Deployment and clearances

[goodtimes]

I know that there are many hurdles to overcome before I even think about this question, but here goes. I have searched the internet high and low for a definitive answer for the need for a security clearance for deployment. I have read that everyone needs at least a SECRET clearance in order to be deployed to Iraq of Afghanistan. Then again, I also see that infantrymen and most other Military Occupational Specialties do not need any clearances to begin with. So, does everyone who goes to war need a SECRET (or confidential) and above in order to go to war?

[HurricaneRJ]

No. I don't have one. Usually in the Infantry, only Team Leaders and above have them. GP like me don't need it.

[Kegler300]

All Marines are required to undergo the NACLC background investigation upon enlistment. The NACLC, if favorably adjudicated by DONCAF will result in secret security clearance eligibility. All Marines who deploy are "supposed" to have secret clearance eligibility, and certain MOS's require it. Many individual augment billets require top secret access, and in certain cases (JTF-GTMO) SCI access.

[Pete0331]

Usually in the Infantry, only Team Leaders and above have them.

When did this happen?

The only guys that had any sort of clearances were those that had been in 6+ years when I left.

[KawiGunny]

When did this happen?

The only guys that had any sort of clearances were those that had been in 6+ years when I left.


Since the Iraq/Afghanistan campaigns began, we have been focusing more and more on small unit leaders conducting operations. This means that more of our junior Marines are required to sit in on briefs that they normally wouldn't even hear about. Thats why they are putting more focus now-a-days on trying to make sure that team leaders and up have at least a secret clearance. Makes sense to me but it also isn't really a "must have" in my book. Marines need to know everything about a mission even if they don't have a clearance. I used to come out of briefs and tell my Marines everything I knew prior to departure just so they knew what I knew. As a junior Marine, I always hated surprises in a "hot" area.

[0231Marine]

Since the Iraq/Afghanistan campaigns began, we have been focusing more and more on small unit leaders conducting operations. This means that more of our junior Marines are required to sit in on briefs that they normally wouldn't even hear about. Thats why they are putting more focus now-a-days on trying to make sure that team leaders and up have at least a secret clearance. Makes sense to me but it also isn't really a "must have" in my book. Marines need to know everything about a mission even if they don't have a clearance. I used to come out of briefs and tell my Marines everything I knew prior to departure just so they knew what I knew. As a junior Marine, I always hated surprises in a "hot" area.

Very true. As an intel guy with a clearance (not saying which one but it's up there), I've seen it shift from Captains and SNCO's receiving the targeting briefs and then just passing the info down to their men to my last deployment where I'd just brief the fire team or squad on what targets they'd be hitting. Each company in some battalions has a LCpl or Cpl that has been granted a Secret clearance so that they can distribute the briefs and humint reporting to the company and send back any info they might receive.

The way we operated as a HET, we had a collector assigned to each company in the battalion so that simplified the issue of distributing the classified info as was needed.

I realize that the safe guarding of classified information is a priority on the battlefield but you have to look at the big picture and exercise some common sense. If that information is time sensitive, then it doesn't matter if some boot PFC without a clearance knows about it because in 3 hours, that info is no good anyways and he's not going to be telling anyone about it because he's going on the operation to begin with.

Many Marines who don't have a clearance really don't know that usually what makes an intel report classified is the source. It's not the information. You think that Marines don't know there are bad guys in Afghanistan or Iraq? Sure they do so why is the humint reporting classified Secret? It's because they're not authorized to know the source of that information or where the humint collector got it from. Once you get into the TS realm of info, that's when it becomes less about the source and more about the info that the source provided.

So bottom line, it's justifiable in combat to authorize those select Marines with need to know what is going on so that they're not going into an operation blind.

[KawiGunny]

Very true. As an intel guy with a clearance (not saying which one but it's up there), I've seen it shift from Captains and SNCO's receiving the targeting briefs and then just passing the info down to their men to my last deployment where I'd just brief the fire team or squad on what targets they'd be hitting. Each company in some battalions has a LCpl or Cpl that has been granted a Secret clearance so that they can distribute the briefs and humint reporting to the company and send back any info they might receive.

The way we operated as a HET, we had a collector assigned to each company in the battalion so that simplified the issue of distributing the classified info as was needed.

I realize that the safe guarding of classified information is a priority on the battlefield but you have to look at the big picture and exercise some common sense. If that information is time sensitive, then it doesn't matter if some boot PFC without a clearance knows about it because in 3 hours, that info is no good anyways and he's not going to be telling anyone about it because he's going on the operation to begin with.

Many Marines who don't have a clearance really don't know that usually what makes an intel report classified is the source. It's not the information. You think that Marines don't know there are bad guys in Afghanistan or Iraq? Sure they do so why is the humint reporting classified Secret? It's because they're not authorized to know the source of that information or where the humint collector got it from. Once you get into the TS realm of info, that's when it becomes less about the source and more about the info that the source provided.

So bottom line, it's justifiable in combat to authorize those select Marines with need to know what is going on so that they're not going into an operation blind.


I guess my post was the Readers Digest version. LOL :beer:

[0231Marine]

Sorry Gunny, just thought I'd elaborate a little and dumb it down for those poolee's who didn't know.

[KawiGunny]

Sorry Gunny, just thought I'd elaborate a little and dumb it down for those poolee's who didn't know.


No problem at all wise-one. I'm just not big on lengthy post unless it's something that really means a lot to me or I am interested in.

Now that I think about your post, the "source" is something that never crossed my mind. When I was briefed, I always took it as that was the truth. Never questioned where that info came from. If I did, I would have probably second guessed a lot if the Intel we were fed. And thats not the way to operate.

[0231Marine]

I'm just not big on lengthy post unless it's something that really means a lot to me or I am interested in.

Clearly, intel is one of those for me...lol


Now that I think about your post, the "source" is something that never crossed my mind. When I was briefed, I always took it as that was the truth. Never questioned where that info came from. If I did, I would have probably second guessed a lot if the Intel we were fed. And thats not the way to operate.

Very good point. We try to vet the sources as best as possible to ensure that what you guys on the ground are getting is as close to the truth as we can. Of course, guys giving us information have their own motives for providing that information but we try to negate any dubious info by collecting info from multiple sources or from our more trusted sources who have come through before.

If one guy we've never talked to before says, "Abu Muhammed is a bad guy", well that may be true and it may not. If we've got three other guys saying the same thing, and one of them has reported on other nefarious individuals with some accuracy, then that obviously adds a lot more credibility to the fact that we should probably roll up Abu Muhammed and have a little chat with him.

I know on my teams, and me specifically since I was the analyst, we always tried to give our guys the most intel available while ensuring that it was accurate. I can give you target packages all day but if it's just single source reporting with no proof, then it's probably going to sit in the Company HQ and never get actioned. Unless your guys are just bored and want to go out on a mission.

[goodtimes]

I see, thank you Marines for the responses. It looks as though a clearance is not required, but somehow inevitable none the less... interesting!