Letter: Confidential documents must be kept so

The handling of classified material by government personnel recently is shocking and disturbing.

In my time in the military I had a security clearance, and we were trained in the proper, required handling of classified material. What we have seen recently is not it.

First, a primer: There are three levels of classification that I know of: Confidential, Secret and Top Secret. Confidential is the lowest level. The handling and storage of materials in each level is specified and requires specified storage, such as safes and vaults, and violating the rules is punishable.

Moreover, having a clearance does not make the material available. You must have A NEED TO KNOW, otherwise you are not allowed to handle, have or view the material.

For example, during training we were using Confidential material; our training room needed to have windows closed and shaded so nothing could be viewed from the outside. Another example: Once we were being tested for proficiency but the test was postponed because the facility was not rated for overnight storage of the classified test material.

So now the news media has reported that classified material has been "found" in locations that most likely are not rated for classified storage and being moved or examined by staff, lawyers and undoubtedly been available to cleaning crews or any John Q. Public in the vicinity.

Who are the people examining and moving this stuff, from the original locations, to the golf courses, resorts, garages and elsewhere? Do they have the appropriate clearance; do they have a need to know?

This is wrong and illegal on so many levels.

George Kujanski

Palatine