12 FAM 150
COURIER ESCORTS
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
(Office of Origin: (DS/C/DC)
12 FAM 151 GENERAL POLICY
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
Diplomatic courier escorts are Top Secret (TS)-cleared
U.S. citizens dispatched to a port of entry/exit to assist diplomatic couriers,
take possession of, provide security for, or transfer custody of classified
diplomatic pouches.
12 FAM 151.1 Routine Diplomatic
Courier Support
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. All agencies at post that use the classified pouch
share responsibility for providing diplomatic courier escorts.
b. Post must ensure at least one TS-cleared U.S.
citizen escort supports each diplomatic courier arrival and departure (see 12 FAM 152).
The regional diplomatic courier officer RDCO) may grant an exception if the
classified pouch is hand-carried by the diplomatic courier.
c. The RDCO or their authorized representative must
inform a post by telegram about transiting the area with pouches in an aircraft
cargo hold when no pouch exchange is scheduled. The post must assign an escort
to provide a security watch over the hold of the aircraft during the transit
stop.
d. When the Office of the Diplomatic Courier Service
(DS/C/DC), in consultation with a post, determines that the host government
procedures or other circumstances jeopardize U.S. citizen control of classified
diplomatic pouches with only one escort, the post must assign additional escorts.
e. At posts with an established diplomatic courier
office, the RDCO or diplomatic courier supervisor must determine the support
requirements and provide necessary escort personnel. Posts must supply
diplomatic courier escort personnel under extraordinary circumstances or during
diplomatic courier staffing shortages.
f. The RDCO or courier supervisor must contact a post
when transiting their region of responsibility. When tarmac assistance is
necessary, post must assign an escort to provide a security watch over the hold
of the aircraft during the transit stop.
12 FAM 151.2 Nonprofessional
Diplomatic Courier Support
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. The office, agency, or bureau at a post or in the
Continental United States (CONUS) requesting a nonprofessional diplomatic
courier for delivery of classified diplomatic pouches is responsible for
providing a TS-cleared U.S. citizen escort and transportation at each stop of
the itinerary, including the ports of departure and arrival. When the nonprofessional
diplomatic couriers itinerary includes a transit stop where no diplomatic
courier/post exchange is scheduled, that office, agency, or bureau is
responsible for providing an escort, transportation, and for coordinating
authorized secure storage to support the transit stop (see 12 FAM 154.3).
b. Nonprofessional diplomatic couriers must advise all
transit posts and the receiving office at their destination post of their
itineraries.
12 FAM 152 ESCORT REQUIREMENTS
12 FAM 152.1 Personnel
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
Individuals authorized to perform diplomatic courier
escort duties must be TS-cleared U.S. citizens either employed by the U.S.
Government (full-time or otherwise) or private-sector employees serving under
U.S. Government commercial contracts approved by DS/C/DC.
12 FAM 152.2 Identification
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. Escorts may be direct-hire post personnel and must
possess a diplomatic (or official) passport or an official identification card
issued by the Department, including Department-issued credentials of diplomatic
couriers, special agents, security engineering officers (SEOs) and security
officers, or identification cards issued at posts that conform to the
Departments Smart identification card format and conventions. Other locally
issued or post specific identification cards are not acceptable (see 12 FAM 126.2
for more detail.)
b. Escorts without Department-issued credentials must
possess an escort letter to confirm their TS security clearance. (See Exhibit 12 FAM 152.2.)
The letter must:
(1) Be on embassy letterhead;
(2) State the escorts name, passport number, or
Department-issued Smart ID number;
(3) State the security clearance level (in all capital
letters) and date of issuance;
(4) Contain the escorts photograph embossed with the
posts seal; and
(5) Be signed by the regional security officer (RSO).
c. Escort letters must be renewed annually and expire:
(1) When there is a change of RSO;
(2) Upon cancellation of employment; or
(3) When the security clearance is suspended or
revoked.
12 FAM 152.3 Security Clearances
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. Escorts must have TS clearances to perform as
control officers.
b. An individual with only a Secret clearance may
perform limited escort duties if the post has requested the individuals
security clearance be upgraded to TS and is pending investigation (see 3 FAM 8219 and 12 FAM 230).
c. Escorts possessing only Secret clearances (with TS
pending) may not exchange or assume custody of classified diplomatic pouches
from a diplomatic courier, but may maintain control for short periods of time
as necessary for the diplomatic courier to complete check-in or immigration
formalities or to observe the cargo hold once the diplomatic courier has
boarded the aircraft.
