behind pictures and radiators, and under desks. Repairs, routine maintenance, and cleaning in sensitive areas should be performed by reliable personnel under supervision. DECLASSIFICATION, DOWNGRADING, AND UPGRADING LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the procedures for declassification, downgrading, and upgrading of classified information. DECLASSIFICATION/DOWNGRADING Information classified by the DON will be declassified as soon as national security considerations permit. Declassification or downgrading must be based on the loss of sensitivity of the information with the passage of time or the occurrence of an event that permits declassification or downgrading. The following officials are authorized to declassify or downgrade classified information: Secretary of the Navy The original classification authority, his/her successor, or a superior of either The deputies or chief of staff to those original classification authorities for classified information within their functional areas The director of Navy history and the director of Marine Corps history and museums, in coordination with original classification authorities, for historical records in their custody The above mentioned officials are the only ones who can decide that certain information no longer requires the protection originally assigned. The authority to declassify or downgrade is not to be confused with the administrative responsibility of a holder of classified information to declassify or downgrade it as directed by a classification guide, the continued protection guidelines, or the instruction on a document. TRANSFERRED MATERIAL When classified material is officially transferred from one command to another, the receiving commanding officer, if he/she is a designated authority, becomes the declassification and downgrading authority over the material. If the commanding officer is not designated, the next senior official in his/her command will be responsible for declassification and downgrading. When practicable, material will be reviewed for declassification or downgrading before it is sent to records centers or to the national archives for storage. UPGRADING Authorities may upgrade classified information within their functional areas only when: all known holders of the information can be promptly notified; and all known holders of the information are authorized access to the higher level of classification, or the information can be retrieved from the known holders not authorized access to the higher level of classification. Information previously determined to be unclassified may be classified only when the original classification authority determines that correct criteria has been met, that control of the information has not been lost, and that loss of control can still be prevented. If classified information is, through administrative or other error, disseminated as unclassified or is underclassified, every effort will be made to retrieve, safeguard, and properly mark and control the information. NOTIFICATION Notices are not issued to declassify or downgrade material marked with specific events for declassification or downgrading. All original addressees will be notified, however, of an unscheduled change to shorten or lengthen duration of or to change the classification level. A notice assigning classification to currently unclassified information will be classified Confidential unless the notice itself contains information at a higher level. The notice declassification date will be no less than 90 days from the date of the notice. ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the procedures for the accounting and control of Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential material. 11-14