Navy Region Northwest Holds Security Awareness Training

Navy Region Northwest security managers held security awareness training for Sailors and DoD civilians at Naval Base (NB) Kitsap Bangor Theater, June 14. The training covered topics such as standards of conduct, reporting changes in a person’s personal life that are of security interest and complying with security regulations and procedures established to protect classified information.

"This training is driven by SECNAV M-5510,” said Vic Arcaria, Navy Region Northwest security manager. “It must be given once a year to all personnel who have access to classified information in an effort to enhance security awareness." According to Steve Manson, Navy Region Northwest assistant security manager, the number of people who showed up to the briefings exceeded expectations. “By the time we are done giving the brief to all of the region bases, we will have briefed more than 2,000 people about security awareness,” said Manson. “We did two briefs at NB Kitsap Bremerton, yesterday. There were so many people who showed up at one of the briefs, we had to turn them away at the door because we had reached capacity of the auditorium.” The security awareness training is an annual requirement directed to all commands by the Chief of Naval Operations. “I learned a lot of information I didn’t know about,” said Gunner’s Mate 1st Class (SW) Joel Hernandez, NB, Kitsap Bangor Small Arms Training Center. “I didn’t know I had to complete a course on Navy Knowledge Online before I took a trip out of country.”

In the last six to eight months, there has been an increase of financial issues and criminal activity affecting peoples' security clearances. “We do this to take care of the warfighter,” said Manson. “Eighty percent of the information gathered by terrorists to harm Americans is gathered by unclassified means such as the Internet or the media. I feel there is a huge impact in what we are doing and by the amount of questions being asked, I feel the information is getting across to them.” Anyone who has been eligible to have access to classified material is held accountable for any classified information they may have come across for 70 years. “If there is one thing attendees can take away from this briefing, it would be the strong reminder to be constantly on guard in protecting information vital to national security,” said Arcaria.

“This was mostly a refresher to me, but this training is important because you don’t want any classified information to get into the wrong hands,” said Gunner’s Mate 1st Class (SW) Jene Kim, NB Kitsap Bangor Small Arms Training Center. “Training like this is important because in the long run, it can prevent stuff like the attacks on the World Trade Center.”

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Eric J. Rowley Fleet Public Affairs Center Det. NW.