Loose Lips Sink Ships
Ranked #2,384 in Culture & Society, #54,633 overall
Operational Security
During World War II the US government enacted a campaign to help keep the soldiers and sailors safe. They printed up lots of posters in the theme of "Loose Lips May Sink Ships" and distributed them far and wide. They wanted service men and their families to be aware of what they wrote in letters and what they talked about among their friends. Someone with ill intent might be reading or listening and information spilled indiscriminately might bring down a ship or get people killed.
Today with cameras, cell phones, mini cam corders and the internet, the problem of operational security for the military is greatly magnified. Email and blogs are great for morale and for staying in touch but they can also reveal much about locations, troop movements, and deployments. Photos can give a snapshot of a location that is best not publicized. Use discretion when communicating with your military loved one.
In this lens I have a little advice for military families about how to avoid giving information to our adversaries.
Today with cameras, cell phones, mini cam corders and the internet, the problem of operational security for the military is greatly magnified. Email and blogs are great for morale and for staying in touch but they can also reveal much about locations, troop movements, and deployments. Photos can give a snapshot of a location that is best not publicized. Use discretion when communicating with your military loved one.
In this lens I have a little advice for military families about how to avoid giving information to our adversaries.
Safety
Be careful what information you give out.
If you are on any kind of military chat board you have probably received a notice about operational security. We tend to forget that information we post on the internet is not private. Adversaries can piece together bits of information until they have enough pieces of the puzzle to cause harm.When speaking of your military loved one on the internet be sure to never use full names. Never reveal dates of deployments or homecomings. If a date is leaked, planes and schedules can be delayed. Do not reveal locations or troop movements. Do not discuss security measures taken on military bases. Do not make yourself a target by giving out your home address or phone number. There are those who would harm the loved ones of military personnel. Giving out this kind of information can endanger your military loved one or yourself.
Loose Lips Sink Ships
Origin of the phrase, "Loose Lips Sink Ships"
Phrase: Loose Lips Sink Ships
Meaning
Unguarded talk may give useful information to the enemy.
Origin
Loose lips sink ships
This phrase was coined as a slogan during WWII as part of the US Office of War Information's attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. The slogan was actually 'Loose Lips Might Sink Ships. This was one of several similar slogans which all came under the campaigns basic message - 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'.
From: The Phrase Finder
Meaning
Unguarded talk may give useful information to the enemy.
Origin
Loose lips sink ships
This phrase was coined as a slogan during WWII as part of the US Office of War Information's attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. The slogan was actually 'Loose Lips Might Sink Ships. This was one of several similar slogans which all came under the campaigns basic message - 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'.
From: The Phrase Finder
Bits of Careless Talk
Are Pieced together by the Enemy
It is important to stay in touch with your service member. Just remember to keep communications appropriate. Chances are they have been briefed about what is ok to talk about. They know the boundaries so we need to respect that and not ask for information that they are not supposed to reveal. As parents we like to know where our sailor is and what he is doing but in some cases we cannot.Our son says that the Navy has told them it is ok to mention events that are in the past. It is ok to say "Our ship came into port last night." It is not ok to say "This ship will be leaving its home port on (insert any future date here.)" You are not supposed to discuss anything still in the future.
Remember that email, cell phone conversations and instant messaging are not secure.
Just because it is on the news doesn't mean that you should talk about it. Your conversation could be confirmation.
Social Networking
Navy Style
Military installations sometimes have social applications like YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, and Facebook blocked for security reasons and to ensure that they always have enough bandwidth for military communications.
There is a new social networking site just for the Navy and Marines and their families. They are making available:
"Personalized family Web sites include including innovative features such as two hours of streaming video so parents can see what the family is doing back home, unlimited photo albums, interactive calendars and message boards that ensure military families don't miss life's special moments."
This has got to be great for morale as opposed to earlier times when it took weeks to receive a letter. Deployments are hard on families and this should help them to stay more closely in touch with their deployed service member.
There is a new social networking site just for the Navy and Marines and their families. They are making available:
"Personalized family Web sites include including innovative features such as two hours of streaming video so parents can see what the family is doing back home, unlimited photo albums, interactive calendars and message boards that ensure military families don't miss life's special moments."
This has got to be great for morale as opposed to earlier times when it took weeks to receive a letter. Deployments are hard on families and this should help them to stay more closely in touch with their deployed service member.
Come Home Safely. We'll Keep The Light On For You
In honor of our military
Come home safely by stargazer00
Get t-shirts from Zazzle
Websites for Heroes
Keeping our Military Families Connected
Websites for Heroes is a private enterprise that provides totally secure personalized websites for military families to communicate safely. If you would like to get involved you can sponsor a website for $99 which gives one family a website for one year. If you don't want to give that much you can give what ever amount you are comfortable with.
