Security - and How One Young Marine Brought a Battalion to Its Knees

The Marine Corps tests the readiness of its infantry units before they are are permitted to deploy around the globe. Typically, the test measures the unit's ability to locate, close with and destroy a smaller, counter-insurgency sized force. The ratio is somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 aggressors against a battalion of 1500 Marines. The aggressors are selected from a separate unit - which takes pride in inflicting mock casualties on the unit being tested.

On the one occasion I was selected to be an aggressor, we actually came to "blows" in combat town - a good old fashioned bared knuckled brawl in the middle of a combat town. During the same exercise, I hit a tank turret with an M-203 grenade (spewing dayglow orange dye instead of white phosphorous). The tank commander whipped his M-1 Abrams straight towards us - plowing down saplings to reach us - and, but for the speed of our Humvee - I'm certain we would have come to blows with them as well. The point is - both sides took their roles VERY seriously.

There is a Marine Corps legend of a young PFC (Private First Class) who was selected to be a member of the aggressing unit. On his own initiative, the young PFC spent the weekend prior to the exercise rummaging through the battalion's dipsy dumpster. As a member of the aggressing unit, he was able to walk away with map overlays, memos, radio frequencies, call signs, every aspect of the battalion's battle plan for the upcoming test. When the exercise began - it was a slaughter. The command and control of the battalion was neutralized almost immediately. The counter insurgency unit used the radios, frequencies and call signs to wreak utter havoc on what remained of the battalion - having one company launch mock mortars against another company in the same battalion. Masterful.

It was possible because one young, ambitious Marine recognized that one man's trash is another man's treasure. He walked away with another stripe on his sleeve.

How far do you think an unscrupulous attorney might go to win millions for his client? How safe is your trash? How safe is your network? How loyal are your employees?

Don't think espionage happens in law firms? One day, a battalion of Marines never thought they could be brought to their knees by a young PFC and his trash bag.