The search for the U.S. DoD Security Classification Guide for UAP

 Background

In a blog post dated 20 March 2021, I posed the question "what security classification level does the U.S. Department of Defense assign to information about UAP?" In a post on his blog, dated 13 March 2021 , French researcher Marc Cecotti, revealed details of internal U.S. Department of Defense emails, arising from his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request re UAP; which partially answered my question.

In one email, dated 10 July 2020, from Joseph Gradisher, N2N6 Strategic Engagements U.S. Navy, to Jeffrey Jones COMNAVSAFECEN, Deputy Director for Safety Priorities, part of the email read:

"Additionally, there is now a Security Classification Guidance document (at the SECRET) level that addresses the UAP issue and what may/may not be discussed publicly."

What is a Security Classification Guide?

On the Internet I located a PDF document titled "Security Classification Guidance, Student Guide" a course designed for those who need to write/know about these guides.  

Part of this document reads:

"When an Original Classification Authority or OCA, determines that information must be classified, he or she must also develop security classification guidance to communicate that determination to others."

FOIA request

On 21 March 2021 I submitted an FOIA request to the U.S. Department of Defense requesting a copy of the SCG that addresses the UAP issue. Today, I received a "Final Disposition" letter relating to my FOIA request DON-NAVY-2021-004751. Part of the response read:

"...we contacted the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (N2N6) to conduct a search for responsive records regarding the subject of your request. The N2N6 office conducted a search of their electronic and hard file folders and they advised this office that they had located responsive records to your request.

Due to the public interest in these records, our office will review and post releasable records publicly as they become available on our FOIA Reading Room....Please note, those records will not be sent to individual requesters..."

I immediately went to their reading room, but there are no responsible records posted there at the moment.  It seems, it is now a matter of simply waiting for such records to be placed in the reading room.

I am aware that U.S. researcher John Greenewald submitted an FOIA back in January 2021 for the same SCG. I am not aware of any response that he may have received. There may have been a number of other researchers who also have sought the same document, thus resulting in the way in which the U.S. Navy have decided to respond to my FOIA. 

Update: 24 December 2021

Yesterday, John Greenewald advised he had received a copy of the SCG under the FOIA. Click here for details.