REVIEW OF THE ABILITY OF THE ARMED FORCES COURIER SERVICE (ARFCOS) TO PROTECT EXTREMELY SENSITIVE MATERIAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82M00591R000200040018-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2004
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: September 11, 1980
• Content Type: MF

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DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
Security Committee
11 September 1980
MEMORANDUM FOR: Members, DCI Security Committee
STATINTL FROM:
Executive Secretary
SUBJECT: Review of the Ability of the Armed Forces
Courier Service (ARFCOS) to Protect Extremely
Sensitive Material
1. Attached is a memorandum from the DIA Member who
asks that each of us provide him our organizational responses STATINTL
to certain questions no later than 15 October 1980.
2. DIA's point of contact for this material is
extension 52599.
3. Your expeditious response to
appreciated.
STATINTL
STATINTL
Army and DIA
review(s) completed.
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DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301
S S EP 1980
SUBJECT: Review of the Ability of the Armed Forces Courier Service
(ARFCOS) to Protect Extremely Sensitive Material
1. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has been tasked by the
Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (OJCS) to conduct a study to
determine the ability of the ARFCOS to protect extremely sensitive material.
This study stems from recommendations made by the U.S. Army Adjutant General
(AG), as executive agent for ARFCOS, in a memorandum to the Chairman, OJCS,
on 29 July 1980. The basis of this review is a hijacking incident involving
an ARFCOS vehicle in Italy in January 1980 and the subsequent loss of the
entire ARFCOS shipment.
2. The AG memorandum to the JCS sets forth tentative findings and
recommendations. Among these is the recommendation that JCS direct that
a study be conducted to determine:
U-6388/RSS-3B
MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHAIRMAN, DCI SECURITY COMMITTEE
a. If there is any information or material which requires protection
at all costs including possible loss of life?
b. What is and who has the authority to designate such material?
c. What is the number, size and frequency of shipment of such material?
d. What is the ordinary channel for transmission of such material?
e. What criteria have been established for protecting and transporting
such material?
f. What special protection or resources are required if ARFCOS is the
transmission channel for this material?
3. In order to ensure that a comprehensive review is conducted, request
that those SECOM members whose agencies utilize ARFCOS provide their
respective organizational response to the questions posed in paragraph 2
of this memorandum. Responses should be completed NLT 15 October 1980 and
returned to DIA for inclusion in the final re Dort to be made to the OJCS.
DIA point of contact for this study is I I x52599, RSS-3B. STATINTL
FOR THE DIRECTOR:
STATINTL
1 Enclosure a/s
0 001 , i
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c?' OFF4CI. C" r : ADJUTANT '.:tlrR..L
WAS!-IIN':TON. D.C.
RSPLV T7
ATTr YInN O
ME11,1ORANDIJM FOR CIIAIRNAN, JOINT CHIEFS CF STAFF
2 9 JUL i~6U
SUBJECT: Review of the Ability of Ak.FCOS to Protect Extremely Sensitive
Material
1. Inclosure 1 is the report of the informal investigation into the circumstan-
ces connected with the hijacking of a vehicle transporting an ARFCOS shipment in
Naples, Italy on 24 January 1980. The second and third indorsements of the
report recommend a review of the ARFCOS ability to protect extremely sensitive
material at virtually all costs.
2. Inclosure 2 contains a description of the material routinely transported by
the ARFCOS, a discussion of the threat, an overview of ARFCOS security and
alternative measures, a discussion of relevant directives and studies, tentative
findings, and interim conclusions. The review is confined, for the most part,
to the physical protection of courier shipments in transit. The review cannot
be completed until the USIB, or appropriate executive body determines types of
material requiring protection against a threat which could cost loss of life.
It does find, however, that the protection provided by ARFCOS is adequate for
all the identifiable material transported in the system.
3. Summary of Tentative Findings.
a. All material transported by the ARFCOS is provided adequate protection
from covert, or undetected, access; security measures are in accordance with
current directives and regulations governing the handling and storage of Top
Secret information. _
b. "SIOP-ESI" and "Two-Man Control" materials are protected as prescribed
by current JCS directives; none of the documents reviewed identified material of
greater sensitivity.
c. All the items transported by the ARFCOS.do not qualify for the same
degree of protection; approximately 50% of the material requires only routine
secure storage and inventory.
d. ARFCOS personnel are neither trained nor equipped to prevent access to
shipments if deadly force is used or threatened.
e. Studies on the subject of courier operations conclude that it is neither
prudent nor effective to arm the courier.
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nc.aC-ZX
SUE.JECT: Review of the ALil ty of A iCOJ to 1'roiect Lx rc:r:y yen itiv
Materiel ~LLEGIB
rents under any circumstances e=re to,:, cc tly ir.Cf:i'.1cr.t to he iLp i:r.e:'teo
on a ro;.: .e b..~i...
4. Reco:.:mencations:
a. JCS direct a study to deterz.ine:
(1) if any of this material exists.
(2) number, size and frequency of shipments.
(3)- authority to designate material as such.
(4) appropriate channel for transmission.
(5) resources required if ARFCOS is appropriate channel.
b. ARFCOS is available to participate in any u -ay in this study.
F':)2 THE CHIEF OF STAFF, U.S. AF :'Y AS EXECUTIVE AGE2,T FOR ARFCOS:
r-d'7-
2 -Incl /J. C. PEli INLTON
as Major General, USA
The Adjutant General
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