Yon seems ignorant of what OPSEC is or how his actions impact the lives and safety of Our Troops. Last week, CJ Grisham demonstrated a blatant OPSEC (Operational Security) violation but he didn't compare it to the book answer on it. CJ's example could not have been a more textbook example and I will use it here, along with other examples. Yon challenged detractors to demonstrate these examples, but when CJ showed him one, he claimed he was just helping improve security, because changes were made before the enemy had a chance to use it.
Sorry Yon, an OPSEC violation is an OPSEC violation. What changes this (Yon fans) is that the situation is not what it once was. The Military, not Yon, changed the situation. Both Yon and his "source" were at fault in this publication of weaknesses in base defenses. I can publish this now, because the conditions that made it an OPSEC violation no longer exist. Note the dates.
OPSEC definition: A systematic and proved process by which the U.S. Government and its supporting contractors can deny to potential adversaries information about capabilities and intentions by identifying, controlling, and protecting generally unclassified evidence of the planning and execution of sensitive Government activities.
Critical Information Includes (i.e. some of the things we don't want to tell the enemy):
Vulnerabilities of units and weapons and weapons systems.
Vulnerabilities to attack.
Vulnerabilities of sensors and other capabilities to detect attack.
Vulnerabilities of defensive dispositions.
And Allies:
Nations providing current or future support to the U.S.
Vulnerabilities that could be exploited to reduce or eliminate such support.
This thing reads like a textbook example of an OPSEC violation. The thing is so blatantly wrong, that I'm forced to believe that whoever wrote it, did so as an example of what not to do. Hell, if I were the enemy, I wouldn't trust it wasn't a trap. But a Private, fresh into Basic Training should be able to see this was a bad idea. It screams: Attack us from the Southeast. No, I think Yon was duped. (The red boxes are your clues to what is wrong with this.)
But if this were real, if he truly believed the source, he should have quietly forwarded the information to the command, so they could fix it. He knew he was wrong to publish it. He didn't care if the base got overran. That would have simply proven his attacks on McChystal, or so he would have said.
If it were real, and if the enemy believed it, it would have been easy for the enemy to mass their forces at the Southeast end of the base. It would have been easy for the enemy to figure out that setting up an ambush for a platoon sized element after launching rockets. It would have been easy for them to assess they had 35 minutes to hunker down after an attack. The enemy would know to adjust mortars by 200 meters. Hell, this thing is the forward observer.
I don't believe any Soldier is that stupid, even if they are about to leave the base. I do believe, and the post demonstrates Yon is that arrogant and cares so little about the Troops to put them in jeopardy. He admits in his follow-up, through his choice to publish the next email, that he knew this was an OPSEC violation. He demonstrates that he doesn't care if the source gets busted and his "source" admits that he has put his career on the line for Yon's ego. The fact he publishes the follow-up demonstrates Yon's ego trumps his words about caring about the Troops.
Did Yon apologize for it? Did his fans note his infraction? No, though this is a blatant example of an OPSEC violation, they attacked the messenger. CJ was "picking on poor Yon" or should have quietly reported an event that was no more, according to Yon's own words.
This may be a textbook case of an OPSEC violation, but it isn't the only one. In my short research of Yon, I found several, lesser examples, but they are examples nonetheless.
Our next one is a private email from a Spanish Soldier meant to convince Yon to stop his attacks on that ally.
It wasn't designed as something to be published, but he protects his sources almost as little as he protects Our Troops from damaging information. Again, this situation is long resolved.
At the time Yon had been loudly complaining about the conditions of American Troops at the hands of an ally that didn't have anything to do with their situation. "Juan" is tired of the attacks and the false allegations, but he gives information that should not be published openly, because he thinks he's having a private conversation. He thinks he's talking to a Special Forces Veteran, who understands that private emails are private and that some things should not be public. He thinks he's talking to a logical individual that cares about truth, not just interested in self-aggrandizement.
The Army reminds Soldiers that there is no such thing as "off the record," when talking to reporters. And it is journalists like Yon which proves the Army right. It is bloggers like Yon that make the Troops clam up when they see him. If you email him, no matter how sensitive, you can expect to see it on Facebook, if Yon sees the value in it.
I have one more post on Yon. And then I hope to wrap this series up with one big-picture conclusion. I'll leave you with a few comments from Yon fans, which demonstrate why I had to elaborate on CJ's post, or perhaps why one should not expect to convince fanatics otherwise. Some may understand the problems. Some are wearing blinders. And it looks like his friend Carl is trying to talk sense into him, with little to show for it.
The Tarnak Saga:
1) The Bridge Over the River Tarnak Looking at Fact and Fiction of the incident
2) From Tarnak Bridge to Bruhaha Looking at Yon's obsession for Menard
3) The Tarnak Scalp That Wasn't Looking at Yon's claims of scalping Menard
4) The Yon Conspiracy Over Tarnak: Looking at Yon's Conspiracy Theory Origins
5) Overview of the Michael Yon Saga
Deviant Behavior
1) Yon OPSEC Violations: It can't be more blatant but some are in disbelief
2) Yon Publicizes Video of American Soldier Losing Legs.
3) Banned By Yon!
4) Yon's Attack on PTSD as insanity
5) The Banning of an Angel
Stumble It!
