Just last month an updated reminder of an instruction came down from Commandant Coast Guard, directing that many of these same sites were to remain off limits to all personnel (civilian, active duty as well as Reserve) while logged on to a Coast Guard (government) computer. Also specifically mentioned were personal banking, email sites and chat rooms. Browsing of streaming media sites were included in the no-no list. The instruction further went on to prohibit the insertion of *any* non-government issued peripheral devices (thumb/USB flash drives, blank discs or other media) into Coast Guard work station computers.

Like the DoD, bandwidth was cited as one of the primary reasons but what we were informed as *the* main concern was the maintaining of network security. Basically, I, or anyone logged on to a CG networked computer are prohibited from navigating to sites requiring a user name and password to gain access, unless that site is a CG-approved or sponsored one.

As a Reservist I serve but one weekend, or two days a month, after which my obligation is done and I am free to go back home. I can go to internet cafés or public libraries. I do not have to rely on uniformed spin doctors to inform me of what’s going on in the world, or in the next tent. I also own a personal computer whose integrity, performance and security I take *very* seriously. I know where I’ve been…what I don’t know is where *you’ve* been; sorry, but not on *my* computer.