1

James ClaxtonDecember 15, 2006

This briefing is classified UNCLASSIFIED

DIA Declassification Program Overview

2

DIA Mission

To provide timely, objective, and cogent intelligence to the war fighters, defense planners, and defense and national security policy makers

3

BACKGROUND

• Mandatory Declassification Review• Soviet, Chinese, Cuban Forces Handbooks – 1970’s• Soviet Military Power – 1980’s• Gulf War and Post War Declassification Efforts• Executive Order 12958• Special declassification efforts directed by

President, Congress, senior officials• Responses to real-world requirements for

declassified intelligence

4

FOIA/DECLASSIFICATION EFFORTS

• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests at DIA present declassification challenges- Growth in complexity and volume of requests - Extensive referrals to agency analysts and external

sources- Receive approx. 750 cases per year; close approx

500- DIA is making a concerted effort to reduce backlog

5

HISTORICAL RECORDS DECLASSIFICATION PROGRAM

• 25-Year Declassification under Executive Order 12958- DIA has met first deadline of the Order:- Reviewed over 3 million pages- Released 1.3 million pages- Will refer 430k to other agencies

- Employ DIA-created declassification guide

• Reviewed over 40,000 pages of Presidential Library material

• Reviewed over 200,000 pages of CIA referrals

• Next challenges: referrals, special media

6

SYSTEMATIC DECLASSIFICATION EFFORTS

• Collaboration with DIA Historian• Collaboration with CIA: Cold War• Human rights violations• Kennedy assassination records• Nazi and Imperial Japanese war crimes• Collaboration with CIA: STAR GATE program

7

MANDATORY DECLASSIFICATION

• Mandatory Declassification Review requests: 150 per year

• Requests consist of generally older information• Conduct reviews internally if at all possible• Aim for low administrative overhead, quick turn-

around

8

“ON DEMAND” DECLASSIFICATION

• Real-world support to: – Global War on Terrorism– Foreign policy– International and federal legal cases– Counter-proliferation– Border protection– Humanitarian assistance– Iraq War effort

• Part of DIA intelligence support mission

9

SUMMARY

• DIA is proud of its declassification efforts• DIA is committed to maximized output of

declassified information while preserving national security.