What a great gift it is to enable families that are separated in service to our country to be able to freely share conversation and photos.
What a great gift it is to enable families that are separated in service to our country to be able to freely share conversation and photos.
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Homeland Security: A Complete Guide to Understanding, Preventing, and Surviving Terrorism
As the events of 9/11 demonstrated, every American has a vital role to play in the war against terrorism. From first responders to concerned citizens, all require a deeper understanding of the emerging homeland security system, the modern terrorist threat, vital policy debates facing the nation, and practical methods to make communities and families safer.
Homeland Security: A Complete Guide to Understanding, Preventing, and Surviving Terrorism
Amazon Price: $10.97 (as of 06/03/2012)
Homeland Security provides valuable information and instruction for:
* . University students
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How the Navy is dealing with operational security issues.
- Interagency OPSEC Support Staff
- This page outlines what Operational Security is and what it is meant to accomplish. Tips for keeping your communications safe.
- An Operational Security Primer
- A very good explanation of Operational Security and how we already practice it in our every day lives.
- Navy Blocks Access to Commercial Web Mail
- "The Navy has begun enforcing policies set forth in its Information Technology User Acknowledgement Form by blocking access to Web-based commercial e-mail sites (webmail) from Department of the Navy-funded networks. That means it's no longer possible for anyone using Navy information technology to access commercial webmail from providers such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and others."
Navy for Moms
A place to connect with other Navy Moms.
Are you wondering what your son or daughter is in for now that they have joined the navy? Do you have questions about where they'll be going next, what you can send them, or what they can take with them? Maybe you are a long term Navy Mom and can answer these questions. Check out Navy for Moms for information and support.
Visit Navy For Moms
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The United States Department of Homeland Security: An Overview
Homeland Security
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Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 06/03/2012)
The Department of Homeland Security: An Overview is the single source to help you understand the Department of Homeland Security. It provides a comprehensive overview of the Departments history, mission, organization, and programs designed to reduce Americas vulnerability to attack and quickly recover from disaster.
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Loose Lips Can Still Sink Ships
I hope this information on operational security has been helpful.
THANK YOU for visiting my lens on operational security. For any clickouts, voting, adding to plexos, comments left, or stars awarded, I thank you! I hope you enjoyed reading Loose Lips Sink Ships. I love reading your comments in my guestbook!
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LuckyLongShot
Oct 12, 2011 @ 4:03 pm | delete
- I love your lenses, especially on Navy ships. I started working on a movie about a World War II naval battle. If you're ever interested in checking it out, its at http://www.squidoo.com/the-battle-off-samar.
Have a great day :)
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DavidDove
Aug 23, 2011 @ 3:21 pm | delete
- Look after the Navy, last time we didn't we had a world war on our hands.
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SlipAwayDesigns
Jun 30, 2011 @ 9:13 pm | delete
- I am in the military and I always laugh when I see the powers that be still using these old posters to promote operational security. My favorite is of a little dog laying it's head on the back of a couch on top of a folded American flag looking all sad with the words "Because somebody talked" written on it, classic!
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javrsmith
Jan 23, 2011 @ 11:24 am | delete
- Does Wikileaks sink ships?
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pkmcr Nov 2, 2009 @ 1:39 am | delete
- Good lens and very interesting. Blessed by a Squid Angel
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KimGiancaterino Oct 26, 2009 @ 1:17 am | delete
- A great reminder for all of us. Blessed and featured on my Squid Angel Diary this week.
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BarbRad Oct 13, 2009 @ 3:00 am | delete
- I started out by following a link to your dividers lens. That took me to your lens on Stuffed Peppers, and then I saw this title in your featured lenses and couldn't resist popping over here. It is worth the visit. I think I could spend what's left of my evening just surfing your sites. Great job.
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AndyPo
Sep 29, 2009 @ 5:47 am | delete
- Very interesting.
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LoKackl
Sep 14, 2009 @ 1:16 pm | delete
- I would never have given much thought to this topic. Even though we don't at present have anyone - family or friend - in the military, there may come a time... Nicely presented!
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Marelisa Sep 8, 2009 @ 11:39 am | delete
- This makes a lot of sense. People might think that a line here or there doesn't have much of an impact, but data can be strung together to create a pretty comprehensive picture of military movements. Catchy slogan too.
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by stargazer00
Hello and welcome! I am a wife and the mother of three sons. My oldest is a sailor and serving on the USS Nimitz so we have had to become acquainted with... more »
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