The Diplomatic Security Service’s Special Security Operations Document Control Branch (DCB) protects some of the Department of State’s most sensitive information. Given its essential mission, DCB has continued operating through the COVID-19 pandemic. Located in the Harry S. Truman Building in Washington, DCB directly supports the secretary of state and other principals. Staffed with security professionals, the team keeps the intelligence community’s most sensitive information secure by hand-delivering approximately 2,500 classified and sensitive documents weekly. In many cases, DCB employees remain with the documents until they are read by the recipient, then return them to a secure location. DCB also maintains internal and external databases to control and track these products. Additionally, DCB uses a rigorous nomination and vetting process to provide the Bureau of Intelligence and Research intelligence analysts access to data and products controlled by other agencies.
