SAFEGUARDING OFFICIAL INFORMATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00450R000100130013-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: November 5, 1953
• Content Type: REGULATION

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TNti "MC it is esaeptiai. that the citizens of the Kited States be
informed concerning th* actlv!ttes o' to r government; and
WHEREAS the interests of nations: "fene' require the preservation
of the ability of the United States to?prot.ict and defend itself against
all hostile or destructive action by covert or overt assns, including
espionage as well as military action; and
WSi tk'.A5 it I. easentlal that certain offlolsj information affecting
the national defense be protected uniformly against unauthorised
d iso losure a
T, Th *I, by virtue of the authority vested in ee by the
Caostatutioo and statutes, and ae President of the Dbited States, and
deeatag such action necessary in the best interests of the national
security, it is hereby ordered as fr:llows:
Seotioo 1. l*ssification Categories: official iaforaatioa whi
h
c
requires protection in the intereste of national dsfessm sk.> be 14.46-A
to three aategorzso or classification, %hich An descending order of
importance shall ~awry ~aceO Of the following designations: ?bp 8soret,
e A i inclu ing ai..l~.tary information, as requiring
a interests of national defense, except as exprosely
provided by statute. These categories are defined a follow.:
(a) T~o Secret: Incept as may be ex
ressly
id
d t
p
prov
e
y
01116tutop the mm Ofithe classification Top Secret shall be
IItrl bortzed, by appropriate authority
only for d.feese i
f
n
ti
,
n
oe
~a
os
O material which requires the highest degree of protection. Tb.
%* Secret classIficatiat shall be applied only to that iaforeatioo
material the defense aspect of which I. paramount, ant the
Munthorlsod disclosure of rbtoh could result to exceptionally
grave damage to the Nation such as leading to a definite break in
diploeatio relations affecting the defense of the 'Obited gtates,
.an tried attack against the United States or its allies, a Mar,
.or the oeroaise of military or defense plans, or intellioe
operations, or scientific or teehnelogloal developessts vital to
the national defense.
(b} Secret: Ztoept as may be expressly provided W statute,
4+e of the
l
s
c
a
sification Seoret.eball be authorised, by
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appropriate authority, only fro de:'onA? i^formation or material
the unauthorized diaclc3ure if ti+' ':ch v?:u'.! issult in serious
damage to the Ration, su'h as by Je:?ye.rd.zing the international
relations of the United it-atee, sndP:tgerinR tibia effectiveneee of
a program or policy of vital inportex:cs to As national defense,
or compromising important a:litary c; defense plans, scientific
or technological developments la?ornaat .c naoYona defense, or
information revealing important intelligence operations.
(o) Confidential; Except as may be expressly provided by
statute, the use of the classification Confidential shall be
authorized, by appropriate authority, only for defense information
or material the unauthorized disclosure of which could be
prejudioial,to the defense interests of the nation.
Section 2. Limitation of Autnerij to Classif : The authority
to classify defense information or material under this order shall be
limited in the departments and agencies of the executive branch as
hereinafter specified. Departments and agencies subject to the
specified limitations shall to designated by the President:
(a) In those departments and agencies having no direct
responsibility for national defense there shall be no authority
for original classification of i Or rat ion or material under
this order.
(b) Is those departments and agencies having partial but
not primary responsibility for matters kertaising to national
defense the authority for original classification of information
or material under this Order shall to exercised only by the head
of the department or agency, without delegation,
(a) In those departments azd agencies not affected by the
provisions of subsections (a; and (b), :bore, the authority fo.
original classification of information or material under this
order shall be exercised only. by responsible officers or .
employees, who shall be apecifioally cesig:.ated for this purpose.
Heads of such departments and agencies shrill limit the delegation
of authority to classify as ceverely as is consistent with the
orderly and exFeaitiaws tranaact.en of Government business.
section 3. Classification; Persons designated to have authority
for original classification cf information or material which requires
protection in the interests of national defense under this order shall
be held responsible for its proper slassif:aation in accordance with
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!. 'r, .ng cf the ,mat ea w~ crEr.~z ee:t,Vn 1, hereof. Unnecessary
*A: a', S;sa and owe:- +;. PZ= .:. t)e ecrupulously avoided.
~.+ ,Vlryg (,pecla`s ru..Lee ?hall hn cba,~rred in classification of
er prat :i&.
Docuaen*_e t Gr~rare` Ix)c;:ments shall be classified
a ?, vrdl,ng to They r'9ovr.. ;e.': tart a-,d, ti-t neoeesari]yy according to
!`.weir relatienehir t;, oth3r docam;n,6. References to classified
ma erisi whioh do not rarc%ai class'fled defense information shall
be olascified,
(b) P sisal' Ccunected Docusbnte: The olassifioatios of
a file or grout' of phyeica ly cocne.:tad documents shall be at
least as high as that of the most highly classified document
therein. Documents separated from the file or group shall be
handled In accordance with their individual defense classification.
