DoD security clearance levels? DoD security clearances are issued by some US government agencies, not just the DoD though they do issue most. Â DoD security clearances include:
- Unclassified
- Official DoD information that falls outside the classification scheme but may still be For Official Use Only
- Confidential
- This information/level of access refers to information that would either “cause damage†or be “prejudicial†to national security if released.  It is based on “need to know”.  It requires a reliability check (RS check) which includes checks into marriages, foreign employments, immediate relatives.
- Secret
- This is information that would cause “grave damage†to national security if made available to the public.
- This level of clearance will grant the right to access designated and classified information up to Secret level on a need-to-know basis. Department Heads have the discretion to allow for an individual to access Top Secret-level information without higher-level clearance on a case-to-case basis.
- Top Secret
- This refers to information that, if disclosed without authorization, would cause “exceptionally grave damage†to national security.
- In addition to the checks at the Secret level, foreign travels, assets, and character references must be given. Field check will also be conducted prior to granting the clearance.
- This level of clearance will grant the right to access all designated and classified information on a need-to-know basis.
reference:
- http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/520001_vol2.pdf
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_information_in_the_United_States
