Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense MEMORANDUM FOR:
6000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-6000February 5, 1999
SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS
SUBJECT: Personal Attestations Upon the Granting of Security Access
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR, DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING
ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR, OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION
ASSISTANTS TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES
DIRECTORS OF THE DOD FIELD ACTIVITIESThe Secretary of Defense has issued a policy requiring every individual who is granted a Top Secret clearance, or is granted access to a specially-controlled access category or compartment to make an oral attestation that they will conform to the conditions and responsibilities imposed by law or regulation on those granted clearance or access. To implement this action, the following policy is applicable to military and civilian personnel.
DoD Component security officials will ensure that this initiative is part of their regular inspection regime to ensure compliance. Within 60 days, DoD Component Heads will certify, to me, that full implementation of this new procedure has been accomplished. No changes or modifications to the SF312 and/or SCI/SAP Indoctrination Form are authorized as a result of this policy.
a. Individuals newly granted a Top Secret clearance, or a specially controlled access category or compartment (SCI and SAP), shall attest to understanding fully their responsibilities to protect national security information and to adhere to the provisions stated on Standard Form 312, Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement and/or the SCI/SAP Indoctrination Form, after reading the entire Nondisclosure Agreement. The individual must attest orally to paragraph one of the form or agreement to which they are agreeing and it must be witnessed by one individual in addition to the official presiding over the attestation.
b. Personnel with an existing Top Secret clearance or SCI/SAP access will orally attest upon initiation of the required periodic reinvestigation or when granted access to another compartmented program, whichever is sooner. During the interim, organizations will conduct security awareness training stressing the provisions of the Nondisclosure Agreement and the commitment made when accessed to classified information. DoD Security Managers will be responsible for recording this training and maintaining the Nondisclosure Agreement forms.
[signed]
Arthur L. Money
Senior Civilian Official