U.S. Navy OPSEC

The OPSEC Process

Identify Critical Information
Information about friendly (U.S., allied, and/or coalition) activities, intentions, capabilities, or limitations an adversary seeks in order to gain a military, political, diplomatic, economic, or technological advantage. Simply put, any information that the “bad guy” wants and needs to do us harm or allows them to gain an advantage over us.
Identify Threats
A person, or group of people, whose objective differs with the friendly objective.
Identify Vulnerabilities
A weakness that the adversary can exploit.
Assess Risk
A measure of the potential degree to which protected information is subject to loss through adversary exploitation. Basically, this is the likelihood your information will be collected and acted on.
Apply Countermeasures
Anything that effectively negates or mitigates an adversary’s ability to exploit vulnerabilities.

Governing Documents

FAQs

What is the policy on disclosing a ship’s movement?
Generally, ships cannot disclose specific information on friendly force troop movement or size tactical deployments, and dispositions that would jeopardize OPSEC or lives. This would include unit designations and names of operations.

Information on any ongoing or future operations to include details of specific combat missions, bomb damage assessments, force movements, employment schedules, and current location of underway units (i.e. latitude and longitude) is considered confidential and can only be released to authorized individuals.
Who do I contact if I believe I might be a victim of phishing?
Contact your local information assurance manager and describe the suspected phishing event to them. Do not forward any phishing emails.
I’ve been assigned as my command’s OPSEC program manager, what next?
Service members who are assigned as an OPSEC program manager should attend the two-day OPSEC course offered by the Naval OPSEC Support Team. This course outlines all requirements for an OPSEC program and covers what program managers need to do to be successful.
What is my critical information?
Critical information is different for everyone. Your critical information is that which you have determined is critical to the success of your mission at a given time and if it were to fall into the hands of an adversary, could be used to cause significant negative impacts to the accomplishment of your mission. Determining your critical information is vital to your success as an OPSEC practitioner.
When do I need to conduct OPSEC assessments?
There are two types of OPSEC assessments:
- Internal OPSEC assessments must be conducted annually by the OPSEC program manager
- External OPSEC assessments must be conducted once every three years by an outside entity (i.e. your ISIC or an OPSEC support element such as the NOST)

Downloadable Products

Briefs

Command Indoc (PowerPoint)

Ombudsman_FRG Brief Template (PowerPoint)

OPSEC in the Digital World (PowerPoint)

Phishing Brief Template (PowerPoint)

OPSEC GMT (PowerPoint)

Wireless Brief Template (PowerPoint)

OPSEC Fundamentals (video embedded in PowerPoint)

Unauthorized Disclosure and OPSEC (video)

OPSEC and Contracts (PowerPoint)

Get in Touch

Email: navy_opsec@us.navy.mil
Phone: 757-203-3656
YouTube Channel:
youtube.com/USNOPSEC

The Naval OPSEC Support Team (NOST)

The Naval OPSEC Support Team was established in 2005 as the Navy’s OPSEC support capability, tasked with providing program development, planning, training, assessments and surveys, and operational support throughout the service. The team accomplishes its mission through certification training and supporting U.S Naval and Joint Forces worldwide via the OPSEC program manager course, a one-stop-shop website, and reach-back support email addresses at navy_opsec@us.navy.mil and opsec@navy.smil.mil.

OPSEC COURSE
The Navy OPSEC Course certifies OPSEC officers, program managers, and also meets public affairs and social media account manager training requirements stated in DoDI 5400.17.

Courses are presented in Norfolk, Virginia and San Diego, California, and via mobile training teams world-wide in several fleet-concentrated areas.

Day 1: includes an introduction to OPSEC, theory and overview, identification of critical information, threat and vulnerability analysis, risk assessment and application of measures and countermeasures.
Day 2: includes program management, conducting assessments, information operations integration, social media, and publicly available information and an operational exercise.

To register for a course on the East Coast, Europe or in Middle East, email navy_opsec@us.navy.mil; to register for a course on the West Coast, Hawaii or in the Far East, email IWTG_SDNI_QUOTAS@navy.mil. Provide full name, command and DoDID number when registering; a welcome letter will be included in the response.

