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ARMED FORCES SECURITY AGENCY (APSA) 1 

Pursuant to the authority vested in me l>J" the National 

security Act of 1947 (Public Law 253, 80th Congress), and tn 

the interest of greater efficiency and economy, there is hereby established within the National Military Establishment, under 

the direction and control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a 

unified cryptologic organization to be known as the Armed 

Forces Security Agency (hereinafter referred t0 as 'AFSA'} which shall have the purpose, c·omposi tion, author! ty and· 

responsibilities hereinafter described. 

1. puzapose 

The Armed Forces Security Agency is established in order 

to pzaovide for the placing under one authority the conduct of 

communication intelligence and communication security activities 

(hereinafter referred to as cryptologic activities) v1thln the 

National Military Establishment, except those which are to be 

conducted t~tv1dual1z by the Departments ot the Army, Navy,- and A1:t> Force. , 

2. Composition 

a. The AFSA shall consist or such facilities, units and 

military and civilian personnel of the armed forces which are 

or may be used for, or engaged in communication intelligence 

or communication security activities, including the Headquarters, Army Security Agency (ASA), Arlington, Virginia, 

the Communications Supplementazay Activity (CSAW), Washington, and any comparable organizations of the Air Force, and suoh 

other facilities, units and personnel as the Joint Chiefs of 

Staff may determine as necessary to fulfill the funticns 

herein assigned. 

/ b. A Flag or General Officer of the Army, Navy or Air 

Force will be appointed by the Joint Chiefs or Staff, subject to the approval of the Secretary or Defense, as Director ot 

the AFSA. His normal tour of duty shall be two yeaz•s. The 

directorship shall be rotated among the Services. 

c. An Armed Forces Communications Intelligence Advisory Council (AFCIAC) shall be established within the Armed Forces · Security Agency. The Council shall consist ot the Dtreotor 

or the Armed Forces security Agency, who shall be ch.airman 

thereof, the A'l"my, Navy, and Air Force members or the United 

States Communications Intelligence Board, and not to exceed 

one additional member from each ot the services to be nominated 

by the respective Department Secretaries. 

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eclassifi ed and a roved for release b NSA on 01-03-2014 ursuantto E.O. 1352 
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eTOP ~Ct~.t.'11 Responsibilities and Functions 

a. Subject to the authority and direction of the Secretary 

ot Defense, the Joint Chiefs or Starr will exercise direction, 

authority and control over the Armed Forces Security Agency. 

L b. The Amed Forces Communications Intelligence Advisory Council will: 

(1) Recommend to the Joint Chiefs of Starr policies 

and operating plans tor the production or 

communtcattons intelligence vhteh·vill insure the 

provision ot: 

(2) 

(a) Authentt'c information tor planners and policy 

makers within the National Military Establishment and other Governmental Agencies having membership on the United States Communication 

Intelligence Board; to apprise them of the 

realities of the international situation, varmaking capabilities, vulnerabilities and 

intentions or foreign countries, and to 

eliminate the element of surprise r~om an act 

ot agression by another country. 

(b) The unique infoz;mation essential to the 

several services for the successful prosecution of var and vital to a shortening or the period 

or hostilities. 

Recommend to the Joint Chiefs of Staff the 

facilities, personnel, and fiscal and logistic 

support to be provided by the services to AFSA; 

such recommendations to be based on requirements 

as determined by the Director, AFSA. 

(3) Determine and coordinate joint cryptologic ·milit&l'J' requirements. 

(4) When unanimity cannot be reached substantive 

matters shall be referred to the Joint Chiefs or 

Starr tor resolution, procedural matters shall be 

detennined 'bJ' the chairman. 

c. Subject to the authority and direction of the Joint 

Chiefs ot Staff, the Director, Armed Forces Security Agency, vtll romulate and implement plans, policies, and doct1·1nes 

relating to communication intelligence and communic~tton 

securitJ fol' the Amed Forces, and perform such other functions 

as the Joint Chiefs or Starr may direct, including the tolloving: I 

,,____ 

(1) Operational control of all A.FSA facilities, units 

and military personnel; and operational and 

administrative control of all AFSA civilian personnel. 

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(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

( 6) 

('r) 

(8) 

(9) 

, Production of co&DD1un1catton 1ntelltgence in 

accordance vtth approved plans and policies and 

conduct o.r all operations necessary to the production 

o.t such intelligence except those.operations vhtch, 

pursuant to paragraph 3d of this directive, are to 

be conducted invidtoually by the Army, Navr, or 

Air Fol'ce. 

Accounting tor, and preparation, pl'oductlor1, sto:rage and distribution ot, all crypto-mater1al tor the 

Amed Forces, togethex- v1th .formulation o.t poli.ctes 

and publ1oat1on o.r instructions necessary .to~ the 

use, handling, maintenance, arid sa.feguard.1ng of 

such material, except in such cases where those 

duties are otherwise spec1.r1call7 asstsned. 

Formulation of policies .tor: (1) transmission 

aecur1t7 and communtcattona cover and deception: {ii) Cl'7Ptogl'aph1c seourtt7; (111) ph7Bical 

securit7 of Cl'Jptologic material; (iili) Cl'Jpt~lQgic 

countermeasures. ----

Evaluation 

----- . of violations o.r ~l'7ptologte se~urtty;_ 

detel'Dltnation ot extent of compromise; and remedtal 

action through appropriate channels. 

