OCA Training Reference Booklet_4_2015

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U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Original
Classification
Authority (OCA)

Training
Reference Booklet

Security Division
Executive Staff Unit

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The Original Classification Authority (OCA) Training
Reference Booklet serves solely as reference
material to the “Original Classification Authority
2015” course in Virtual Academy.

The position you currently hold is a position that has been
delegated the authority to originally classify information. It is
important that you understand the responsibilities being
conferred to you.

As an OCA, you will be classifying information that involves
potential risks to national security. Mishandling of this
information could result in information falling into the wrong
hands, which could irreversibly compromise the mission
and damage the security of the United States.

Upon reviewing this material, you should be able to:
 Understand OCA classification and declassification

functions.
 Identify resources for policy and guidance on

classifying, declassifying, and safeguarding national
security information.

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Original Classification Authority

The authority to classify information may be exercised only
by:

1. The President and Vice President
2. Agency heads and officials designated by the

President
3. United States Government officials delegated

this authority

Original Classification Authority (OCA) is delegated by the
President of the United States. For the FBI, that authority is
delegated to the Attorney General, who then has the power to
delegate to DOJ components. Currently there are 17 OCAs within
the FBI.
Designated OCAs have the ability to classify information up to the
Top Secret level. Each OCA delegation shall be made in writing,
shall identify the official by name or position, and must be made
available to the Director of the Information Security Oversight
Office (ISOO).

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Original Classification Authority
Responsibilities

Make unique Declassify
classification decisions on information that no
longer meets the
U.S. information not
previously decided upon in requirements of
classification.
classification guides.

Remain current on Receive annual
classification policy. training on proper
classification and
declassification.

Report original Create and update
classification decisions classification guides
made to the Executive Staff
Unit, Security Division. as needed.

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Original Classification Authority
versus Derivative Classifier

Both OCAs and Derivative Classifiers exist in the FBI
and are explained in Executive Order (EO) 13526,
“Classified National Security Information.”

Original Classification Authority
 An OCA classifies information that is owned by, produced

by or for, or is under the control of the United States
Government.
 An OCA classifies information that falls within one or
more of the categories of information listed in section 1.4
of EO 13526.
 The OCA determines that unauthorized disclosure of the
information could reasonably be expected to result in
damage to national security.

Derivative Classifier
 A derivative classifier observes and respects original

classification decisions.
 A derivative classifier carries classification markings for-

ward to any newly-created documents.

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Classification Categories

As listed in Section 1.4 of Executive Order 13526, information can
only be classified if it falls under at least one of these eight
categories:

1. Military plans, weapons systems, or operations

2. Foreign government information

3. Intelligence activities (including covert action),
intelligence sources or methods, or cryptology

4. Foreign relations or foreign activities of the
United States, including confidential sources

5. Scientific, technological, or economic matters
relating to national security

6. United States Government programs for safe-
guarding nuclear materials or facilities

7. Vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems,
installations, infrastructures, projects, plans, or
production services relating to national security

8. The development, production, or use
of weapons of mass destruction

If information does not relate to any of these eight
categories, then it CANNOT be classified. It is important to
note, however, that just because information does fall into
one or more of the categories, it does not necessarily
have the potential to damage national security if
compromised and thus does not necessarily need to be
classified.

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Classification Prohibitions

In addition to presenting what information may be
classified, EO 13526 also details when information
may not be classified.
Information may NOT solely be classified in order to:
 Conceal violations of law, inefficiency, or administrative

error
 Prevent embarrassment to a person, organization, or

agency
 Restrain competition
 Prevent or delay the release of information that does not

require protection in the interest of national security

Classification Challenges

Authorized holders of information are encouraged and
expected to challenge the classification status of the
information.
For challenges to originally classified information, SPISU
will liaise with the OCA who made the decision to
determine the proper classification of the information.
The applicable OCA that originally classified the
information in question will make the final classification
decision.
For more information, refer to National Security
Information website.

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US Levels of Classification

Information may be classified at one of the following three
levels:
 TOP SECRET (TS) – Applied when unauthorized

disclosure of information could reasonably be expected
to cause exceptionally grave damage to national
security to which the OCA must identify or describe
 SECRET (S) – Applied when unauthorized disclosure of
information could reasonably be expected to cause
serious damage to national security to which the OCA
must identify or describe
 CONFIDENTIAL (C) – Applied when unauthorized
disclosure of information could reasonably be expected
to cause damage to national security to which the OCA
must identify or describe

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Declassification and Duration
of Classification

Once information no longer meets the standards for classification,
it is declassified or downgraded by one of the following:

1. The official who authorized its original classification (if
still serving in the same position with OCA).

2. The originator’s current successor in function (if that
person has OCA).

3. Supervisory official of number 1 or 2 listed above (if that
person has OCA).

4. Officials delegated declassification authority in writing by
the agency head or senior agency official of the
originating agency.

At the time of classification, the OCA
establishes a specific date or event for
declassification. The OCA attempts to
determine a date or event that is less than
10 years from the date of original
classification and coincides with the lapse of the information’s
national security sensitivity. This date or event is assigned as the
declassification instruction.

If the OCA is unable to determine a date or event of less than 10
years, then he/she assigns a declassification date that is 10 years
from the date of the original classification decision.

If the OCA is unable to determine a date or event of 10 years, then
he/she assigns a declassification date not to exceed 25 years
from the date of the original classification decision.

