5 FAH-2 H-430
HANDLING SYMBOLS
(CT:TEL-55; 05-22-2017)
(Office of Origin: IRM/BMP/GRP/GP)
5 FAH-2 H-431 CRITIC MESSAGES
(CT:TEL-55; 05-22-2017)
(State Only)
CRITIC is a handling symbol for telegrams that convey
national security information that must be delivered to the highest levels of
the U.S. Government as fast as possible. CRITIC
cables are sent via the SMART client on ClassNet.
5 FAH-2 H-431.1 CRITIC Procedures
(CT:TEL-55; 05-22-2017)
(State Only)
a. CRITIC supersedes any other communications activity
and the handling of any other telegrams, including FLASH telegrams.
b. CRITIC text is very brief and to the point; usually
no more than one or two lines of text.
c. At posts abroad, the IPC maintains The Handbook of
Standard Operating Procedures for Reporting Critical Information (CRITIC Handbook). Authorized CRITIC drafting officers
and IRM personnel must be familiar with
the contents of this handbook for recognizing, preparing, and handling CRITIC messages. The handbook is available on ClassNet. For more
information, go to the CRITIC Diplopedia
article on ClassNet.
d. To familiarize all concerned with CRITIC procedures,
CRITIC message and CRITIC EXERCISE procedures are to be included in posts embassy
duty officers handbook and/or a CRITIC briefing is to be included on the
employee check-in procedures upon arrival at post.
5 FAH-2 H-431.2 How CRITIC
Exercises Are Conducted
(CT:TEL-55; 05-22-2017)
(State Only)
a. IRM/OPS/MSO/MSMC/MOB (Messaging
Operations Branch) administers the CRITIC
testing program and coordinates a CRITIC EXERCISE for each post annually.
b. Posts management officer conducts the EXERCISE,
which simulates the procedures for sending an actual CRITIC message. The management
officer will receive a notification from IRM/OPS/MSO/MSMC/MOB
to initiate a CRITIC EXERCISE.
c. The management officer instructs the embassy duty officer
to prepare text for the CRITIC EXERCISE and to pass it to IPC for transmission.
d. No more than 10 minutes should elapse from the time
the embassy duty officer receives the EXERCISE text to the time acknowledgment
is received from the Department.
e. At the end of the exercise, the management officer
documents the results in a telegram addressed to the Department using the
attention indicator "FOR IRM/OPS/MSO/MSMC/MOB."
f. Each EXERCISE should run smoothly and all officers
involved should be thoroughly familiar with their respective roles in handling
CRITIC Information.
5 FAH-2 H-432 THROUGH H-439 UNASSIGNED