Security Classification Guide Use Survey

Security Classification Guide Use Survey

OMB Control No. 3095-0070
Expiration date: 12/31/2020

Purpose.
To determine if security classification guides (SCG) are used effectively to facilitate the proper and uniform
derivative classification of information. The survey is directed at personnel who derivatively classify and
use or have used security classification guides. It aims to draw upon the users’ experience with the guides
with regard to their dissemination, the training on their use, their clarity and ease of use, classification
guide content, and user knowledge.
1. Describe your involvement with classified national security information. Choose the most
appropriate response from the following list:
○ I do not have a clearance.
■ [If this response is chosen, the individual would not complete the survey.]
○ I have clearance, but do not have access to classified information.
■ [If this response is chosen, the individual would not complete the survey.]
○ I have access to classified information but do not derivatively classify.
■ [If this response is chosen, the individual would not complete the survey.]
○ I derivatively classify occasionally.
■ [If this response is chosen, ask the respondent to indicate usage of security
classification guides.]
● Indicate your frequency of usage of security classification guides from the list
below.
○ I have never used a security classification guide.
■ [The individual would not complete the survey.]
○ I use or have used security classification guides occasionally.
○ I use or have used security classification guides regularly.
○ I derivatively classify regularly.
■ [If this response is chosen, ask the respondent to indicate usage of security
classification guides.]
● Indicate your frequency of usage of classification guides from the list below.
○ I have never used a security classification guide.
■ [The individual would not complete the survey.]
○ I use or have used security classification guides occasionally.
○ I use or have used security classification guides regularly.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be less than 10 minutes
per response. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
National Archives and Records Administration (MP), 8601 Adelphi Rd, College Park, MD 20740-6001. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS.

OMB Control No. 3095-0070
Expiration date: 12/31/2020

2. Regarding the availability of security classification guides, choose all responses that apply.
● My agency has a single classification guide that covers a single topic.
● My agency has a single classification guide that covers multiple topics.
● My agency has multiple classification guides.
● The guides are all readily available.
● The guides at my agency are linked to/included in electronic classification management tool.
● The guides are not readily available because they are scattered across multiple units.
● I don’t know where the guides are.
● I don’t know if my agency has security classification guides.
● Other _______________ .
3. Does your agency provide training on the purpose/use of security classification guides?
YES _____ NO _____

● If yes, provide an assessment of the quality/usefulness of the training, where 1 is poor
and 5 is excellent.
1

2

3

4

5

4. Regarding your overall experience with using classification guides at your agency, how would you
rate the clarity and ease of use of your agency’s security classification guides? (scale of 1 to 5, where
1 is not clear and difficult to use and 5 is precise and easy to use.)
1

2

3

4

5

5. Based on your experience with the security classification guides at your agency, rate how well the
guide(s) state the elements of information to ensure that you can identify/understand what needs to
be classified.
Indicate your rating on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is vague and difficult to understand and 5 is
precise and clearly identifies the elements to be classified.
1

2

3

4

5

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be less than 10 minutes
per response. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
National Archives and Records Administration (MP), 8601 Adelphi Rd, College Park, MD 20740-6001. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS.

OMB Control No. 3095-0070
Expiration date: 12/31/2020

6. Based on your experience with the security classification guides at your agency, how well do the
guides state which classification level applies to each element of information? From the list below,
choose all that apply.
o Single level, clearly defining the classification level to each element of information.
o Multiple levels with clear delineation of what would make the information classified at one
level versus another.
o Multiple levels without clear delineation of what would make the information classified at
one level versus another.
o References other classification guidance, with sufficient information to
determine the levels.
o References other classification guidance, insufficient information to determine the levels.
o Does not provide guidance on the level of classification.

7. Based on your experience with the security classification guides at your agency, how well do the
guides state the date or event of declassification that applies to each element of information? From
the list below, choose all that apply.
o Single date or event, clearly stating the date or event that applies to each element of
information.
o Multiple dates/events with clear delineation of when one date/event would be applied
versus another.
o Multiple dates/events without clear delineation of when one date/event would be applied
versus another.
o Prescribes application of 25X and 50X exemptions, even though the agency does not have the
authority to apply these exemptions on newly created documents.
o The guide(s) specify an event for declassification that is likely to happen within 25 years.
o The guide(s) specify an event for declassification that appears to be infinite.
o The guide(s) do(es) not provide the date or event for classification for any elements of
information.
8. Based on your experience with the security classification guides at your agency, indicate the extent
to which the guide(s) include a reason for classification.
Indicate your rating on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is that none of your agency’s guides include
reasons for classification for any elements of information and 5 is that all of your agency’s
classification guides include reasons for classification for all elements of information in the
guides.
1

2

3

4

5

[For information purposes we may include the following in the survey or ask the NARA survey
team if they could be included via link from the survey form:

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be less than 10 minutes
per response. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
National Archives and Records Administration (MP), 8601 Adelphi Rd, College Park, MD 20740-6001. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS.

OMB Control No. 3095-0070
Expiration date: 12/31/2020

Sec. 1.4. Classification Categories. Information shall not be considered for classification unless
its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause identifiable or describable
damage to the national security in accordance with section 1.2 of this order, and it pertains to
one or more of the following: (a) military plans, weapons systems, or operations; (b) foreign
government information; (c) intelligence activities (including covert action), intelligence
sources or methods, or cryptology; (d) foreign relations or foreign activities of the United
States, including confidential sources; (e) scientific, technological, or economic matters
relating to the national security; (f) United States Government programs for safeguarding
nuclear materials or facilities; (g) vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations,
infrastructures, projects, plans, or protection services relating to the national security; or (h)
the development, production, or use of weapons of mass destruction.]
9. To the best of your knowledge, have the security classification guides in use at your agency, been
reviewed and updated as needed, but at least every five years?
YES _____ NO ____ I do not know. _____
10. When derivatively classifying citing a security classification guide what do you do? Choose all that
apply:
o When I have an element of information that I believe may be classified, I consult the relevant
security classification guide and classify the information based on the instruction in the guide.
o I am familiar with what should be classified, so I classify based on my knowledge, and cite a
security classification guide without looking at it.
o I cite a security classification guide because it is the one that is used by my office without
verifying that it covers the information in the documents I am derivatively classifying.
o I cite a guide by default, no matter what the actual source of classification is.
o I cite the guide that is the default in my agency’s classification management tool.
11. When a security classification guide is one of the multiple sources for a document, what do you do?
o Cite multiple sources on the derived from line and include a list of sources on or attached to
the document.
o Cite the guide and ignore the other sources.
o Cite the other sources and ignore the guide.

12. Have you ever contacted someone to obtain additional information or guidance about the content or
use of a security classification guide, to recommend changes to the guide, or to challenge the
classification instructions in the guide?
YES _____ NO _____

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Public burden reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be less than 10 minutes
per response. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
National Archives and Records Administration (MP), 8601 Adelphi Rd, College Park, MD 20740-6001. DO NOT SEND COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS.