WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2010 – New guidelines from U.S. Strategic Command officials allow servicemembers to use “thumb drives” and other flash media to store computer data under specific circumstances. Strategic Command officials banned use of thumb drives and flash media in November 2008, after the use of the media infected a number of Defense Department computer systems. Computers users had to turn to alternative means to transfer data from one machine to another. Now, the command has lifted the ban on the devices under carefully controlled circumstances, said Navy Vice Adm. Carl V. Mauney, Stratcom’s deputy commander. The command issued...