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00Tffi'IDSN'f IAL - si;:cmu;T¥ l!JFQHM:M'I 9N 

18 September 1953 

MINUTES OF !SA CLASSIFICATION ADVISORY PANEL MEETING ~ 2 SEPT 1953 

lo The meeting of the NSA Class1t1cat1on Advisory Panel 

was called to 0.1·der by Colo George E. Campbell. Adjutant General, at 0830, 2 September 1953, in RoQm 19=232~. ~he 

following were present: 

Mr. w. F. Fciedman, Chairman SP/ASST 

Lto Colo Go So Stevenson R/D 

Mrs. V. Chittenden C/SEC 

Dr. Lo E. Shinn PROD 

M.t•. F. E. Densmore PROD 

?t!r. J. Ho Douglas P /P 

Ml'. Sa. W o Re111olds SEC 

D.L'. S. Jaffe TRNG 

2. Col. Campbell noted that one of the most difficult 

problems in ass1gn~ng classification arises because the 

definitions are not sufficiently detailed. Mr. Fciedman 

added that what is wanted is to control disseminat~on ot the 

material and s~~gested that it be done by means of a single classification with designators to jnd1oate who is going to 

get tihe 1nformt1 on. 

3. Col. Campbell stated that one of the ficst pcoblems 

to be considered by the Panel is the classification of COMINT, 

which the Dicector has indicated he believes to be overclassified. 

4o Colo Campbell said that the Revised ~SA Security :Manual had been retW'ned to the Secur1 ty Division w1 th the 

recommendation that several chapters be classified Restricted 

and that one chapter may possibly be unclassified. He referred 

to the chapter on Communication Security and suggested that 

much of the information in it could be incorporated as a part of the SOPs of the pei·~ionnel who use it in connection with 

their assignments. 

5. M.L~s. Chittenden remarked that a considerable portion of the chapter having to do with distribution and accounting procedures could be downgraded but that the po1•tion or it 

dealing with the Anal-ysis and gvaluation Division would 

normally be Confidential since it contains information about 

the types of links which are susceptible to ~adiationo She 

suggested the p.repa.t•ation of a handbook of items dealing wi'th 

distr1but1ono It w~s agreed that such a handbook should not 

contain refei•enoe to internal opeiaations if it is to be used 

as an over-all guide and that it should be classified Rest~icted. 

CONFIDENTIAL 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 05-14-2014 pursuant to E.O. 1352e 
... 

18 September 1953 

6. M.t•o Reynolds stated that in his opinion the thinking in rega.1.·d to classification ought to be 11bel'alized to 

determine what must be protected under all ci.t•cumstances and 

that a .&:•ealitttic approach should be. taken toward other itemso 

J°f.J.'. F.t•iedman added that the unrealism w1 th which clasai.f1cat1on 

is l'e'1,a.&:•ded has weakened the security which is applied to items 

that .really need to be p1•otected. 

7. It was noted that the Army Regulation which states 

the mission of ASA is unclassifieda 

a. Colo Campbell presented an organization chart of 

Produc ticn which is g1·aded Sec1•et and asked about the poss! ... bility of downgrading it to Rest.rictedo M~. Friedman commented 

that w1 th minor changes he believed the oba:rt c~ould be downgraded to Restricted. It was agreed that O.&:'gan!zation charts 

which list the Director, the Staff D1visicns and Offices 

should be Restricted and that those going below this level 

should be Conf'identialo 

9. In connection with short titles, nomenclature and 

code woi•ds, other than special code words, Col. Campbell recommended that they not be classified unless an explanation 

or indication is given or how the equipments or procedu.res 

which they cover a1•e used in operations. 

lOo M.1.•so Chittenden commented that a llst of cryptographic code words is available which gives all cryptogi•aphic holders 

and that the composite list is J:•equired to be class1f1edo 

11. D.t:'o Jaffe ~ecommended that a conm1ttee be appointed 

to codify ope.1.·at1ons in NSA and indicate the degree or security 

which should be attached to each of themo It was agreed that 

thl'ee committees be established within P~oduction, the Office 

of Rese!u•ch and Development, the Office o£ Communication 

Security, with possibly a fourth committee in the T.L·aining Division, to develop e;uide lines f'Ol' classification, including class1f1cat1cn of titles of Branches, Units, ard. Sect1onso 

Dr. Shinn commented that the NSA Key List se~ves primarily 

as a telephone listo 

12. M.t:'a Dougl~:ls recommended tb.at the connntttees consider 

criteria by which personnel sho.rtcuts might reduce class1f1-

cat1on, also that the security manuals of other Agencies be 

studied. In this connection. M:ra Densmore stated that he 

could eet in touch with Col. Geddes, torme~ Deputy Chief of 

ASA, who is now with the Atomic Energ¥ Commissiono 

CONFflDENTIAL 
18 September 1953 

130 Dro Shinn indicated that Production would be able 

to collect a suitable list of quest~ons within about three 

weeks'to begin a table ot contents from which the text for 

a hardbook on classification could be filled ino I~ was 

agreed that reclassification, as well as class1f1cat1on, be 

considered b~ the Committees. 

14. Col. Campbell mentjoned that a translation of TIC~M Document No. 1035 bad been presented to the NSA Classification Advisory Panel with the x•ecommendation t'iat 1t be 

downg.L·aded to Secret. In connection w1 th the classification 

of TICor~'I ope .. :atlons 11 Dr. Jaffe .&:·emarked that because an j tem 

has been classified for a long period or time should not 

necessa.r1ly p.t·eclude it from re-examination. 

15. Dr. Shinn indicated that it might be desi~able to 

assign an individual 1n NSA to devote full time to becoming 

an expert on class1f1cat!on problems and tbaT. he be attached 

to the Secu,•ity Di dsiono Mr. Reynolds stated that he 

believes the problem requi~es the collabOl'ation ot all individuals concernedo In connection w1th developing the 

educational factor on the classification problem, it was 

agreed that the NSA Classif1eat1 on Advisory Board could be 

of ass1stanc e 1n giving the Staff D1v1sions and Otficea guide lines on which to base some or their decisions. 

16. Lto Colo Stevenson noted that R/CA 53, RepOl"t by Cryptanalytic Aids Committee on Computer Classification, was 

considered by RADAC on 22 July 1953 and had been ~eferred 

to ~he Chairman of the Classification Advisory Panel on 

m July 1953. 

1'7. The next rr.eeting of the Panel was scheduled tentatively to be held in sbout three weeks when 1 t is anticipated 

that PROD, C/SEC and R/D would have submitted Gheir classification problems arXI their recommendations on how to solve 

themo The me et1ng adjourned at 1130. 

CONFII>ENTIAL