12 FAM 153 SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
Escorts must only perform duties at their post of
residence. Posts must restrict contract, part-time, and intermittent
employees, including dependents of U.S. citizen employees, who act as escorts
from serving:
(1) Anywhere but their home posts;
(2) As nonprofessional diplomatic couriers; and
(3) Across international borders.
NOTE: Exceptions are contract
employees under commercial contract with the Department, engaged specifically
for this purpose.
12 FAM 154 PRIMARY ESCORT DUTIES
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
Escorts must ensure the absolute inviolability of
classified diplomatic pouches when the diplomatic courier is not physically
present.
12 FAM 154.1 Supporting Diplomatic
Courier Arrivals
(CT:170; 10-19-2011)
a. To support a diplomatic or nonprofessional
diplomatic courier, a diplomatic courier escort must:
(1) Monitor the arrival time and be at the location
where the diplomatic courier is expected to disembark before the diplomatic
courier arrives; provide a security watch over an aircraft cargo hold in which
pouches are loaded (see 12 FAM 155);
(2) Provide a security watch where classified
diplomatic pouches are located (see 12 FAM 155) and
remain in an area where the classified diplomatic pouches or mode of transport
carrying the classified diplomatic pouches can be easily observed; provide a
security watch over the pouches while the courier is separated from them for
any reason (see 12
FAM 155);
(3) Assist the diplomatic courier with customs,
immigration, and airport formalities (see 12 FAM 155); and
(4) Escort the diplomatic courier and classified
diplomatic pouch load between the airport and post. Escort the courier between
the airport and the posts information programs center (IPC).
b. Security conditions at certain locations dictate
that the diplomatic courier is unable to access the tarmac. In these
circumstances, the diplomatic courier must maintain communication with the
diplomatic courier escort to ensure the diplomatic courier escort knows the
location of the classified diplomatic pouches before they are off-loaded from
the aircraft. If this method of operation is used, the diplomatic courier and
diplomatic courier escort must confirm via telephone, email, or other means
(i.e., airline representative, etc.) the cargo position and/or container number
of the unit load devices (ULDs). To the maximum extent possible, the
diplomatic courier escort must confirm control of the classified diplomatic
pouches before the diplomatic courier leaves the area.
c. Escorts with a TS clearance may exchange custody of
classified diplomatic pouches (see 12 FAM 125).
When assuming control of classified diplomatic pouches, the diplomatic courier
escort is responsible for protecting them from outside intervention and compromise
until they have been secured at post or released to the classified diplomatic
pouch control officer.
12 FAM 154.2 Supporting Diplomatic
Courier Departures
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. To support a departing diplomatic courier, an escort
must:
(1) Monitor the departure time and be at the location
where the diplomatic courier is expected to embark before the diplomatic
courier departs;
(2) Provide a security watch over the classified
diplomatic pouches while the diplomatic courier is separated from the
classified diplomatic pouches for any reason;
(3) Provide a security watch where classified
diplomatic pouches are loaded (see 12 FAM 155) and
remain in an area where the classified diplomatic pouches or mode of transport
carrying the classified diplomatic pouches can be easily observed in order to
provide a security watch over any off-loaded classified diplomatic pouches
until the diplomatic courier embarks and departs;
(4) Remain at the point of departure until the
diplomatic couriers mode of transport has departed; and
(5) Resume watching the cargo hold if the mode of
transport unexpectedly returns to the point of departure.
b. If any portion of a classified diplomatic pouch
shipment is off-loaded while the diplomatic courier is aboard the departing
mode of transport, the escort must maintain a security watch over it. The
escort must observe the off-loaded material until it is returned to the same
location from which it was removed.
c. In the event that any portion of the off-loaded
shipment is not returned to the same location from which it was removed, an
escort (with either a Secret or TS clearance) must:
(1) Make every attempt to notify the diplomatic
courier;
(2) Take possession of the off-loaded classified
diplomatic pouches;
(3) Deliver the classified diplomatic pouches to the
posts information programs center (IPC); and
(4) Inform the regional security officer (RSO).
