Product Endorsements/Links :

3. It is fully appropriate for naval commands to establish and maintain information servers and services on the Internet, including World Wide Web home pages with links to other pages, provided they support legitimate, mission-related activities of the Navy and Marine Corps, and are consistent with prudent operational and security considerations. One type of link that must be avoided is the link to a specific vendor who is selling services and products to the government, as that type of link may give the appearance that the DON is endorsing the product or service, or showing favor to a particular vendor. Information placed on the Internet, without controls to eliminate or prevent public access, must be cleared in a manner consistent with the procedures already in place for clearing "hard" copy information. (See refs (a), (b), and (c)). In most cases, material proposed to be made available electronically to the publicly accessible Internet must be submitted through the same public affairs channels as "hard" copy material proposed for publication, (for national release).

Identification :

(c) Each web home page will have a designated author or maintainer who will be responsible for the content and appearance of that page. The individual's name, organizational code, organizational phone number, email address, and date of last revision will be included in the source code for that page. The originators of any material proposed for distribution or posting to a web home page, are responsible for obtaining approval release, prior to submitting the material to the web server administrator.

I asked for clarification.  The information identified here is to be inserted into the HTML document through a <META> tag or by a comment.  However, USNA Policy states that a Point of Contact ( or email address ) will be identified, a phone number, and a Date Last Modified ( or Reviewed ) are to be included.  This information is to posted on the "top" document.  An example will help identify what I mean.  Take the History Department.  On the History Department's homepage, this information should be on the page - prefereable at the bottom of the page.  The pages that fall underneath should contain a link back to the History homepage, but don't necessarily need to contain the name, email address, and phone number on every single page.  However, that information should be contained in the HTML document. The following example is a modification from the US Navy homepage :

		<meta name="USNA" content="John Doe, USNA Webmaster
			Division of Information Technology Services, 
			phone 410-293-1428 
			e-mail: webhelp@nadn.navy.mil  
			Designed: 09 Mar 98
			Revised : 09 Mar 98">


 

5. Since the Internet is open and legally accessed by the world-wide public, information presented by naval commands in their home pages on the Internet will reflect on the Department of the Navy's professional standards and credibility. Regardless of how or by whom these pages are actually developed, the appearance of, and the accuracy, currency and relevance of this information will reflect directly, or indirectly, on the Department of the Navy's image. Information residing on a server with a navy.mil domain or server, may be interpreted by the worldwide public, including the American taxpayer and media, as reflecting official Department of the Navy, or Department of Defense policies or positions. There is no such thing as a personal or unofficial home page on a ".mil" server because these servers and the information they contain are properly used only for official business, and in an official capacity. Commanding officers should review all web home pages or other Internet information servers being operated by personnel at their commands, to ensure compliance with the guidelines noted in this message.

The questions was asked : "What about us Midshipmen on athletic teams having pages so that candidates can see that we are actually human ?"  The response that I received was two fold.  1) USNA is unique - the letter of the law remains the same.  2) USNA could allow for individual pages that would fall under existing Policy and Guidelines, be Professional, and be approved by the Institutional webmaster and the Public Affairs Office.