Re: So how secretive can they be?


Message posted by loopbacktest4echo on November 13, 2008 at 8:22:48 PST:

Trades people who are either fulltime, part time, or on call are usually insured, bonded, and have signed non disclosure agreements. They will have security clearances and background checks where required. Whenever we had to ship highly secret materials to the South West we hired a trucking firm that was cleared to perform this kind of work. The drivers were bonded and insured. This is true of electricians, locksmiths, plumbers, mechanics, etc. While these trades people are cleared to work in secret areas it doesn't mean they have any idea of what is being done in those areas. I have a brother in-law who owns an elevator company and he has been inside many AF installations and underground installations. He told me he has worked on elevators while under Marine guards. He said if you stray from the group or assigned work area you go to jail. This matches my experience. Once I was working in an AF hanger and there was a Strike Eagle on the other side of the hanger. I walked up and climbed the ladder to look in the cockpit. Next thing I knew I was on the ground with a pistol to my head. It happens. The defense contractor I worked for even had a safecracker on the payroll. He normally worked as a machinist but we needed his special services from time to time. Once we needed him to burn through a inch thick armor plated door. Anyways these people sign a non disclosure agreement. The penalty for violating that agreement is pretty severe (termination to jail time). Once I was escorting a piece of NSA equipment from DC to another location. The equipment was locked in the back of a rental truck. A rental truck was used to keep the cargo and it's owners discreet. The truck had a flat tire on the NJ turnpike. We were not allowed to leave the truck or unlock the back until it was inside it's destination. A NJ state trooper pulled up and wanted to see what was in the back. We told him he had to talk with NSA. He was really pissed and pulled a shotgun on us but made the call and then was even more pissed when he was ordered to get the flat fixed and stay with the truck until it was ready to roll again. This was a straight 12 hour drive with no stops. So my point is that there is a very large system in place to deal with security and it can be as secretive as they need it to be and it has protocols for just about every conceivable scenario. If that isn't enough they have guys whose job it is to try to test the system and even break it if they can. The system isn't perfect. Also when events like the ones I described happen there is always a security investigation afterwards. You can get screwed even it you do it right and follow the rules. There are always several layers of security. For example in my office I had a safe. Everything in that safe is controlled either a document(s) or an peice of equipment. The safe has to be locked and all secret materials inside the safe if I leave the room or have a person uncleared to the materials level or above in the room. Security patrols come through periodically and check that the safe is locked and no materials are out (or a shitstorm will ensue). A special group will audit the materials in the safe from time to time. There is a control system for secret documents and materials and their life span. My point here is that an cleared electrician can come in and change the lights in my room but I have to make sure all secret materials are protected. An uncleared electrician would be able to come in if he was escorted by security. I hope this is helpful.


In Reply to: So how secretive can they be? posted by Proletarian on November 13, 2008 at 2:59:05 PST:

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