Search
Home Blog
Table of Contents

    Leaked Memo Warns Military Personnel Against DIY DNA Tests.

    Tom Johnson
    Tom Johnson - 2019-12-07T22:00:00.000Z

    According to a freshly leaked internal memo, the US military has recently advised its staff that DIY gene testing kits could pose a serious security threat – despite the fact that over 26 million of us have taken an at-home ancestry test.

    In a document that came straight from the Pentagon, the military reveals that the collection of such information is of particular concern, and that it believes army personnel in particular have been targeted with sign-up offers and discounts in the last few months.

    A serious security threat 

    In recent years, many people have found themselves fascinated by the prospect of uncovering their long-ago lineage and history.

    Where once this was nigh-on impossible for ordinary folk, with only those individuals who had the most august ancestry able to discover more about their historical background, this all changed with the advent of companies that offered at-home DNA testing.

    These businesses include many well-known names, from 23andMe to Living DNA and Ancestry, yet despite the popularity of these companies, the US military has now warned its staff against placing their trust in them.

    Citing the dangers of sending off their DNA in order to get a more in-depth understanding of their genetic profile and background, they claim that this information could be used for a number of nefarious purposes – to the detriment of American security.  

    Warning military personnel against using such DIY DNA testing kits, the leaked internal memo not only cautions against placing trust in these companies, but suggests that much of the information provided could be just as easily gleaned by looking in the mirror, such as a person’s hair and eye color.    

    Best DNA Testing Kits

    • Estimated 10 million users
    • Relatives feature
    • Health package
    visit site
    • In-House Lab
    • Industry Experts
    • Huge Database
    visit site
    • Family Trees
    • Immigration Records
    • Hire a Researcher
    visit site

    Engineering DNA profiles 

    Dated December 20th, the leaked memo is signed by two prominent figures: Joseph D Kernan, the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower, James N Stewart.  

    On the surface of it, this warning may seem overzealous, leading to the question of exactly what such information could be used for, but the memo includes a number of disturbing details, which suggest DNA testing could not only be dangerous, but also professionally damaging.

    Of particular concern is the active targeting of military personnel by such websites, with many offering specific discounts to army staff – ones intended to increase signups.

    While this could, of course, be little more than a marketing move married with a sense of patriotism and respect for the armed forces, the memo suggests it has caused serious concern behind closed doors.

    This is due to a fear that this information could be sold on to third parties – ones who may wish to use it against the US military.

    Though this theory sounds as if it’s come straight from a conspiracy theory docudrama, it’s thought that this data could in fact be used to engineer US military profiles if purchased by state actors.      

    However, answering questions on the memo that were posed to them by The New York Times, it seems the more prevalent concern instead relates to the military’s belief that it would be wrong to turn a blind eye to the results of such tests.

    Capable in some instances of flagging up potential genetic health markers, a Pentagon spokesperson suggested this information would have to be taken into account by the military in its capacity as an employer, and could thus affect the career progression of those who tested positive for certain inherited diseases and illnesses.

    While it’s no doubt interesting to learn more about our family history and ancestry, this is one of the first times that the issue of how employers handle this information has been raised, and it leads to some interesting questions, for it’s not only a glimpse into the past we’re being given, but also an insight into the future – one that could negatively impact those who may be affected by inherited issues later in life.

    The result is that we must all ask ourselves the following: how much is it really good to know about yesterday when that knowledge holds the potential not only to inform but to shape our tomorrow too?