lobby => Topic started by: Cecil DP on January 21, 2008, 06:44:49 PM

Title: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: Cecil DP on January 21, 2008, 06:44:49 PM
I just received the following announcement from the Florida WingE-mail list.

Lt Col Christian F. Moersch III, CAPID 231449 has been chosen as the Florida Wing Commander effective 02 February 2008.  The Change of Command Ceremony will be conducted at the Florida Wing Conference in Orlando.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: flyguy06 on January 21, 2008, 07:02:17 PM
Just curious. Why did you feel the need to post his CAPID? Isn't that an OPSEC violation? Couldn't you have just posted his name? And even then it isnt official yet. Do you want another IAWG thing to happen. You guys kill me with wanting to jump the gun before things come down official channels. That something the meda likes to do.
Sorry to vent. I just think some things need to be left internal until officially posted by official people through officaial channels and not a web Blog
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: Tim Medeiros on January 21, 2008, 07:19:45 PM
One would think that with it being signed by the region commander is official enough (now I realize that information wasn't relayed in the message on this thread, however that information I would consider an OPSEC violation as it was signed with the region commanders name and contact information which looks much like a business card which is what most of the SER staff use to sign their emails these days), that message is copied word for word from the email announcement sent over the wing general email list, squadron command list, group command list, wing command list and wing staff list.  It was not in a web-log (commonly known as a blog), it was through the primary method of mass communication available to the entire wing.  His CAPID in of itself does not contain any personal information nor can it be used by the standard lay-person to gather information, unless that person has access to the NHQ database.  Even then, for those not assigned to FL001, SER001 or NHQ999, about all you could pull up is what is in the National Reports module of the My Operations Qualifications/National Reports application under CAP Utilities which does not contain the kind of information one would consider personal.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: JohnKachenmeister on January 21, 2008, 07:26:52 PM
That's why we went back to a CAP ID number instead of using the SSN.  It doesn't violate OPSEC as far as I know.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: SSgt Rudin on January 21, 2008, 07:32:34 PM
Actually even posting some one's SS# wouldn't be an OPSEC violation it would be a Privacy Act Violation.

directly from CAP OPSEC training:
OPSEC deals primarily with protecting sensitive but unclassified information that can serve as indicators about our mission, operations and capabilities

Just lets you know how many people just click their way threw the training.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: BillB on January 21, 2008, 09:00:12 PM
Personally I think Col. Rushing made an excellent choice for Florida Wing Commander. LCol Moresch has Group Command experience, and was Wing Chief of Staff for Operations.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: flyguy06 on January 21, 2008, 09:07:12 PM
Ok, I am just saying I dont wanna get any mess started like the other so called appointed Wing CC. I didnt know about it being signed. Nobody mentioned that. I was just replying to the info that was presented to me.

I met the COL at the SERWE. He is a good guy. He is an airline pilot so thats good enough for me.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: RAZOR on January 21, 2008, 10:11:57 PM
 "i just think some things need to be left internal until officially posted by official people through officaial channels and not a web Blog."


This announcment was signed by the SER Commander, COl Rushing, who by the way will be removed himself, shortly.  Just wait for it, it is coming,
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: lordmonar on January 22, 2008, 12:40:17 AM
Redacted as someone already beat me to the punch.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: mikeylikey on January 22, 2008, 03:47:50 AM
Quote from: RAZOR on January 21, 2008, 10:11:57 PM
This announcment was signed by the SER Commander, COl Rushing, who by the way will be removed himself, shortly.  Just wait for it, it is coming,

IBM used to follow a practice that if your boss got fired or removed, then you also get re-evaluated.  EXAMPLE:  Jim Bob gets promoted by Timmy John, Timmy John gets fired 1 week later.  IBM bigwigs visit Jim Bob to see if he was truely the right person for the job.

I think CAP should follow suit.  If the newly appointed Wing King has served less than a year and his Region Commander is removed (for some specific reason) than the Wing King should be scrutinized by the new Region Commander. 
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: flyguy06 on January 22, 2008, 05:10:05 AM
Quote from: RAZOR on January 21, 2008, 10:11:57 PM
"i just think some things need to be left internal until officially posted by official people through officaial channels and not a web Blog."


This announcment was signed by the SER Commander, COl Rushing, who by the way will be removed himself, shortly.  Just wait for it, it is coming,

LOL. I met COL Rushing. He's a cool guy
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: ADCAPer on January 23, 2008, 02:13:35 AM
Quote from: SSgt Rudin on January 21, 2008, 07:32:34 PM
OPSEC deals primarily with protecting sensitive but unclassified information that can serve as indicators about our mission, operations and capabilities

Just lets you know how many people just click their way threw the training.

Not only can you just click through the training, once your done you have no guidance on what type of information you're supposed to be protecting.

Was this an OPSEC violation?  Absolutely. Will anything be done about it, absolutely not.

The problem is that CAP rushed out another program without fully developing it. Anyone who's ever dealt with OPSEC knows that you have to have the Critical Information List established to manage the program. Without that list no one knows what information they are actually supposed to protect.

At least this time the violation wasn't as bad as the one that was committed by the Georgia Wing Director of Operations the day after Christmas. He sent an e-mail out to every member of the GAWG naming the pilots that were no longer allowed to fly for some reason.  As if that wasn't enough, he also included their CAPID and Units Number.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: SamFranklin on January 23, 2008, 02:44:13 AM
Is it just me, or is CAP-Talk dysfunctional? Even mundane announcements like "Florida gets a new commander" quickly sink into the weeds of OPSEC one-up-manship or yet another uniform thread.

