Index


Department of Defense

DIRECTIVE

NUMBER 5210.55

December 15, 1998

(ES, OSD)

SUBJECT:  Department of Defense Presidential Support
Program 

References:  (a)  DoD Directive 5210.55, "Selection
of DoD Military and Civilian Personnel and Contractor
Employees for Assignment to Presidential Support Activities,"
July 6, 1977 (hereby canceled)

(b)  DoD Instruction 5210.87, "Selection of DoD Military
and Civilian Personnel and Contractor Employees for
Assignment to Presidential Support Activities," November
30, 1998 

(c)  DoD Directive 1000.17, "Detail of DoD Personnel
Assigned to Duty Outside the Department of Defense,"
July 28, 1988 

(d)  through (f), see enclosure 1

1.  REISSUANCE AND PURPOSE 

This Directive:

1.1.  Reissues reference (a) to update policies and
assign responsibilities.

1.2.  Is implemented by reference (b) prescribing the
procedures for the nomination, screening, selection,
approval and continued evaluation of DoD military and
civilian personnel, and contractor employees assigned
to, or retained in Presidential support duties.

2.  APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE 

This Directive:

2.1.  Applies to the Office of the Secretary of Defense,
the Military Departments, the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Inspector
General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies
and the DoD Field Activities (hereafter referred to
collectively as “the DoD Components") having a Presidential
support mission.

2.2.  Encompasses all DoD organizations and, through
incorporation of its terms into contracts, contractors
that assign personnel to Presidential support duties
involving regular or frequent access to the President
or Vice President, or to facilities that support the
President or Vice President, including communications
activities and modes of transportation.

2.3.  Does not apply to DoD personnel or contractors
whose duties involve infrequent visits to the Executive
offices of the White House or other Presidential support
facilities to conduct official business with the Presidential
and/or Vice Presidential staffs.

2.4.  Does not apply to personnel providing Presidential
protection support duties or personnel assigned to other
duties supporting the President on a temporary, intermittent,
or seasonal basis, not to exceed an aggregate of 180
days in either a single continuous assignment or series
of assignments.

2.5.  Does not establish reimbursement policies or procedures.
  The policies for reimbursements and applicable amounts
to be recouped are in DoD Directive 1000.17 (reference
(c)).

2.6.  Does not apply to details made pursuant to 3 U.S.C.
112 (reference (d)) or DoD Directive 1000.17 (reference
(c)) to the Executive Office of the President or the
agencies of the Executive Office of the President.

3.  DEFINITION 

3.1.  Presidential Support Facilities.    The temporary
or permanent areas designed, intended or maintained
for sole support of the President or Vice President.

4.  POLICY 

It is DoD policy that:

4.1.  The President shall be provided with the optimum
level of security and support.

4.2.  Persons assigned to, or retained in Presidential
support duties, shall be the best suited and best qualified
for these duties, based on a determination that their
assignment or retention is clearly consistent with optimum
Presidential security and support.

4.3.  All persons serving in Presidential support duties
must be U.S. citizens.

4.4.  Denial or revocation of a security clearance for
access to classified information shall automatically
result in disqualification for Presidential support
duties.

4.5.  Any DoD civilian or contractor employee not approved
for, or removed from, Presidential support duties shall
be afforded an opportunity to appeal this decision,
unless the individual is disqualified as provided in
subsection 4.4., above.   Military personnel are not
afforded the opportunity to appeal, unless the assignment
policies of the Military Departments concerned allow
for such appeals in assignment actions.

4.6.  The investigative requirements and adjudicative
standards for persons serving in Presidential support
duties shall be in accordance with reference (c) and
DoD 5200.2-R (reference (e)).

4.7.  All persons assigned to Presidential support duties
will be volunteers for assignment to, or work in support
of, the Presidential support mission.   However, when
volunteers are not available for enlisted support positions,
qualified enlisted non-volunteers may be nominated.

4.8.  The tour of duty for all military personnel selected
for assignment to Presidential support duties shall
be stabilized for the maximum period allowable under
the assignment policies of the Military Department concerned,
with a minimum of two years from the date of assignment
to Presidential support duties.   Waivers of obligated
service to meet this requirement will be considered
on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Secretary of
the Department of Defense.   This policy does not apply
to Honor Guard units, Social Aides or White House NCOs
assigned to the Military Departments.

5.  RESPONSIBILITIES 

5.1.  The Executive Secretary of the Department of Defense
shall be the final approval authority for assignment
of individuals used in Presidential support duties and
for general oversight of the implementation of this
Directive.   Waiver of specific requirements in this
Directive may be granted only by the Executive Secretary.

5.2.  The Heads of the DoD Components with a Presidential
support mission shall:

5.2.1.  Designate a single office to represent the DoD
Component on all matters covered by this Directive at
the Service secretariat or comparable Defense Agency
level.   Responsibilities of DoD Components under this
Directive may not be delegated below this level.

5.2.2.  Ensure individuals are identified for assignment
to Presidential support duties, either as initial appointees
or replacements, in a timely manner to permit processing
of the required investigations and higher level review
before assignment.

5.2.3.  Ensure that replacements are assigned for individuals
who complete their tours of duty in Presidential support
positions unless the requirement is discontinued.

5.2.4.  Ensure that the requirements of this Directive
are incorporated into the contract of each contractor
involved in Presidential support duties.

5.2.5.  Establish procedures to evaluate the continued
suitability of personnel serving in Presidential support
duties and management personnel exercising supervision
over contractor employees performing Presidential support
duties in accordance with reference (b).

5.2.6.  Report to the Executive Secretary on a periodic
basis information about personnel assigned to Presidential
Support Duties in accordance with DoD Instruction 5210.87
(reference (b)).

6.  INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS 

The reporting requirement identified in Section 5.,
above and further described in DoD Instruction 5210.87
(reference (b)) has been assigned Report Control Symbol
DD-5D(Q)934, in accordance with DoD 8910.1-M (reference
(f)).

7.  EFFECTIVE DATE 

This Directive is effective immediately.

Enclosures - 1 

1.  References, continued

E1.  ENCLOSURE 1

REFERENCES, continued

(d)  Title 3, United States Code

(e)  DoD 5200.2-R, "DoD Personnel Security Program,"
January 1987, authorized by DoD Directive 5200.2, May
6, 1992 

(f)  DoD 8910.1-M, "DoD Procedures for Management of
Information Requirements," November 1986, authorized
by DoD Directive 8910.1, June 11, 1993