NRO Information Review & Release Programs
Prepublication Review
Reminder for current and former members of the NRO Workforce:
The non-disclosure agreement that you signed is a lifetime commitment to protect national security equities.
What is Prepublication Review?
Prepublication review is the process to determine that information proposed for public release contains no protected information and is consistent with established NRO, Department of Defense (DOD), and Intelligence Community (IC) policies.
Department of Defense Instruction 5230.29 "Security and Policy Review of DoD Information for Public Release" requires that only FULL and FINAL material proposed for release into the public domain be submitted to NRO for review. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted.
REMINDER: Official NRO information appearing in the public domain shall not be considered automatically UNCLASSIFIED or approved for public release. Information remains classified and must be protected until the U.S. Government official(s) with Original Classification Authority (OCA) declassifies the information.
Why Perform Prepublication Review?
All NRO affiliates, as a condition of employment, sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) when entering on duty. This NDA requires individuals to keep national security secrets for as long as the US Government determines the information to be classified under Executive Order 13526. This is a lifelong obligation, which exists to help avoid the damage to national security and to the NRO's mission that disclosing classification information would inflict.
The NDA obligations include:
- Safeguarding protected information.
- Prepublication review--information should be UNCLASSIFIED, to the best of the requester's knowledge.
- Prepublication review ensures that the proposed information is appropriate for release and works with Security as needed to ensure the language is UNCLASSIFIED.
- Reporting unauthorized disclosures of protected information.
An NRO affiliate is any person employed by, detailed to or assigned to NRO, including members of the U.S. Armed Forces; an expert or consultant to NRO; an industrial or commercial contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or grantee of NRO to include all subcontractors; a personal services contractor; or any other category of person who acts for or on behalf of the NRO.
All NRO affiliates (former and current) are subject to the NRO Instruction 56-02-02, Prepublication Review, which sets forth the policy, procedures and responsibilities governing the review of official NRO information intended for public release. This policy helps to manage the risk of inadvertent disclosure of protected information. The Communications Systems Directorate's Information Management Services Office (IMSO), Information Review and Release Group (IRRG) administers the process for approval for public release of any unclassified information for the NRO.
The NRO's prepublication review requirement is meant not only to protect national security but also to provide a safety net to current and former NRO affiliates from legal liability. While the Prepublication Review Team exists to help protect against unauthorized disclosures, current and former NRO affiliates are ultimately responsible for protecting classified information. Should a current or former NRO affiliate publish materials that contains classified information accidentally or intentionally--they may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
What Must Be Submitted for Prepublication Review?
Any and all materials intended for unrestricted public release that relate to NRO's mission and programs. This submission requirement extends beyond the topics an individual had immediate responsibility for on a day-to-day basis: official NRO information comprises any DoD or IC information that is in the custody and control of NRO.
The term "publication" includes any form or means of communication (including oral and electronic) to any person or entity other than the NRO's Prepublication Review Team or a US Government official authorized by the NRO to receive such information. Commentary on matters such as intelligence operations or tradecraft, one's career at the NRO, scientific or technical developments discussed in an intelligence context, and other topics that touch upon the NRO's interests or responsibilities require Prepublication Review Team approval. Examples include the following:
- Articles (newspapers, magazines, professional journals, on-line publications)
- Books (non-fiction and fiction, such as spy novels)
- Book Reviews
- Conference Briefings, Demonstrations
- Internet Postings
- Letters of Recommendation
- Posters or Brochures
- Press Releases (e.g., those released by NRO staff or NRO contractors, but also wedding announcements and obituaries)
- Research Papers (abstracts, technical or academic paper)
- Resumes, Cover Letters, Biographies, and Curricula Vitae
- Speeches
- Videos
EXEMPTION: Material containing no information about or gained through one's affiliation with NRO or the Intelligence Community in general (e.g., books about gardening, cooking, sports, crafts, etc.) is not subject to prepublication review.
What is the Timeline for the Review Process?
NRO policy allows a minimum of 30 business days from the date of processing to complete a review. The actual review time will vary based on the current workload, the length and subject of the material submitted, as well as the amount of coordination (both internal and with other IC elements) required for the review.
What Do I Need to Submit? Your submission must include:
- Document(s) for review in its FULL and FINAL form. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted.
- Contact information (address, telephone number, and email address).
- Intended audience or publication venue -- please include as much detail as possible.
- Written approval for name use from all former and present NRO affiliates named in your material, or present in photos, if applicable.
What to Avoid on Your Resume. With few exceptions, resumes should NOT include the following:
- Classification: Classified information should NOT be included. Your document is to be UNCLASSIFIED to the best of your knowledge.
- Active Agency Equities: Specific satellite systems and/or programs.
- Names: people and/or places.
- Numbers: specific budget information and/or personnel information.
- Office: names below Directorate/Office level.
- Technical details: use general terms.
How Do I Submit My Request?
**If you are planning to publish, be mindful of the requirements of your parent organization. If you are a USG employee of another agency, you must submit your prepublication request to your home Agency; that agency will coordinate with the NRO for review of NRO equities.
If you have questions, please contact the FOIA Requester Service Center at 703-745-0600.