Should military members be "banned" from reading certain news reports?

2015-10-17T08:57:06-04:00

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/marines-are-warned-not-to-read-leaked-drone-files/ar-AAfwJqx?li=BBgzzfc

Marines are warned not to read leaked 'drone files'

Curious Marines, be warned: Reading this could get you in a whole lot of trouble. 

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2015 9:12 AM

2015-10-17T09:12:52-04:00

I could see warning the troops, but not banning them.

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Oct 17 at 2015 9:29 AM

2015-10-17T09:29:45-04:00

Remember the Taguba report? It's happened before.

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Oct 17 at 2015 10:13 AM

2015-10-17T10:13:19-04:00

The reality is that those "bannings" are really just a reiteration of standing regulations regarding the unauthorized possession of classified materials. In other words, it's the same as warning somebody that if they find a machine gun laying around and decide to pick it up and take it to the police, they are actually committing a felony they can be charged with, just like the elementary-school kid who picked up a gun to turn it in to his teacher got suspended for violating a zero-tolerance no-weapons policy.

None of which means that I agree with a notion that soldiers *should* be banned from acquiring any publicly available knowledge, just that I recognize the inflexibility and limitations of the law.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2015 3:26 PM

2015-10-17T15:26:27-04:00

The regulations on what you can reveal or read at what ever clearance level your at are for a reason. But what somebody doesn't know won't hurt them. So if you discover something you should not know or have keep your mouth shut and play dumb.