Sensivity in naming operatons and OPSEC

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 20:48:55 -0400

Whoever names operations must be sensitive to the naming of the missions and objectives. I just read about how the operation launched on Bin Laden's compound was or was not officially Operations Geronimo, but possibly changed before or after the event to Operation Neptune Spear with Bin Laden being Jackpot and his kill or capture was Geronimo. This brings up two points: 1. you must be sensitive of how the names can be perceived and 2. OPSEC, we should never know the names of these operations if we were not in them.

Thoughts? Any other examples of mission names that may not have been sensitive or that should have never been leaked?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2014 11:51 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 23:51:43 -0400

LOL...somewhere in the basement of a non-named building is a bunch of little old ladies and wizzened old men that have a book. In that book is the "next in line" for operation names. At least those operations initiated by un-said alpabet soup entity.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 21 at 2014 3:37 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:37:21 -0400

LTC Private RallyPoint Member I loved getting the graphics for the up coming battles at NTC and putting them together. The staff had such a hard time coming up with new routes and phase lines again and again and again. Sometimes they would take it a half step too far, and that was when some visiting dignitary showed up. "Route Choda"?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2014 3:49 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:49:41 -0400

/facepalm

That's all I can say. The political correctness is getting out of control. Some people need to have more......resilience.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2014 3:58 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:58:29 -0400

I think the operations names and who they correlated to should be kept as an absolute minimum. This prevents inadvertent compromise to the mission. I also believe they should not be leaked after the fact as well. Reason for this is that it puts support agencies at risk on who was on those ops. You may have people working for the op in the background without the need to know of the particulars. If they find out what they were working on, that is more potential for someone blurping something out in a bar or in a casual conversation .

I would suppose most compromises happen on accident because it is human nature to be excited that you are part of something significant. Whether we like it or not some times people forget their surroundings. The less people know the better.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Sep 22 at 2014 11:22 AM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 11:22:21 -0400

Absolutely, when I was part of OEF I back in 2002 the joint operations with the Canadians was a "take your turn" at naming operations. After OPERATION ANACONDA, there was a mission for the Canadians to take lead and search for Osama in the mountains, it was OPERATION BLACK DEVIL. However, as the mission neared, the name was changed due to the sound of the mission for the sake of the media to place BLACK DEVIL in the paper. It was changed.

Response by LTC Paul Mullins made Sep 23 at 2014 11:58 AM

LTC Paul Mullins — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 11:58:49 -0400

For the Strategic level and certain SOF units, it is mandated through a formal system you have to comply with. At the beginning of the year in certain headquarters you get those parameters and create a list much like naming hurricanes and submit them for approval. Once approved you use them as operations occur. At the Operational and Tactical levels typically the same thing occurs on a much more informal level, but the SECDEF doesn't have to approve them! We could talk much more detail as to how this occurs but I wont' for OPSEC's sake, because some of it is sensitive. And as CW5 Baker stated, sometimes the names are carefully chosen to pass the media headline test.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 23 at 2014 7:35 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:35:18 -0400

"Operation Fluffy Bunny Slippers"

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 23 at 2014 7:48 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:48:03 -0400

I say name them as they trend: Operation Iraqi FUBAR, Operation Danners on the Dirt (we can't say BOG any more) Operation Dumb and Dumber 3 (The Blunders Continue) Operation Underthought...

Response by CPT Mike M. made Sep 23 at 2014 10:31 PM

CPT Mike M. — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:31:50 -0400

An officer I worked for once gave me these words of wisdom that I've tried to keep in mind when naming ops. When naming an operation, think about how it would be written in a letter to families if someone were to be killed. Do you want to write home to their mom and dad saying you're dreadfully sorry but their son was killed while fighting valiantly in support of Operation Beer Run? What about something else not politically correct?