Careful what you say, somebody could be listening

  • Published
  • By 82nd Training Wing
  • Information Assurance Office
Whenever you use government communications for your day-to-day business, whether it is e-mail, Web browsing, telephones, radios or even government smart phones, there's always a risk the "bad guys" could be eavesdropping to find out what you're doing.

However, our adversaries aren't the only ones who might be listening in.

The friendly personnel at Headquarters Air Intelligence Agency are specially trained to monitor Air Force communications to determine if classified or sensitive information is being sent over unsecured systems.

Now, don't go write to your congressman and exclaim "wire-tap" just yet.

Every time you log onto the base network, you're notified of this legal monitoring by that annoying pop-up banner that you instinctively click to go away. You'll also see those faded red DD 2056 stickers on telephones. You may have even signed a cell phone or PDA user agreement advising you that you may be monitored.

Conspiracy theorists may believe that this is another example of big brother out to get us; however, these advertisements are actually meant to protect us and our mission.

This consent to monitoring program, governed by Air Force Instruction 33-219, Telecommunications Monitoring and Assessment Program, is vital to ensure the warfighter is protected from release of information that could reveal military capabilities, limitations, intentions and activities.

So next time, instead of ignoring those repetitious TMAP notices, keep this legal binding in mind: "Do not transmit classified information over unsecured telecommunications systems. Official DOD telecommunications systems are subject to monitoring. Using this telecommunications system or device constitutes consent to monitoring."

For more information, please contact your unit TMAP monitor, operations security coordinator or information system security officer.