To request an unscheduled or ad hoc course, email navy_opsec@us.navy.mil with proposed dates, location, justification and estimated cost for the traveler.

ALL LOCATIONS

Navy OPSEC Course schedule

August 2025
05 - 06 Aug-25           EWTG LANT Norfolk
05 - 06 Aug-25           NIWTG San Diego

September 2025
09 - 10 Sep-25 EWTG LANT Norfolk
16 - 17 Sep-25 Okinawa, Japan
24 - 26 Sept-25 Yokosuka, Japan

October 2025
07 - 09 Oct-25            EWTG-LANT Norfolk, VA
15 - 17 Oct-25 HQMC, VA
21 - 23 Oct-25            EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
28 - 30 Oct-25            MCB Camp LeJeune, NC

November 2025
04 - 06 Nov-25            EWTG-LANT Norfok, VA
04 - 06 Nov-25            NS Mayport, FL
18 - 20 Nov-25            EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA

December 2025
02 - 04 Dec-25            EWTG-LANT Norfolk, VA
09 - 11 Dec-25             EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
16 - 18 Dec-25             Kittery, ME

January 2026
05 - 07 Jan-26              Gulfport, MS
06 - 08 Jan-26 EWTG-LANT Norfolk, VA
07 - 09 Jan-26              NAS Pensacola, FL
13 - 15 Jan-26              EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA

February 2026
03 - 05 Feb-26              EWTG-LANT Norfolk, VA
03 - 05 Feb-26              NS Bahrain
10 - 12 Feb-26               EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA

March 2026
03 - 05 Mar-26 MARFORRES, New Orleans, LA
03 - 05 Mar-26              EWTG-LANT Norfolk
10 - 12 Mar-26 EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
17 - 19 Mar-26               Pax River, VA
17 - 19 Mar-26               Sasebo, Japan
24 - 26 Mar-26              Naples, Italy
31 Mar - 02 Apr-26 EWTG-LANT Norfolk
31 Mar - 02 Apr-26 EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA

May 2026
05 - 07 May-26 EWTG-LANT Norfolk
05 - 07 May-26 EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
12 - 14 May-26 NS Mayport, FL
19 - 21 May-26 Pearl Harbor, HI

June 2026
02 - 04 Jun-26                EWTG-LANT Norfolk, VA
02 - 04 Jun-26                Guam
09 - 11 Jun-26 EWTG-PAC San Diego
09 - 11 Jun-26                 MCB Quantico, VA
23 - 25 Jun-26                 Navy Region Northwest

July 2026
07 - 09 Jul-26                  EWTG-LANT Norfolk
07 - 09 Jul-26                  EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
14 - 16 Jul-26                  Naval Postgraduate School, CA
14 - 16 Jul-26                  NS Groton, CT

August 2026
04 - 06 Aug-26                EWTG-LANT Norfolk
04 - 06 Aug-26                EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
11 - 13 Aug-26 Okinawa, Japan

September 2026
01 - 03 Sep-26                 EWTG-LANT Norfolk
01 - 03 Sep-26 EWTG-PAC San Diego, CA
15 - 17 Sep-26 Yokosuka, Japan

Fleet OPSEC Planning Course (FOPC)
FOPC provides Maritime Component, Numbered Fleet and Task Force level planners with Operations Security planning methodologies, procedures and tools to effectively plan, integrate and synchronize OPSEC into fleet operations. This is an advanced level planning course and graduation from the Navy OPSEC Course is a pre-requisite for attendance.

The three-day course will be held in conjunction with the two-day Navy OPSEC Course through Mobile Training Teams. The course will be taught at the SECRET level.

For all FOPC enrollments email Navy_OPSEC@us.navy.mil reference FOPC in the subject line. Provide full name, rank, command, and DoD ID number. A welcome letter with course details will be sent to confirm quotas.

FOPC FY25:
12 - 14 Aug-25 Yokosuka, Japan

FOPC FY26:
08 - 11 Feb-26              Bahrain
14 - 17 Apr-26              Naples, Italy
24 - 27 Aug-26             NS Mayport, FL
08 - 11 Sep-26             EWTG-LANT Norfolk