Not political, but just curious......

[fshndoug]

The 1.4% showed up while Glen was out white bass fishing and wasn't invited.

[Terrierman]

15 hours ago, Gavin said:

I used to have a TS clearance in the USMC. Our stuff got locked in a safe, in a big steel cage,signed out and in. Losing the goods or not maintaining the chain of custody of that  stuff is inexcusable IMO. Careless and sloppy on all accounts. It’s like leaving a loaded pistol in a room full of toddlers sloppy, IMO.

Heck I had to keep track of every firearm, mortar, machine gun, bayonet, kabar, piece of night vision equipment and every piece of ammunition for a Company of Marines (a few of them with sticky fingers) that only wanted to get released from the Company area so they could go get drunk.  And I never lost a thing.  But, I was motivated to pay attention because I wanted to go to the NCO club too.

It seems to me less a matter of how to take care of this stuff and more a matter of everyone involved being properly motivated.

[mic]

I am out of that world now, but I spent many years in the IT side of the intelligence community.  I'll provide a little insight.  

• A very large majority of classified information is very, very boring and very, very dry.  For example, the most common "classified" thing I worked with was IP addresses for network equipment on classified networks.  
• A lot of classified documents are classified to protect how we gather the data from the bad guys, not what is actually is on the paper.
• If classified information goes public, it is still classified.  As I said above, it protects how we got the data.  
• Some classified information is only classified when it is combined with other data.  For example, an office's budget may be unclassified, but when synced up to a region, it becomes classified.  
• I use to say all the time... even before Hillary, I could find classified information on unclassified systems on almost any VIP level's computer.  See the next line.
• Items are classified based on classification tables.  Here is the thing.  If you are not cleared to read the table, you probably would not know it is classified.  Also... a lot of them are clear as mud. So if you are a VIP... you may talk or email about something classified because you don't know it is classified.  
• Yes the President can classify or unclassify documents.  However, that is sent way down the chain to organizational leaders.  There are exceptions but they don't make those decisions.  Some expert worker bee(s) write these tables.  They get reviewed by multiple teams, and the leader signs the release of the table.  Some of these tables are a pain in the arse to read, and VIPs are not going to read them.  Good staff members might, or they will ask experts for information.  We are human, they are all not good staff members.  
• A lot of information is over classified.  I'm sure there are examples where someone is using classification to hide something.  However the other 98% of the time it is to "protect my arse".  If you are not a VIP, you can get fired very quickly for mishandling classified information.  You may get a talking to, but you won't get in trouble for over classifying.  So put yourself in my old shoes.  If you think something might be sensitive and not sure... you classify it.  Can't get fired for that.  
• Normal people will go into a room to work on classified.  Very VIP offices are cleared to process classified data so that argument on the news, doesn't hold much weight with me.  
• VIPs have staffs that do most of the filing of work.  So when you see a handful of data, the most likely situation to me is the VIP was given the documentation to take to a meeting.  In the meeting it gets mixed up with unclassified emails and notes.  The VIP comes back and either they stuff it in a drawer or their staff does.  Additionally, the VIPs are not packing up these now famous boxes.  The staffers do it and over four or eight years there are lots of boxes to pack in a short amount of time.  Look... people make mistakes.  Give them enough opportunities, they will make one.  
• Not the case lately, but sometimes classified data released to world is just left alone, specially on the internet.  The bad guys are looking for investigations all the time in hopes they can beat us to the data so it is safer to just let it get lost in the largeness of the world.   
• In the end... when you work with it ever day, it becomes routine.  Routines can lead to not keeping an eye on the details.  Mess the details and classified documents get walked out a building.  

[dan hufferd]

17 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

The outboard marine industry is loaded with "classified"information.   It's all stuff like.... "This ignition component will only operate as designed under THESE certain parameters......blah-blah- blah".  

Which might be helpful IF you had any control over said "parameters". 🙄. But you seldom do.    

It is common in factories to have to make a copy of the standard operating conditions, or settings, once this piece of paper is developed it becomes a "controlled document" and cannot be stored or copied and stored.

Then if someone needs a copy they must go to the data base, this is done so revisions can be made to one master document.

Good practice in most factories 

[oneshot 1]

18 hours ago, tjm said:

I think any memo could be called a "document". 

So if the House Speaker tears up the Presidents State of the Union Address they could go to Jail for destroying a classified document?

oneshot 

[fishinwrench]

7 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

What did the 1.4% complain about?

My daughter who aced Statistics compiled that figure.  It was over a 4 year period (which for some reason made determining it easier).   

One was a Merc 60 overhaul on a pontoon that checked fine everytime I retested it..... but supposedly had issues at times during their trips out.  It didn't help that the toons leaked like crazy, but they refused to address that problem. I never could get the engine to act up like they claimed.  Nevertheless they became frustrated with me.....and I failed to make them happy customers.  

The others were just piddly stuff, like delays on backordered parts, or NLA parts, and various other things out of my control.....but nevertheless I acquired the negative marks for it. 

It's easy to tell when folks are genuinely happy, they leave with handshakes and smiles, often call to say "thanks" after running the engine awhile, rave about you on social media,.....and they refer all their friends 👍😊 

None of them appear to dislike me because of my personality (like some of you here do😅), so my "approval rating" skyrockets everytime I log off of THIS PLACE.  😂 Oh, and I've been completely banned from the BBC forum.

[mic]

4 minutes ago, oneshot 1 said:

So if the House Speaker tears up the Presidents State of the Union Address they could go to Jail for destroying a classified document?

oneshot 

No, because the address is not classified.  I believe what you are referring to are documents of historical value.  So if the White House destroyed all of the drafts, meeting minutes, and supporting docs of a State of the Union, that would be illegal.  If I remember my history correct, that law came out of Watergate because the White House was destroying the "record" of what all occurred.  

[fishinwrench]

7 hours ago, Ketchup said:

That he was on the internet every time they popped in to check on their boat. 

As opposed to being out-back smoking weed or hittin' the crack pipe, or in the bathroom puking because they drank too much the night before?   

Cuz that's what they get everywhere else. 😁 

[Terrierman]

44 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

As opposed to being out-back smoking weed or hittin' the crack pipe, or in the bathroom puking because they drank too much the night before?   

Cuz that's what they get everywhere else. 😁 

If it wasn't for that crack pipe those everywhere else places wouldn't ever get anything done.  I know it's true because you told us so.🎯

[oneshot 1]

When I work Security I'm told to Guard. Have no idea what I'm watching but don't try taking it.

Went to Jefferson City doing Security over a very small package.  All I knew was it was worth a lot of money. 

oneshot