Emergency Evacuation and Destruction Plan

An efficient Army plans for everything, even losing once in a while.  Here is a document instructing field commanders on the steps to follow to protect their paperwork in the event their base is about to be overrun by the Viet Cong, or washed away in a rogue monsoon storm.  (Hey guys, on your way out would you please stop by my bunker and pick up my picture of Miss November . . .)

SUBJECT: Emergency Evacuation and Destruction Plan

TO:      Personnel Concerned

1. PURPOSE: This plan sets forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the emergency evacuation and/or destruction of all classified material should enemy action or natural disaster require such measures.

2. AUTHORITY: The Battalion S2, Chiefs of Staff Sections and Headquarters Commandant are delegated authority to implement this SOP in the event of an emergency that necessitates emergency evacuation and/or destruction.

3. EVACUATION/DESTRUCTION PRIORITIES:

     a. PRIORITY 1. *** TOP SECRET AND REGISTERED DOCUMENTS (IF ANY)

     b. PRIORITY 2. *** SECRET MATERIAL

     c. PRIORITY 3. *** CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL

     d. PRIORITY 4. *** UNCLASSIFIED RECORDS AND FILES

4. RESPONSIBILITY: The Battalion S2 is responsible for the evacuation and/or destruction of classified material.  In his absence, the intelligence sergeant is designated as responsible.  Should both the Battalion S2 and intelligence sergeant be unavailable, the responsibility is delegated to the assistant intelligence sergeant.   Chiefs of sections and Headquarters Commandant will delegate this responsibility within their sections.

5. EMERGENCY EVACUATION: In case of any enemy action or act of nature that necessitates evacuation, the priorities listed in paragraph 3 above will be followed.

     a. The contents of the safes will be removed, placed in a suitable container, carried to a safe place, and kept under armed guard until such time as suitable storage facilities become available.

     b. Every effort will be made to safeguard the classified documents register.

6. DESTRUCTION:

     a. Methods of Destruction

        1) Burning
        2) Melting or Chemical Decomposition
        3) Pulping
        4) Pulverizing, shredding, or mutilation, if the responsible authority determines that it insures destruction so as to preclude recognition or reconstruction of classified information.
        5) Any other method which insures a degree of destruction equal to or greater than (1), (2), (3), or (4) above.

     b. Security of Destruction

        1) The destruction of all categories of classified documents and classified material must be accomplished by the custodian in the presence of a disinterested witnessing officer, warrant officer, or a noncommissioned officer or specialist in the grade of E5 or above, designated by the responsible commander.  The custodian may not be a disinterested witness.

        2) The destruction official must insure the destruction is complete and thorough and that legible scraps or recognizable parts of documents do not remain in the incinerator or at the site of the destruction.

     c. Certificate of Destruction:  An accurate record of destruction of classified material is as important as it's destruction.  Proper Accounting procedures, together with accurate records of destruction, provide official information as to the status of classified material.  All alterations will be initialed by the witness.  Entries on the destruction certificate will be single spaced and will be fully completed as to all documents and enclosures thereto.  The columns headed "Addressee" and "Destruction Authority" of DA Form 546 need not be completed.   Records for destruction of Confidential material are not required.

7. EMERGENCY DESTRUCTION:

     a. In case of natural disaster or enemy action that necessitates Emergency Destruction, the priorities listed in paragraph 3 above will be followed.  This will be accomplished only on order of the Battalion Commander.

     b. All classified documents will be removed from the safes and destroyed by burning in the destruction area to the rear of the crypto facility at the northeastern end of Bn headquarters.

     c. In the event that time does not permit the methodical removal and destruction of documents, they will be burned in the immediate storage area.   The documents will be soaked in gasoline, if available, to insure complete destruction.  The classified document register will be retained and safeguarded.   Security of classified documents is of paramount importance in relation to other operations.

     d. Should emergency evacuation and/or destruction become necessary, a thorough inspection of the area being evacuated will be conducted by the person or persons making the evacuation or accomplishing the destruction of the classified material to insure that no documents are overlooked or left unguarded.

FOR THE COMMANDER

 

                            ANTHONY S. BARON
                            CPT, Infantry
                            Adjutant

 

This Battalion Report has been reproduced to appear like the original.  The copy was obtained by and has been generously contributed by Matt Vuolo, HHC,  2/14th Inf., 66-67.

Emergency Evacuation and Destruction Plan
Copyright © 2008 Kirk S. Ramsey
Last modified: January 20, 2020