DoD policies on military quarters should apply to quarters on a Navy ship as well. I am not in COM or anything like that, but I live on an Air Force base and I know the DoD does allow private internet connections. The restrictions you are talking about only apply to DoD information systems. If you are creating a network independent of the installation's connectivity and use it for hosting any technical data or as a subsystem to supplement a DoD system, the rules you stated apply. If it is for personal reasons and nothing to do with DoD information technology, the Information Assurance guidelines do not apply.

DARPA is the equivalent to CSIRO in the US. Just think how pissed off everyone would be if this story went the other direction...

I'm in the military and everyone who's ever been in the military knows they love to change everything. A new general or colonel will get a new job and has to make himself look good by improving everything, changing names of everything, restructuring, making lots of tours, etc. My job is highly technical and requires coordination with many different agencies and contractors. They don't worry about making the job easier or better, they only worry about aesthetics. They put holds on personnel so people are stuck in one place too long, then when the hold is lifted a sudden export of airmen occurs, along with all of those years of experience, to be replaced by new airmen that have no experience. The new airmen try to figure it out and fail, then ask the ones who have left and the names and processes don't line up anymore. Old ideas that were developed over years are gone and replaced with new ideas that are just as green as the people trying to develop them. People throw things away. People lose things. People get lazy and cut corners, because no one knows enough to realize why those corners were there. Over time things slowly get better and people gain experience, just as new supervision takes over and it starts all over again. I love being in the military, but I think I will love leaving it just as much.

Open formats are great and all, but why isn't anyone asking about security?