The unit uses Department of Defense and Army directives and regulations to determine whether any of the information found violates security, Van Vleet wrote. "Additionally, each Web Risk Cell [member] has more than 40 hours of [operations security] training helping them understand what to look for and then we educate on the First and Fourth Amendments [of the U.S. Constitution]. We educate the cell members so they can educate others."

If information is found on a soldier's Web site or blog that is seen as an operations security violation, "a phone call [is made] or [an] e-mail is sent to the affected user and/or their leadership explaining what we found," Van Vleet said. "What happens after that is up to the user/leadership." The unit has no legal authority to ask for changes and "does not 'force' changes to content," nor does it force a blog or site to be shut down, he said.

Since blogs became popular several years after the unit was formed in 2002, information is now being disseminated to military personnel about content that threatens military security, Val Vleet said. "Blogs are fairly new, and they are growing in size and popularity. Because of their newness and the fact that anyone can participate, AWRAC helps to educate our soldiers."

In addition to reviewing sites and blogs of military personnel, the unit also "reviews public sites for material [or] information posted by soldiers that contains operations security violations," Van Vleet said. The unit does not have legal authority to demand changes in those sites or blogs either, he said.

Final decisions on all security questions are made by the soldier involved and his or her military leaders, according to the Army. "AWRAC doesn't make the kinds of decisions that require an appeal," Van Vleet said. "[Its] reach only extends as far as a phone call or e-mail sent to the affected user and/or their leadership."