What do you think of Iraqis digging through soldiers trash to get the return address of letters they receive,?

Question

in order to write gruesome hate mail to their family's back home?

(My husbands unit was told in formation a few days ago to be sure that they completely destroy any letters or envelopes that they throw away cause that has occurred quite regularly)

Answer 1

Hun, this is something that the military has done for as long as soldier's have received mail from home. It's not something new. The military's primary concern is the safety of the soldiers and their loved ones, despite the necessity of war. Even if they didn't target the ones at home... the "enemy" can draw conclusions based on the mail a unit receives. If a unit has been getting a lot of mail from the same place, then all of the sudden the mail drops off, the "enemy" can deduce that the unit has a weakened morale. A weakened unit, perceived or real, becomes a real target. It's better just to burn all the return addresses.... then there is no conclusions to draw.

Before my hubby left on his second tour, he told me not to send any more messages inside the flaps of boxes. He lugged around a shoe box for 9 months because I had written him a note in it, and he couldn't bring himself to burn it.

Don't stress yourself out over this procedure. It's a normal procedure. It is a procedure that has been in place in the US military since the Revolutionary War. It's a preventive measure.

Answer 2

This is a real problem in Iraq. We had set up a burn point in a 25mm ammo can (empty of course) behind our barracks for guys to through envelopes into. Once a week we'd burn them.

The fear is that terrorsts can get your family's addresses and
1) send them scary letters
2) target them here in the US

So, I was always careful not to let that info reach the trash bin.

Answer 3

We had this problem but in our unit we have to be even more carefull so we have always destroyed everything. OPSEC is very very important. And yes People have gotten very nasty hate mail.... or worse. I also recomend maybe getting a po box instead of using your home address. Not to scare you or anything just be carefull. ......Shadow Stalker

Answer 4

that's insane!

I hadn't heard about that... wow!

maybe the army should just make up a bunch of fake addresses to nowhere on fake envelopes to keep the terrorists busy writing and sending things?

Answer 5

This sort of thing is normal in intelligence circles

Answer 6

I woudnt throw away any envelope with back mail. burn it..

Answer 7

This is terrible I am going to pass this on.

Answer 8

thats a new one. they should have a burn pit something similar.