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The First World War (OPSEC)

Decent Essays

Prior to the VII Corps ground offensive, the 1st Calvary Division “conducted aggressive feints, demonstrations, and artillery raids in the direction of the Iraqi defense nearest the Wadi Al-Batin. ” In addition, simulated convoys, logistic sites, reconnaissance, command posts, and training operations all showed a buildup of corps forces and reinforced the deception that the main attack would be launched directly north into Western Kuwait.
The whole MILDEC program was a success. Saddam stayed focused to the east and to the coast. At least 8 divisions stayed oriented on the Kuwaiti coast and 4 divisions were positioned to block Wadi Al-Batin, all their attention fixed in the wrong direction. All of the efforts to develop a success MILDEC would have been for not if Saddam had gain critical information or indications of US positions, capabilities or, most important, intent. Operations Security, or OPSEC, had to be incorporated in order to deny the adversary this information.
Operations Security (OPSEC)
By discovering the enemy’s disposition and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy must be divided.
- Sun Tzu …show more content…

The purpose of OPSEC is to reduce the vulnerability of US forces from adversary exploitation of critical information or indicators. The process is a systematic method used to identify, control, and protect critical information and subsequently analyze friendly actions associated with military operations. This includes analyzing the enemy collection means, or sensors, which can observe friendly activities and forward on to senior leadership. Most times this information is not overt like finding top secret plans but rather “it is little indicators, puzzle pieces, that when combined with other indicators, loudly shout ‘Here I am!’ to the enemy.

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