It is DoD policy, pursuant to E.O. 12958, that:
(a) Anyone accessing classified material must possess the requisite security clearance.
(b) Information requested by historical researchers shall be accessed at a DoD activity or facility under the control of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Usually such access will occur at either the Washington National Records Center (WNRC) in Suitland, Maryland, or NARA's Archives II in College Park, Maryland.
(c) Access to records by historical researchers shall be limited to the specific records within the scope of the proposed historical research over which the Department of Defense has classification authority. Access shall also be limited to any other records for which the written consent of other Agencies that have classification authority over information contained in or revealed by the records has been obtained.
(d) Access to unclassified OSD Component files by historical researchers shall be permitted consistent with the restrictions of the exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act that are contained in E.O. 12958 and explained in the appendix B to this part (5 U.S.C. 552). The procedures for access to classified information shall be used if the requested unclassified information is contained in OSD files whose overall markings are classified.
(e) Under E.O. 12958, or its successor, persons permanently assigned within the Executive Branch may be authorized access to classified information for official projects under DoD classification authority, provided such access is essential to the accomplishment of a lawful and authorized Government purpose and a written determination of the trustworthiness of the persons has been made.
(f) Under E.O. 12958 and paragraph C6.2.2. of DoD 5200.01-R, persons not permanently assigned within the Executive Branch who are engaged in historical research projects or persons permanently assigned within the Executive Branch engaged in personal, i.e. unofficial projects, may be authorized access to classified information under DoD classification authority. The authorization shall be based on a written determination of the researcher's trustworthiness, on the proposed access being in the interests of national security, and on the researcher signing a copy of the letter (appendix E to this part) by which he or she agrees to safeguard the information and to authorize a review of any notes and manuscript for a determination that they contain no classified information.
(g) Access for former Presidential appointees is limited to records they originated, reviewed, signed, or received while serving as Presidential appointees.
(h) Contractors working for Executive Branch Agencies may be allowed access to classified OSD Component files. No copies of still classified documents will be released directly to a contractor. All copies of classified documents needed for a classified project will be forwarded to the office of the Contracting Government Agency responsible for monitoring the project. The monitoring office will be responsible for ensuring that the contractor safeguards the documents. The information is only used for the project for which it was requested, and that the contractor returns the documents upon completion of the final project. All copies of documents needed for an unclassified project will undergo a mandatory declassification review before the copies are released to the contractor to use in the project.
(i) The records maintained in OSD Component office files and at the WNRC cannot be segregated, requiring that authorization be received from all agencies whose classified information is or is expected to be in the requested files for access to be permitted.
(j) All researchers must hold security clearances at the classification level of the requested information. In addition, all DoD employed requesters, to include DoD contractors, must have Critical Nuclear Weapons Design Information (CNWDI) access and all other Executive Branch and non-Executive Branch requesters must have a Department of Energy issued ``Q'' clearance to access CNWDI information.