Investtgation of the means employed tor clandestine 

communications; and preparation, detection, and 

processing or secl'et inks, microphotog:raphs, and 

open codes and ciphers. 

Liaison with approprtate departments and agencies, for the purpose or coordinating c17ptologio equipment and procedures. 

Preparation, tor review and approval b7 the 

Research and Development Board, ot coordinated 

programs tor research and development of cr7ptologio equipment under the cognizance ot APSA and, vhen 

approved, action to implement those programs • 

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Prepal'ation, tor review and approval by the 

Munitions Board, or coordinated programs, including industrial mobilization planning, .tor the procurement of cryptologic equipment under the 

cognizance of AFSA and, vhen approved, action to 

implement those programs. 

(10) Pl'epe.rat1on of technical publications pertaining 

to subjects peculiar to AFSA. 

(11) Preparation ot tecbntoal training programs and 

establishment ot training standards for APSA 

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personnel; provision of certain specialized training ot personnel to meet the respective needs ot the Army, Navy, and Air Force. 

(12) Establishment tor unite ot the Armed Forces ot 

a basts or issue ot special items ot CI"yPto- equ1pment tor vhich provision ts not made in 

standard distribution lists. 

(13) Technical supervision ot all communication 

security activities ot the armed forces. 

(14) Provision ot technical support ot the Azrmi, 

Navy, and Air Poree in their conduct of 

cryptologic activities. 

(15) Preparation ot budgetary and other fiscal 

requirements ot AFSA, coordination of such 

requirements vith the participating services, 

and the presentation ot such requirements to 

the Joint Chiefs ot Statt through the AFCIAC. 

Such requirements tor AFSA as may be approved 

by the Joint Chiefs ot Staff vill be included 

in the recommendation ma.de by the Joint Chtets 

of Start to the Secretary ot Defense on 

budgetary matters. 

d. The Departments of Amty, Na.VJ', and Air Force vill: 

(1) Take necessary action to tacil1tate the efficient 

and economical operation of APSA, such action to 

include assignment ot personnel and turn.tshing ot 

tac111t1es, equipnent, and tiscal and logistic 

support. The respective Secretaries are hereby authorized to issue such orders as may be 

neces&al'J'·to eftectuate the purposes of this 

directive. 

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(2) Fixed intercept installations as authorized by the Joint Chiefs ot Starr vill be provided by the 

A:rmy, Navy and Air Force. such installations will 

be manned and administered by the sez•vtce providing 

them, but vill be operationall7 directed by AFSA. 

(3) Mobile intercept facilities of the Al'!nJ', Navy, and 

Air Poree will be manned, administered, and 

operationallJ controlled by the individual service. 

TheJ may also be used to perfol'Dl special missions 

tor AFSA aa detezim1ned bJ the Director thereof. 

(4) The A'l!l!r/. Navy and Air Poree wtll provide communication facilitie~ required tor joint use. 

The c~pto~matertal utilized in such facilities 

vill be turntshed 'bJ' 1Ui'SA and vtll be operated and 

Tt)1f'ng }!, ~J!f¥~1 service. 
.. .. . ., 

• ~eP r u ~G!Vl~ .&J '-.A ... "' • u . 

(5) 

(6) 

I 

(7) 

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The Army, Navy, and Atr Force will assign military personnel to AFSA for a period of not 

less than thlrty months, reserving the right to 

add, withdraw, or substitute personnel, within 

limitations of personnel requirements of AFSA, 

and subject to agreement by the Director AFSA. 

In accordance with existing law, the admtntstratton 

of military personnel of the Army, Navy, and Air 

Force assigned to AFSA will be a responsibility of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, respectiv~ly. 

The A!!my, Navy, and Air Force will continue to be 

responsible tor all such cryptologic activities 

as are required by intr&-service or joint needs 

(e.g., communication intelligence field pro- cessing, intercept, research and development, training, etc.) and are determined by the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff not to be the sole responsibility of AFSA. They will at all times keep the Director, 

(_AFSA, fully informed concerning all such activities. 

Cryptologic activities which are determined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be the sole 

responsibility ot AFSA will not be undertaken or 

continued py the A:rmy, Navy, or Air Force 

individually. 

4. Implementation 

a. The consolidation or those parts of several service 

agencies which will constitute the AFSA will be effected under 

the direction and control of the Joint Chiefs or Staff, with 

the minimum loss ot continuity of operations. It sha.11 be 

initiated not later than 1 July 1949 and completed not later 

than l Janual'J' 195'0. When the consolidation has been completed the Joint Chiefs ot Statt will so info:rm the Secretary of 

Defense. 

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aFSAC~ 59/25 

7 Maroh 1951 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF AFSAC: 

Subjecit: 

Reference: 

Enclosure: 

Seleotion of a Site tor the Proposed 

Cryptologic &stabl1shment Outside 

the Washington Area,, 

AFSAC: 77 /l S ., 

41 

. l ,, The Enclosure is forwarded tor information, 

2., Attention is invited to the directive oon= 

talned in the reterenoe which sets forth the policy for the safeguarding of JbCuSo papers containing 

highly secret 1nf'ormation, 

AF'SAC: 59/25 

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