Congratulations, Colonel Moersch. Florida is a big wing. Your new job will be a challenge. Best wishes for a fun and rewarding term.

(See how easy that was.)





Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: RiverAux on January 23, 2008, 03:00:18 AM
QuoteHe sent an e-mail out to every member of the GAWG naming the pilots that were no longer allowed to fly for some reason.  As if that wasn't enough, he also included their CAPID and Units Number.
How is that a "violation"?  It was a communication within the CAP community of non-sensitive information.  Every member of a unit has access to that information on their unit if they log into eservices. 
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: ADCAPer on January 23, 2008, 03:51:41 AM
Quote from: RiverAux on January 23, 2008, 03:00:18 AM
How is that a "violation"?  It was a communication within the CAP community of non-sensitive information.  Every member of a unit has access to that information on their unit if they log into eservices. 

The purpose of OPSEC is supposed to be to control the release of non-sensitive information, which is generally unclassified, but which concerns your intentions and/or your capabilities. You do this by identifying, controlling, and protecting the indicators associated with your planning or operations.

The e-mail that was sent out by the GAWG/DO went to the ALL GAWG USERS group, and there is no way to ensure that the information stayed within the CAP community. For example, there are Cadets who use their parents e-mail accounts, and their parents are not bound by a NDA. On top of that, these pilots were not all from the same unit, they were from several units around the Wing.

Now, does that information mean anything by itself? Not necessarily, but that's the point of OPSEC, because there is no way to tell who is paying attention to it, or what else they have managed to pick up. I will bet that there's at least one group of people out there who would be interested in knowing the status of our pilots, it might make their life a little easier if they know they aren't being watched for a while because CAP stood down a large number of pilots.

The point is that this information should not have been sent to all users like this, it was an obvious violation. Information concerning our capabilities should be limited to the people who have a need to know, not passed out to everyone including the lowest ranking Cadet on an e-mail list.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: Eclipse on January 23, 2008, 06:13:08 AM
OK, OPSEC aside, what I want to know is...

...what the heck is a Commnader?
(http://bwill.net/files/other/commnadar.gif)
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: SarDragon on January 23, 2008, 06:22:41 AM
Oh, as if you've got a lot of room to talk, Bob.   :o
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: lordmonar on January 23, 2008, 07:11:49 AM
OPSEC is designed to protect unclassified sensitive information that may help and adversary gain insight into OPERATIONS.

Posting someones CAPID is not OPSEC.
Posting the list of those pilots no longer allowed to fly MAYBE and OPSEC issue assuming you were able to correlate that list to wing operational readiness levels.


Again...OPSEC is to protect OPERATIONS.....and that is all.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: afgeo4 on January 23, 2008, 08:01:17 AM
I concur. This info isn't operationally sensitive, so no OPSEC violation. However, some courtesies should be given to CAP members. Not publishing and distributing their CAP numbers I would think should be one of those courtesies. The CAPID number shouldn't have been sent to FLWG members in the first place. If it was, there should have been a "For your eyes only" reminder so the info does not get spread.

The info was e-mailed to the public and then it was spread because no warnings were posted. As such, the member in question here didn't do anything wrong.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: dwb on January 23, 2008, 01:41:38 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on January 23, 2008, 06:13:08 AM...what the heck is a Commnader?
(http://bwill.net/files/other/commnadar.gif)

Now that's pretty durn funny.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: Maj Ballard on January 23, 2008, 02:26:30 PM
Back to the original topic...

I had the priviledge to serve under Col. Moersch as a Squadron Commander when he was Group II Commander. I can think of no one more deserving or capable. This is good news for Florida Wing, and I look forward to the things the team will accomplish.
Title: Re: New Florida Wing Commnader
Post by: flyguy06 on January 24, 2008, 12:06:42 AM
Quote from: ADCAPer on January 23, 2008, 03:51:41 AM
Quote from: RiverAux on January 23, 2008, 03:00:18 AM
How is that a "violation"?  It was a communication within the CAP community of non-sensitive information.  Every member of a unit has access to that information on their unit if they log into eservices. 

The purpose of OPSEC is supposed to be to control the release of non-sensitive information, which is generally unclassified, but which concerns your intentions and/or your capabilities. You do this by identifying, controlling, and protecting the indicators associated with your planning or operations.

The e-mail that was sent out by the GAWG/DO went to the ALL GAWG USERS group, and there is no way to ensure that the information stayed within the CAP community. For example, there are Cadets who use their parents e-mail accounts, and their parents are not bound by a NDA. On top of that, these pilots were not all from the same unit, they were from several units around the Wing.

Now, does that information mean anything by itself? Not necessarily, but that's the point of OPSEC, because there is no way to tell who is paying attention to it, or what else they have managed to pick up. I will bet that there's at least one group of people out there who would be interested in knowing the status of our pilots, it might make their life a little easier if they know they aren't being watched for a while because CAP stood down a large number of pilots.

The point is that this information should not have been sent to all users like this, it was an obvious violation. Information concerning our capabilities should be limited to the people who have a need to know, not passed out to everyone including the lowest ranking Cadet on an e-mail list.


Let me put it in plain terms, because I got that email. I had no reason to know individual names of people whose flight proviledges were suspended. It was none of my business. So why was it sent to me? Also, like was said it was sent out throughtout the wing. You may have folks that didn't renew their membrship but are still on that list. Or people that are inactive but still onthe rosters. Point is it should have been sent to the individuals and jot the whole wing.