CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea –
The U.S. Forces Korea and 8th Army-Korea recently held a significant training session at Camp Humphreys, South Korea including U.S., ROK, and United Nations Command forces. The training focused on operations security at an advanced level, known as OPSEC Level II. The training is aimed to equip service members with the essential skills and knowledge needed to protect sensitive information and mitigate risks in an increasingly complex and interconnected global landscape. It is an important aspect of daily lives and missions for personnel currently serving in the Korea Theater of Operation.
Operations security is an important planning factor in military strategy. The OPSEC Level II course teaches personnel to identify, control, and protect generally unclassified information that adversaries could exploit to disrupt military operations. Instructors focus on the intricacies of operational security, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding critical information. Servicemembers and federal civilians gain the ability to learn and recognize what constitutes sensitive information, understand potential threats, and implement measures to protect this information from adversaries.
“Personnel arriving on the Korean Peninsula encounter a dynamic operational environment filled with multiple threats," explained the team of Korea-based OPSEC Level II instructors certified by the U.S. Army Mission Command Center of Excellence. "This environment constantly challenges our ability to maintain operations security, and we tailor this training to equip students with the right tools for mission success.”
OPSEC Level II training provides students with the groundwork to develop security plans for operations. Students are taught to think strategically about how to protect sensitive information and develop adaptable plans for various scenarios and threats. By merging OPSEC and risk management, military and civilian personnel can prevent potential leaks and threats. This includes securing physical locations and communications, as well as educating personnel about the dangers of social media and other communication forms that adversaries could exploit.
Military, civilian allied personnel participate in various practical exercises throughout the course. During the practical exercises, Students learn how to secure their communications and apply the lessons learned ensuring that sensitive information remains out of adversaries' reach.
By equipping service members, government civilians, contractors with the knowledge and skills to safeguard sensitive information, the U.S. Army and our allied partners ensures that future operations are not compromised by information leaks or other security breaches. This proactive approach to operational security is essential in today's rapidly changing and increasingly interconnected world.
The OPSEC Level II training conducted in USFK with CFC, UNC and ROK Joint Chief of Staff office is part of a broader effort by the U.S. Army and the USFK command to enhance and synchronize operations security across all levels in the combined allied partner environment with our ROK and UNC member state nations.
At the end of the three-day course, Students learned the critical importance of Operations Security related to military, organization and unit operations, ensuring the protection of sensitive information from adversaries. Personnel will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to enhance security in the changing landscape of the INDOPACOM theater, specifically in Korea. Operations Security will be further implemented and demonstrated in the daily activities of ROK Combined Forces Command, USFK and United Nation Command members operating in and on the Korean peninsula.