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Declassification Date
Exemptions

50X1-HUM is a declassification instruction that can be used
if the classified information should clearly and demonstrably
be expected to reveal the identity of a confidential human
source or a human intelligence source reporting on matters
pertaining to national security. When 50X1-HUM is used as
the declassification instruction, the human source
information in that document is exempt from automatic
declassification at 50 years. It will remain classified up to 75
years; a specific declassification date need not be set.

50X2-WMD is a declassification instruction that can be used
if the classified information should clearly and demonstrably
be expected to reveal key design concepts of weapons of
mass destruction. When 50X2-WMD is used as the
declassification instruction, the information that could clearly
and demonstrably be expected to reveal key design
concepts of weapons of mass destruction in that document
is exempt from automatic declassification at 50 years. It will
remain classified up to 75 years; a specific declassification
date need not be set.

Information may only be classified longer than 25 years (and
thus marked 25X1 through 25X9) with approval by the
Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP).
Such approval is coordinated between the Records
Management and Security Divisions and is communicated
through either a classification guide, an Automatic
Declassification Guide (ADG), or a File Series Exemption
(FSE). Aside from human source identifying information
(50X1-HUM) and certain WMD information (50X2-WMD),
extensions must be requested by proper authorities when
the information is 20 to 25 years old.

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Originally Classified Information
Markings

At the time of original classification, the following is indicated:
1. One of the three classification levels (TS, S, C)
2. Identity (personal identifier) of the OCA
3. Agency and office of origin (if not otherwise evident)
4. Declassification instructions indicating the following:
 Date or event for declassification
 Date in 10 years from the date of classification
 Date up to 25 years from the date of classification
 Whether one of the exemptions applies (50X1-HUM,
50X2-WMD)
5. Concise reason for classification, citing the applicable
classification category

Portion markings are required throughout to indicate which
portions are classified and which are unclassified; however, the
Director of ISOO may grant and revoke temporary portion marking
waivers of this requirement.
When small portions of classified information appear in a
document that is otherwise unclassified, the classification authority
will, whenever practical, either (1) use a classified addendum or
(2) prepare a product that can be disseminated at the lowest level
of classification possible or in an unclassified form.

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OCA Classification Markings
Example

SECRET//NOFORN
(U) Really Important Document 20100215
(S//NF) This is a SECRET portion that is NOT
RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS. Since it is
marked (S), an OCA has determined it could cause
serious damage to national security.
(C//RELIDO) This is a CONFIDENTIAL portion that is
RELEASABLE BY AN INTELLIGENCE DISCLOSURE
OFFICIAL. Since it is marked (C), an OCA has deter-
mined it could cause damage to national security.
(U) Classified by: FBI, Deputy Director, J12J34T54

(U) Reason: 1.4c
(U) Declassify on: 20350215

SECRET//NOFORN

All markings on this page are for training purposes only.

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Marking Reminders

Requirement for all foreign dissemination markings on
all classified portions and banner lines

Foreign dissemination markings are required in every classi-
fied portion and banner line. This requirement was instituted
in Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 710, which became
effective on June 21, 2013. Section E of ICD 710 states that
originators should explicitly mark classified disseminated ana-
lytic products with a foreign disclosure or release marking.

Declassification exemption markings of
50X1-HUM and 50X2-WMD

Specific marking requirements for the electronic
environment

Email attachments, web pages, wikis, etc. are subject to all
requirements of EO 13526. They must be marked with proper
classification markings to the extent that such marking is
practical, including portion marking, overall classification, and
a classification authority block.

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Sanctions

If the Director of the ISOO finds that a violation of this order or its
implementing directives has occurred, he/she shall make a report
to the head of the agency or to the senior agency official.

Officers and employees of the United States Government, and its
contractors, licensees, certificate holders, and grantees, shall be
subject to appropriate sanctions if they knowingly, willfully, or
negligently:

1. Disclose to unauthorized persons information properly
classified under this or proceeding orders.

2. Classify or continue the classification of information in violation
of this order or any directive.

3. Create or continue a special access program contrary to the
requirement of this order.

4. Contravene any other provision of this order or its
implementing directives.

Sanctions may include reprimand, suspension without pay,
removal, termination of classification authority, loss or denial of
access to classified information, or some other sanction in
accordance with applicable law and agency regulation.

The agency head, senior official, or other supervisory official shall,
at a minimum, promptly remove the classification authority of any
individual who demonstrates reckless disregard or a pattern of
error in applying the classification standard of this order.

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Resources

 Executive Order 13526, Classified National Security
Information

 Information Security Oversight Office Directive No. 1
 Information Security Oversight Office Marking Booklet
 Methodology for Determining Appropriateness of an OCA

Decision
 EC Case ID# 319W-HQ-A1487698-SECD, Serial 187,

Reporting OCA Decisions, dated 1/31/2015
 Original Classification Authority Program Policy 0572D
 Marking Classified National Security Information Directive and

Policy Guide 0720DPG
 Classification Management Center Website: https://

intranet.fbinet.fbi/DO/SecD/Pages/Classification-Management-
Center.aspx
 Original Classification Authority 2015 Virtual Academy course:
http://va.fbinet.fbi/BETS/default.aspx?page=1
 OCA Mailbox: HQ_DIV11_ESU_OCA

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Security Division
Executive Staff Unit
Email: [email protected]
Updated April 2015

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