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Recent news about two sailors arrested for spying for China and one of the two being the same rating and rank I was when I left the Navy reminded me of a certain incident. Our ship pulls into a foreign port. A random person approaches me asking me questions about the ship. First question is usually are you from that ship. Kind of hard to deny with the haircut and just coming off the ship. The other two questions set off red flags so I got evasive or vague while trying to get away from the guy. Questions were how many people are on the ship and second question was what kind of weapons the ship has. for first question I said more than 500 (actually was 1,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines). For second question I said I didn’t know because I don’t work on the weapons systems. I worked in the engine room but I did know what weapons the ship had. They were clearly visible because it didn’t have any hidden weapons systems. I wasn’t going to tell this stranger that information nor would I tell how fast the ship could move. Today that class of ship has long been scrapped. But while any of them were active duty I would not mention those facts. Sure one could find books that may have such information but I wasn’t going to provide verification to those books.
Have you ever been approached for information related to your service while in active duty?
Recent news about two sailors arrested for spying for China and one of the two being the same rating and rank I was when I left the Navy reminded me of a certain incident. Our ship pulls into a foreign port. A random person approaches me asking me questions about the ship. First question is usually are you from that ship. Kind of hard to deny with the haircut and just coming off the ship. The other two questions set off red flags so I got evasive or vague while trying to get away from the guy. Questions were how many people are on the ship and second question was what kind of weapons the ship has. for first question I said more than 500 (actually was 1,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines). For second question I said I didn’t know because I don’t work on the weapons systems. I worked in the engine room but I did know what weapons the ship had. They were clearly visible because it didn’t have any hidden weapons systems. I wasn’t going to tell this stranger that information nor would I tell how fast the ship could move. Today that class of ship has long been scrapped. But while any of them were active duty I would not mention those facts. Sure one could find books that may have such information but I wasn’t going to provide verification to those books.
Have you ever been approached for information related to your service while in active duty?
Maybe......in the times of the Late Cold War.
In the Med, we were warned about those who might want to take a look around the ship, a tour. Good looking women and the like, the warning was slanted toward men, but you know what they say, "If you are just sliced beef, wonder why a knock out is taking an interest in you.".
In the Caribbean, we were cautioned about keeping a close watch to quarterdeck visitors to make sure they didn't slip away in any confusion, that we knew where there were all the time.
in CONUS, we had, a time or two, those who wanted to drive on the base and look around. Once it was a young guy who was told no. Another time, it was an old Navy couple who wanted to go down to the docks and look at America's might, so they said, and were shocked when they were told they could not. When did we become so locked up, they asked?
Well, as my senior chief pointed out, in those times before......that's what got us the Walkers.
Now, on another note to those times when another girl in my belly dancing troupe was an immigrant from a Warsaw Pact country. I knew the information security instruction right and left of what contact constituted of, I had written in my last command the lesson plans for COs to give, and knew I had to report it to my next higher security agency. That agency was NIS but fortunately for me, I was the Security Officer, what others would call the Provost Marshal, so I could and did call NIS directly, talk to the agent, report the incident. Ie,
"I am taking a dance class in town and one of the other women is an immigrant from (this Warsaw Pact country). Under instruction 5210G (was that what it was?), I believe I am required to report this to you."
"Yeah.....you are." The agent came over to my office, gave me a security interview. One of the questions was how did I come across this class, did they seek me out? It all worked out okay but afterwards, I was worried if I had invited NIS to take a closer look at my personal life. Finally, when I told my classmate, she was shocked. She thought she had left that kind of world back behind the Iron Curtain but that's one of those things I often find of those not involved at all with the intelligence world......the lack of understanding that someone is always looking over your shoulder.
Last edited by TamaraSavannah; 08-04-2023 at 11:18 AM..
In the Med, we were warned about those who might want to take a look around the ship, a tour. Good looking women and the like, the warning was slanted toward men, but you know what they say, "If you are just sliced beef, wonder why a knock out is taking an interest in you.".
In the Caribbean, we were cautioned about keeping a close watch to quarterdeck visitors to make sure they didn't slip away in any confusion, that we knew where there were all the time.
in CONUS, we had, a time or two, those who wanted to drive on the base and look around. Once it was a young guy who was told no. Another time, it was an old Navy couple who wanted to go down to the docks and look at America's might, so they said, and were shocked when they were told they could not. When did we become so locked up, they asked?
Well, as my senior chief pointed out, in those times before......that's what got us the Walkers.
Now, on another note to those times when another girl in my belly dancing troupe was an immigrant from a Warsaw Pact country. I knew the information security instruction right and left of what contact constituted of, I had written in my last command the lesson plans for COs to give, and knew I had to report it to my next higher security agency. That agency was NIS but fortunately for me, I was the Security Officer, what others would call the Provost Marshal, so I could and did call NIS directly, talk to the agent, report the incident. Ie,
"I am taking a dance class in town and one of the other women is an immigrant from (this Warsaw Pact country). Under instruction 5210G (was that what it was?), I believe I am required to report this to you."
"Yeah.....you are." The agent came over to my office, gave me a security interview. One of the questions was how did I come across this class, did they seek me out? It all worked out okay but afterwards, I was worried if I had invited NIS to take a closer look at my personal life. Finally, when I told my classmate, she was shocked. She thought she had left that kind of world back behind the Iron Curtain but that's one of those things I often find of those not involved at all with the intelligence world......the lack of understanding that someone is always looking over your shoulder.
My incident was 1992. Back then the danger was Soviet nations’ agents and they could easily blend with the American or European communities. Today’s threat is China.
no in 37 plus years in uniform no one ever approached me for anything. I did get interviewed by Boston local news station as I was the senior NCO of a group of soldiers taking positions for the 4th of July Celebration. Does that count?
Can't say that I have. I've received some strange Linkedin connection requests and messages to collaborate from foreigners, but I ignore those.
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