Creator1

Given the recent signal chat leaks, I think it’s important to weigh in as the writers of Creator1 are all veterans, and this issue is critically important to discuss.

First, what is OPSEC? Besides SECDEF Hegseth ending that Signal chat with ‘We are currently good on OPSEC’ is deliciously ironic, the keyword there being ‘currently’.

OPSEC stands for Operational Security. Really, what this is, is taking security measures to prevent adversaries from learning and understanding an organizations capabilities. Realistically, it’s making sure that an enemy cannot gather seemingly meaningless information and derive critical intelligence data from it that will affect how the adversary operates.

For instance from this chat alone, an adversary can now derive several things about US policy. They state that we are actively using FA-18 (an aircraft I worked on for years), an aircraft that has been in service sense the 1990’s (on the E/F, later on older versions). We know that they send these aircraft out in pairs of two for this type of strike. We can also derive DoD is using the Reaper MQ-9 still in strike operations and send them out to engage the enemy (although this seems obvious by now). We know rough travel capabilities of these aircraft, thanks to the SECDEF’s ridiculous timed play-by-play of the attacks. As someone who’s handled sensitive information for the government, I can tell readers factually, that had I done this while I was in, I’d still be in prison to this day. The actions were likely illegal, and certainly demonstrates their lack of trustworthiness to handle national security matters.

We can further derive unwavering support of Israel to the point of continuing to restock supply of them with weapons. Lastly, at the very least, we can likely agree that having our leaders calling European countries ‘freeloaders’, ‘pathetic’, and more is damaging to the United States. At the very least, these can be used as propaganda against the United States.

OPSEC is important to keeping service members and civilian volunteers of the DoD and IC safe. It ensures that the Navy does not have another USS Cole bombing, or State doesn’t suffer another Benghazi attack, or leaked information regarding a ship’s movement (this delays homecoming for Sailors and their families) there are less severe examples as well. Ultimately, this reckless disregard for operation security by our top national security leaders will damage American reputation and further hinder the good work these people do, making it less likely they return home. This used to be obvious during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict. I remember knowing gold star families, who had real stories to the importance of OPSEC/professional leaders. Now, I’m not too sure. What I do know is, Hegseth is not fit to be the Secretary of Defense, nor is Tulsi Gabbard fit to be the Director of National Intelligence, and this places those assertions on full display in an undeniable way.