As a 21-year-old guard, Jack Teisher, could gain access to Pentagon's secret documents

How did a 21-year-old guard gain access to Pentagon's secret documents?

The main question troubling the world today concerns how a 21-year-old guard could gain access to such incredibly sensitive secret documents from the Pentagon and why he would even be entrusted with such tasks. The answers to these questions turned out to be quite ordinary.

Jack Teixeira and his work at the military base

Jack Teixeira, the suspect in the leak, worked at a military base in Massachusetts and was responsible for maintaining cyber systems. In other words, he was an IT specialist, and this allowed him to have access to various types of information, including secret ones.

Procedures for gaining access to classified information

To work with classified information in the U.S. military, one must go through a series of checks and obtain the appropriate level of access. People who work with secret documents usually sign a non-disclosure agreement as well. Teixeira apparently went through all these procedures.

Why didn't Teixeira's age and rank pose a problem?

The reason is actually simple: most U.S. military personnel are young, and involving them in operations of various levels, including classified ones, has turned out to be a common practice that hasn't caused such issues before. This is confirmed by former Congressman and USAF pilot Adam Kinzinger, retired General Mark Hertling, and Marine Corps veteran Eric Garcia.

Adam Kinzinger notes: "There's no deeper conspiracy… Young people of lower rank have access to intelligence information." General Mark Hertling adds: "Intelligence analysts and IT specialists are mostly young people. And thousands of them do their job superbly. This guy was an exception." Eric Garcia recalls that he had access to top-secret documents at the age of 18. By the time he turned 21, he had already made two trips to Iraq.

What does the Pentagon plan to do about it?

The Pentagon has stated that they have already reviewed who and how classified information is provided to and narrowed the circle of these people. However, some believe this is not enough. Now, answers and explanations are being demanded in Congress as well.

Impact on the national security system and international relations

This incident raises many questions about the vulnerability of the U.S. national security system. And not without reason. The impact on the trust of international partners is a separate story altogether.

Charges against Jack Teixeira

Jack Teixeira faces two charges related to the distribution of secret U.S. documents. Together, these two charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. He is accused of unauthorized removal, storage, and transmission of classified information.

Lawyers say that for each leaked document, a maximum of 10 years imprisonment may be threatened. Teixeira allegedly published about 300 images of classified documents on the Internet.

Summary

The scandal with Jack Teixeira and his access to the Pentagon's classified documents continues to gain momentum. Although it has caused some changes in the system of granting access to classified information, it does not eliminate the general concerns about the vulnerability of the US state secrets protection system and the trust of international partners.

In this case, Jack Teixeira became an exception among young military personnel who usually responsibly fulfill their duties. However, his actions drew attention to issues that could affect the national security of the country and its international cooperation.