Quote Originally Posted by selil View Post
Strange question: I had a clearance in 1984 for activities in the Marines. Just simple Secret I believe. Could that be used to "muzzle" my research circa 2008? On totally unrelated materials? I doubt it but I don't have a security officer to ask.
Sam

Not to worry. As a DIA and DHS employee I did the standard non-disclosure agreement before training and going to Africa in 94. I had a TS-SCI and maintained that to include renewing it as I retired in 96.

In 2000, when I decided to write my memoirs. I started asking what I had to do as a retired officer in clearing what I was writing, I was civil service by then and only carrying a secret clearance. The Army basically said write as a retired officer and use common sense. DIA said leave us alone. Actually the same office that handles FOIA handles this sort of thing. I asked for my reports from 1994-1996 at the same time I raised clearing my manuscript. I gave up on clearing when the action officer told me "to send it if you want to." I have yet to get a single report released, most of which were merely confidential.

The exception to this is the CIA; folks who work for them and then publish get a publishing lawyer. Otherwise things move at glacial speed.

I think you can relax on your '84 secret clearance.

best

Tom