Are members of the Military allowed to say what base they are at?

Question

if they are in Iraq?

Answer 1

The majority of the bases in Iraq are not classified locations.

However.. there's this little thing called "intelligence" that, in a war or peacetime, our enemies love to gather about us. And, depending on the medium of communication, they can do just that with the most subtle of hints.

If 1,000 soldiers tell their loved ones they're in Falluja.. then if any half-way intelligent Iraqi forces are listening in.. they know a little bit more about our forces than they did before.

Which is generally not a good thing...

So I would say that, based on ORM (Operational Risk Management), OPSEC (Operational security) and COMSEC (Communication security) the answer would be 'no'.

Answer 2

I'm going to answer this more broadly than just the Iraqi installations. Generally, it's not illegal to do so, although the DoD has historic proof dating to the first and second World Wars, if not before, where the locations of facilities were given, and then somehow ended up being bombed, attacked, and so forth.

There are some deployments, however, where the sailor/soldier/airman/marine are directly ordered to not disclose any information at all about where they are, have been, or will be.

Answer 3

Generally speaking its best for the members of the military not to divulge such information. Its for their own safety so little as possible intelligence leaks out.

Answer 4

depends on their MOS(job), and the method of communication, e.g. telephone, written word. i've had four children in iraq and/or afghanistan and sometimes i knew where they were sometimes not. vague answer, i know, but thats the way the military goes.

Answer 5

the iraqis pretty much know where our troops are. my husband stays at a base that WE took from the iraqi army, that's why it has an iraqi name.
they would drop bombs and shoot at them on almoat a daily basis. so, him telling me where he was stationed wasn't much of a big deal.

now, some troops, depending on their job...may not be able to disclose their location.

take care.

Answer 6

As someone said, it isnt classified. But because of OPSEC, they arent allowed to communicate that information to us unless we are speaking face to face. Not on the phone, not by email, not by instant messenger.

Answer 7

why not, the news media has no problem disclosing that information to the public. and showing the soldiers names and ranks as well. soldiers usually know better than to disclose specifics.

Answer 8

often times sort of code words are worked out BEFORE they leave................my husband was navy for 20 + years and we would know roughly where he was heading etc but USUALLY not the exact area............

And to be honest we do NOT need to know exactly where they are, a rough area is enough surely.......

Answer 9

There's no reason for any one to know.

Answer 10

They can but they tells us not to