Just a heads up: Since we all love taking pics of our soldiers and posting them on our blogs, Facebook, MySpace, and who knows were else, please keep in mind that while a photo might not violate OPSEC, you may be opening your soldier up to identity theft. All of our soldiers must wear their dog tags and their last name is splashed across their uniforms which, if you're not careful, could easily show up in photos. I'm hearing that some soldiers have had their identities stolen because thieves have gotten soldiers' full names and SSN from dog tags in photos.
Before you post any photos of your soldier, and so this doesn't happen to you, edit or blur out their dog tags and last name. If you don't have a photo editing program like Photoshop, this is still really easy to do. Simply open the photo in "Paint" mode which all computers normally have. Use the "spray paint" button to "paint" over the dog tags and last name on the uniform. Then just save your photo and post away.
7 comments:
I always use Photoshop or a program called GIMP to edit out unit patches, names, etc. The healing tool is wonderful for doing that.
The GIMP has healing tools, templates, all the same stuff as Photoshop, but doesn't cost a mortgage payment - its free. Granted there is a learning curve in there, but its an awesome photo editng program.
Thats a really good tip there! I had never thought of that. I know I posted a pic of my hubby with his last name on his uniform here...EKKKK! Can they realy get your idenity from a last name? Thanks for the walk through about how to blurr out the name next time!
~Mrs. GI Joe,
I'm not really sure if they can steal your identity based on last name alone, but if maybe in one pic you have the last name and then in another pic they can make out SSN, they can put two and two together. Plus, and this is just me, I don't want our last name out there. Kinda funny when I blog about our entire life, but I guess I want to keep some things private and our last name is one of them.
Ick! I definitely do this because no one needs to know their SSN!!! Thanks for the reminder :)
You're just a regular genius!!!
Very good post!
PERSEC (or personal security) is something that I am so surprised that people don't take more seriously, especially on the internet.
I always wipe out anything like that; luckily, though, sailors don't really wear their dog tags. Or, at least, my hubby never does, lol. They are just kicking around the house somewhere.
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