‘Dumpster divers’ present security risk

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ray Bowden
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  For most people, the term "Dumpster diving" may conjure images of someone ransacking a trash bin, searching for a valuable trinket or treasure, but in the Operations Security arena, the expression carries an entirely different connotation.

"Dumpster diving," a slang term used by OPSEC and security officials worldwide, refers to the practice of gathering intelligence by poking around through an organization or private residence's refuse.

Incirlik Air Base, with its population of nearly 5,000, has certainly produced its fair share of rubbish. In fact, Master Sgt. Kevin Barstow, 39th Civil Engineer Squadron Infrastructure and Housing superintendant, estimates that more than 13.2 million pounds of garbage was collected on Incirlik last year or, on a more personal level, 2,600 pounds of debris per person.

It's probably safe to assume this enormous heap of waste may contain valuable OPSEC information that could very well compromise the security of the 39th Air Base Wing.

Furthermore, anyone on Incirlik who wants to rummage through a trash container doesn't have far to go as there are several hundred garbage receptacles strewn across the base: the stucco containers found in public places; the 5-cubic-meter dumpsters adjacent to most facilities and buildings; and the large blue 20-cubic-meter containers near construction and contractor sites.

According to Sergeant Barstow, Incirlik's trash is collected by a host nation contracting company. "They pick up the trash in base housing twice a week, monitor the dumpsters on a daily basis and empty them if needed."

After the trash is gathered and weighed, it is dumped at the wing's refuse area where every piece is sifted through and all recyclables are collected. The remaining debris is transported to a dumpsite near the local village of Sofulu.

Staff Sgt. Lionel Cervantez, 39 ABW Anti-Terrorism Force Protection noncommissioned officer in-charge, said the only acceptable way for Air Force personnel to destroy classified information is by following Air Force Instruction 31-401, Information Security Program Management.

According to this instruction, classified paperwork destroyed after Oct. 1, 2008, must be shredded in a shredder purchased from the National Security Agency-approved equipment list, which can be found at www.nsa.com.

Simply put, anyone casually discarding sensitive information places wing security and personnel at risk.

"All you're doing is putting pieces of the puzzle in the enemy's hands," Sergeant Cervantez said. "It may be just a piece of paperwork to us, but in reality it could be the missing link or piece of the big picture the enemy has been trying to put together over time.".

Additionally, destroying personal paperwork is just as important as properly destroying classified information.

"Personal bills and records contain your social security number and other important information," Sergeant Cervantez said. "If your social security number falls in the wrong hands, you just gave up crucial personal information to someone who may wish you or the Air Force harm."

To minimize this risk, Col. Phil McDaniel, 39 ABW commander, has implemented Policy Letter 08-11 which promotes a "100 percent shred policy." In Incirlik's most recent online OPSEC newsletter, Colonel McDaniel describes his policy as shredding "everything down to the smallest candy wrapper."

In the same newsletter, 1st Lt. Eddy Gutierrez, 39 ABW OPSEC program manager, said his staff will conduct dumpster dives of their own.

"Our job is to think like the enemy and dumpster dive to see what people are throwing away," Lieutenant Gutierrez said. "You can tell a lot about an individual or group by the things they throw away."

Agent Eric Knapp, Air Force Office of Investigation Det. 522 commander, concurs.

"Criminals and spies use trash as a valuable tool to gain information," he said. "There's a reason most financial advisors recommend shredding your personal banking information before throwing it away because there are people who could use what you put into the trash."

Anyone can fall prey to dumpster divers.

"It's human nature to think it would only happen to someone else," said Agent Knapp. "In this case though, you have the power to prevent something bad from happening by simply taking precautionary steps. By conditioning yourself to properly dispose of sensitive information, you are not simply applying good OPSEC practices, you are using common sense."

Anyone who discovers sensitive or classified documents which have not been properly destroyed or shredded should immediately contact their unit OPSEC coordinators.

As Lieutenant Gutierrez said, "If you no longer need it, shred it!"