d. The escort must immediately report off-loaded
classified diplomatic pouches to the RSO and request the next post on the diplomatic
couriers route to alert the diplomatic courier to the problem. If off-loaded
classified diplomatic pouches are returned to a different cargo hold or loaded
in a different manner, the escort should attempt to inform the diplomatic
courier prior to departure. If unsuccessful, the escort must notify the next
post and provide full details of classified diplomatic pouch locations and
container number information, if any.
e. When a flight departure is significantly delayed,
the escort should notify the next post.
f. When the diplomatic courier carries the classified
diplomatic pouch shipment in the cabin of the aircraft, the escort must remain
at the point of departure until the diplomatic courier has boarded the aircraft
and departure is imminent. The escort need not remain planeside nor in the
passenger terminal, unless the departure is delayed and no confirmed departure
time has been announced.
12 FAM 154.3 Supporting Diplomatic
Courier Transit Stops
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. During transit stops at a post where no diplomatic
courier/post exchange is scheduled, an escort must observe the cargo hold of
the aircraft. The escort must watch for off-loaded classified diplomatic
pouches until the aircraft departs the gate, and remain at the airport until
the diplomatic couriers flight is airborne.
b. For off-loading classified diplomatic pouch
shipments, follow the procedures outlined in 12 FAM 154.2,
paragraphs b through f.
12 FAM 155 Safety and Security
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. Regional Diplomatic Courier offices must supply
diplomatic courier escorts employed by the regional office with U.S.
Government-issued cell phones for official business.
(1) Diplomatic courier escorts must have their cell
phones in their possession and switched on when not restricted by regulations;
(2) Diplomatic courier escorts must not engage in
personal cell phone calls during duty hours, unless a call-waiting feature is
active;
(3) Diplomatic courier escorts may use their cell
phones for incidental personal business as permitted by 5 FAM 526,
provided no additional costs are incurred;
(4) Diplomatic courier escorts must program the
Operations Center and DS Command Center phone numbers into the address books of
their cell phones; and
(5) Division and Hub management must establish a cell
phone usage policy approved by DS/C/DC, which conforms to post cell phone
policy and local circumstances.
b. Diplomatic courier escorts must wear safety vests at
airports where they are required.
c. Diplomatic courier escorts must wear hearing
protection near aircraft and in other high-noise environments. Diplomatic
courier escorts may purchase hearing protection at the Governments expense
within 3 months of entry on duty, provided the cost is less than $50, or
periodically when approved by a supervisor.
d. Safety shoes, gloves, and eye protection may also be
purchased by the employee. These items are a reimbursable expense and must be
approved by a supervisor in advance.
12 FAM 156 ESCORT SUPPORT AT AIRPORTS
12 FAM 156.1 Supporting Courier
Departures
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
a. To support a departing diplomatic or nonprofessional
courier, an escort must:
(1) Provide a security watch over the pouches while
the courier is separated from them for any reason (e.g., during flight check-in
procedures);
(2) Remain in an area where the cargo hold of the
aircraft can be easily observed to watch for any off-loaded pouches until the
aircraft departs the gate (see 12 FAM 154.2);
(3) Remain at the airport until the couriers flight
is airborne; and
(4) Resume watching the cargo hold if the aircraft
unexpectedly returns to a gate.
b. When the courier hand-carries the pouch shipment in
the cabin of the aircraft, the escort must remain at the airport until the
courier has boarded the aircraft and departure is imminent. The escort need
not remain planeside nor in the passenger terminal unless the departure is
delayed and no confirmed departure time has been announced.
12 FAM 157 THRoUgh 159 UNASSIGNED
12 FAM Exhibit 152.2
SAMPLE PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMATIC COURIER LETTER
(CT:DS-170; 10-19-2011)
DATE HERE
MEMORANDUM
TO: XXX Regional Courier Office
FROM: Name of RSO, Embassy
SUBJECT: Authorization of Diplomatic Courier Escort
This is to certify that effective {date here}, Diplomatic
Courier Escort, JANE DOE is authorized to perform Diplomatic Courier Escort
duties. Ms. Doe is identified by {passport or SMART ID number} and was issued
a TOP SECRET security clearance on {date here}.
Per 12 FAM 152.2,
this letter is valid for a period of one year from the date of issue.
