Short Accountability Essay

The Army regulation regarding Physical Security is AR 190-16 which states: That part of security concerned with physical measures designed to safeguard personnel, to prevent unauthorized access to equipment, installations, material and documents, and to safeguard them against espionage, sabotage, damage, and theft.

I am responsible for maintaining accountability for everything I am signed for. Meaning that I am to know where everything is, and ensuring that it is also secure. I should also be more cautious with Sensitive items such as my weapon, CAC card, Body Armor, Kevlar, NBC Mask and so on. These are not just items for my personal use, they are a part of my combat uniform and necessary to complete my mission should it go down the shitter.

In the soldiers creed it states “I will maintain my arms, my equipment and myself”, by failing to do so I let down not only my fellow soldiers, I put them at risk. Not maintaining accountability of my sensitive items could allow a hostile person access to resources that could cause harm to myself as well as my battle buddies. Even more so now that I am currently on a NATO coalition base. This could cause an international incident because my CAC could have been used to allow malicious persons access to a military base, access that could enable them to plant weapons and bombs for insurgents to use against us. I have brought shame to the uniform and my family. I would be horrified if I found out that my CAC had been used by hostile persons to replicate the template for military identification cards.

In summary I now know I must maintain vigilance over everything issued to me by the military. Great harm could befall others should I do otherwise. I should also help others maintain accountability lest they fall under this same scrutiny that I have so carelessly put myself under.