(c) Multiple Claeeifrr:atto ? A dovument, product, or
substance shall bear a o.aaeifiietioo at least as high as that
of its highest classified o mponente. The document, product, or
substance shall bear only one war-all classification,
notwithstanding that pages, paragraphs, sections, or oosponeats
.'-erenf bear different c aestftcatic,s.
(d) Transaittai Letters: A letter transmitting detease
information shall be classified as least as high as its highest
classified enclosure.
(e) Information Originated by a horde ov tt or
r
asp nization: 'Defense inform tion of a dlassifiid mature
urnisner to the United States by a foreign go-ernmeat or
.International organization shall be assigned a olassifiostioa
which will assure a degree of protection equivalent to or
greater than that required by the government or international"
orgaaisatioo which furnished the information.
Bastion 4. Deolaesifioattonr Dora In8 or dicg
, s 1a s" of
u
depart aerate or agencies originating classified mate
rial l desigsate
persona to be responsible for continuing review of such classified
viaterial for the purpose of declaseif,ying or downgrading it ifiensver
rti L defense consIderatiuns permit, and for receiving requests for
such review from all sources. Formal procedures stall be established to
wide specific means for prompt review of olas+eified material MA its
d lose Ificatioa or dsvc-gradiag in order to preserve the effectiveness
4ti integrity of the classification system and to p4lvaasto aooumalatioo
,,if classified material which no longer require. protectioa is the
dafease interest. '!Me following special rules shall be observed with
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(a) Au~ttt uhesnq*r o T thn '~..:.aet? extent practicable,
the classifying authority aw? :.e i :ate on the material `except
telegrams) at the time of or:gi.aal aeei'icatton that after a
specified event or date, or upon rencial of :lassified enclosures,
the material rill be downgraded or deelassified0
(b) goo-Automatic Changes The persons designated to receive
requests for review of classified a terial may downgrade or
declassify such material when circumstances no longer warrant !ts
retention in its original classification provided the consent of
the appropriate classifying authority has been obtained. The
downgrading or declassification of extracts from or paraphrases
of classified dooamenti shall also require the consent of the
appropriate classifying authority unless the agency making such
-extracts knows positively that they warrant a classification
lewe'r than that of the doousent from, which extracted, or that they
are not classified.
.(e) Material Officially Transfe : In the case of material
transferr by or pursuant to statute or lyteoative order from one
department or agency to another for the latter's use and as part
of its official files or property, -a distinguished from transfers
merely for purposes of storage,, the receiving departest+mt or agency
shall be deemed to be the classifying authority for all purposes
tiler this order, including declassification and downgradings
(d) Material Not Officio Transferred: When any department
or agency Vim in it.pppossessi.or, any alassi led material which has
become five years old, and it appears (1) that each material
originated in an agency which has since beeoiaa defunct and erbost
files and other property have not been officially transferred to
another department or agency w thin the meaning of subsaation (e)t
above, or (2) that it is it ossible for the possessing department
or agoooy to identify the originating agency, and (3) a review of
the material indicates that It should be downgraded or declass4fied;
the said possessing department or agency shall have power to
declassify or downgrade such sateria:. 1f it appears probable
that another department of agency may nave a substantial interest
In whether the classificat:cr of a .-q particular infcrmation should
be maintained, the possessing department or agency shall not
oxeroise the power conferred up7a it by this subsection, except
with the consent of the other department or agency, until thir'y
days after it has notified suon other department or agency of toe
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e of the m terze I e.,, : ce trtHr'iov) to declassify or
zt "~'r the eee.'~. 3 ay period the other
(!ee:rea, express its objections
t: dy 9aesi.fytrig ~ha pr,rttrulnr material, but the
to cake the .' ;meta :.e ie:,-,^ stall reside in the possessing
aer.er.meat or a6,:-.,0y..
tie) Classif:,ad Teie9rams:, Such telegrams shall not be
're'.-r::?ed to, eztPW red 'ro~, j rapr:rased, downgraded, declassified,
or ljYsseainateds execelt la ac_ rdn ,a with special regulations
i.esu?d by Uke 'grad o-* thb ~rlglaating department or agency.
Ices: fled telegrams ! ;ar enitted over aryptographio systems shall
t:e handled in a~c,o*dnnoe with the regrl.ations of the traasaitting
d yppartmen't or a6ency
(f) Dowdier If the recipient of classified material
believes that it has been cl.ssstfied too highly, he my mks a
request to the rewleai rlg offt.c:i.al who may downgrade or declassify
the'material after obtaining the 7c,nsent of the appropriate
classifying authority.
(g) ading-. if the reolpient of unclassified rterial
be levee that it should be classifted9 or if the recipient of
classified material bal.ieges that its classification is not
sa.ffiolentiy prctect' e,. it stall be safeguarded in accordance
vita the classification deemed appropriate and a request made to
the reviewing official, who na classify the material or upgrade
the classification after obtaining the consent of the appropriate
classifying authority,
-,h} Notification of Changes in Classification: the reviewing
official taking action to declassify, downgra e, or upgrade classified
material shall notify all addressees to whoa the material was originally
transaitted.
