Message Date-Time-Group
When MINIMIZE is in effect, the releasing officer
shall review all record traffic that has not been released
The message date-time-group (DTG) is assigned
or has been released but not yet received at the serving
for identification and file purposes only. The numerical
telecommunications center to ensure that the last line
portion has six digits: the first two are the day, the
of text contain the words "Release by name and
second two are the hour, and the third two are the
rank/grade."
minutes. This portion is followed by the zone suffix,
the month, and the year (i.e., 291936ZMAY03).
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
The zone suffix ZULU (Z) stands for Greenwich
Proper security classification of correspondence is
mean time. It is used as the universal time for all
a serious problem in the Navy, largely because of
m e s s a g e s , ex c e p t w h e r e t h e a t e r o r a r e a
overclassification. You, as the writer, should ensure
commanders prescribe the use of local time for
that any assigned classification is justified by a genuine
local tactical situations. (NOTE: The times
need. There are no simple rules for security. You must
2400Z and 0000Z are not used to indicate a
digest the various policy directives and then apply
particular time; instead, either 2359Z or 0001Z
common sense.
is used, as appropriate.)
Correspondence does not need to be classified
The month is expressed by its first three letters.
according to the classification of its references unless it
reveals a significant part of the content of the
The year is expressed by its last two digits.
references. If the correspondence is classified, the
classification is indicated on the rough draft, and the
draft is handled as required by that classification.
MESSAGE READDRESSAL
Each piece of correspondence should be assigned
A message readdressal is a message that is
the lowest classification consistent with the proper
transmitted to an activity that was not an original
protection of the defense information contained in it.
addressee. This is a frequent occurrence. The
Correspondence and documents should be classified
originator or the action addressee of a message may
according to their relationship to other documents.
readdress a message for action or information to
This procedure is particularly important when
another activity; however, an information addressee
documents are part of a series. Different paragraphs or
may readdress a message for information purposes
actions of a single document may contain different
only.
classifications. However, the document must bear the
highest overall classification it contains.
MINIMIZE CONDITION
T h i s s e c t i o n d i s c u s s e s c l a s s i fi e d m a t e r i a l
When an actual or simulated emergency arises or is
categories and classified material markings.
anticipated, it may become necessary to reduce the
volume of record and/or voice communications
CLASSIFIED MATERIAL CATEGORIES
ordinarily transmitted over U.S. military-owned or
Information that requires protection against
-leased telecommunications facilities. This action,
unauthorized disclosure in the interest of national
k n ow n a s M I N I M I Z E , i s d e s i g n e d t o c l e a r
security must be classified with one of only three
communications networks of all traffic whose urgency
designations: Top Secret, Secret, or Confidential. The
does not require transmission by electrical means
handling markings For Official Use Only (FOUO) and
during MINIMIZE. Only traffic of a precedence that
Limited Official Use (LOU) cannot be used to identify
concerns mission accomplishment or safety of life is
classified information, nor can modifying terms be
considered essential and, therefore, requires electronic
used with authorized classification designations, such
transmission.
as Secret Sensitive. Table 1-4 shows these classifi-
Commanders at any level have the authority to
cations and for which kind of information they are
impose MINIMIZE within their command or area of
used.
command responsibility. The authority to impose
Regulations and guidance for classifying and
MINIMIZE is further discussed in Allied
safeguarding information are contained in Department
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s P u b l i c a t i o n , AC P 1 2 1 , U . S .
of the Navy (DON) Information Security Program
Supplement 1.
1-10