Section S, limn of Classified Material: After a dstesaiaatioo
of the proper defense classi ioa t o to be assigned has bee rde in
ao,ordance with the provisions of this order, the classified rterial
shall be marked as follows:
(a) Bound Documents.- The assigned defense olassifioeioa on
roU""e do uaepts sur:b ae t o.-~ rvr Pamphlets. the pages of which
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stamped at the top ac4 GL-' .D. aarauer U'lat the
narking will be clearly vlelb ie when the pages are clipped or
stapled together.
(o) Charts, Maps, and bra,+i . ' :asst. tied aaarts, maps p
and drawings shall carry the defense c+rassif:cation marking under
the legend, title block, or sca ".e In sLch manner that it will be
reproduced on all copies made i,herefr?'n. Such classification
shall also be marked at the for and dattoa in each instance?
(d) Photo "& ha, 711ns and Reco`dIngs,- Classified photographs,
filaa, and recordings , and their containers, shall be oobspicuously
and appropriately marked with the assigned defense classification.
(r) Products or Substances, The assigned defense classification
shall be conspicuously marked nsa -iassified nrnducts or substances,
if possible, and on their oont.a:'ers '.f possible, or, if the article
or container cannot be narked,, v itteo rotifi-,ation of such classifiea
tion shall be furnished to recipients of such products or substances.
(f) Reproductions: All copies or repioduotions of classified
materials 1 be ap2roprlatel.y marked j?r stamped in the sae
manner as the original thereof,
(g) Usolassified Mat,eria : ltvrmally, unclassified material
shall not be marked or stamped TlrAr,* assn".ed unless it is essential
to convey to a recipient of suolafea'er nl that it has been examined
specifically with a view to ?egposiAg a defense classification and
has bees determined not to require s;iccn olasssification.
(h) C or Removal of tlassif~ atio< Whenever classified
material is den ssifled~ dio~rnagraded,; or upgxad~d, the material
shall be marked or stapled is a p:oairieot place to reflect the
change is classification, the aut,ierity for the action, the date of
action, and the identity of the person c: aei.y: taking the acttoa.
In addition, the old olassiticat:oa sarrlitg shall ne cancelled and
the new classification (if any) sutetitu?ed therefor. Autoaatio
change in classification sha:.l to 1,ndi.^ateu oy the appropriate
classifying auttority through nark'. avg cc s':aarpl,mg a a proatsent
place to reflect iufermatioc spr,~:.ifiei i& st.tsection $ (a) hereof..
(1) Material Furnished pers4 o A, 6 9 n x tie Lracutive Rrar?ch of
the Covermment s When o lass i t lec wwr. M-r * & A, af"*r. t iog thnational
defense is rnished author.ted Xers,-=car,, it o:c out ;;f Federal servioeo
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ocher than those in the executive branch, the following notation, in
addition to the assigned classification marking, shall whenever
praoticab le be placed on tae mareriai, on its container, or on the
written notification of its assigned classifications
"This material contains information affecting the national
defense of the United States within the meaning of the
espionage lave, Title 18, U.S.C,, Secs, 793 and 7911, the
transmission or revelation of which in any meaner to an
unauthorized person is prohibited by law".
Use of alternative marking concerning "Restricted Data' as defined by
the Atomic energy Act is authorized when appropriate.
Section 6. Custody and Safekeeping: The possession or use of
classified defense information or material shall be Milted to locations
where facilities for secure storage or protection thereof are. available
by means of which unauthorized persons are prevented from gaining access
thereto. Whenever such information or material is not under the personal
supervision of its custodian, whether during or outside of working hours,
the following physical or mechanical means shall be tabu to protect it:
(a) stermae of ToD Secret Material: Top Secret,defesse
material shall protected i.a storage by the most,jeonre facilities
possible. lgrmally it will be.stored in a safe or a safe-type steel
file container having a three-position, dial-type, oosdsinatios lock,
and being of such weight, size, construction, or installation as to
stnimize the possibility of surreptitious entry, physioal theft,
damage by fire, or tampering. The head of a department or agency may
approve other storage facilities for this material )hioh offer
comparable or better protection, such as as alarled area, a vault,
a secure vault-type. room, or an area under close surveillance of as
armed guard. A
(b) rot and Confidential Matte l: These eategorie of
defense mater RAY e s ore D a maser authorized for Tbp Secret
material, or in metal file cabinets equipped with steel leokhar and
at wnproved three combination dial-type padlock from which the
manufacturer's identification sumbers have been alliterated, or in
comparably secure facilities approved by the herd of the department
or ageacy.
Toads of departments and
a- AR "-t4 ; ,.
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(d) Chan es of Lo-;k Comb i;. a t i