This is going to be in the news soon I wanted to share info about Portion Marking

[DVRacer]

You may start hearing about "Portion Marking" in the next few days. I wanted to share what the manual says about this so you know what is being discussed.

Portion Marking

The title or subject of a classified document is marked with the appropriate classification abbreviation in parentheses -- (TS), (S), (C), or (U) immediately following and to the right of the title or subject. All documents containing information that requires control markings, regardless of classification, format, or medium, shall be portion marked. The overall classification of a document is equal to the highest classification level of any one portion found in the document.

Each portion of a classified document is to be marked with the appropriate classification abbreviation in parentheses immediately before the beginning of the portion. If the portion is numbered or lettered, place the abbreviation in parentheses between the letter or number and the start of the text. A portion is ordinarily defined as a paragraph, but also includes subjects, titles, graphics, tables, charts, bullet statements, sub-paragraphs, classified signature blocks, bullets and other portions with slide presentations and the like.

Portions of U.S. documents containing foreign government information are marked to reflect the foreign country of origin as well as the appropriate classification, for example, (U.K.-C). Portions of U.S. documents containing extracts from NATO documents are marked to reflect "NATO" or "COSMIC" as well as the appropriate classification, for example, (NATO-S) or (COSMIC-TS). Further information is available at Foreign Government Classified Information.

[Barack_America]

1. Thanks, I've already heard it and was confused by it.

Appreciate the info.

Is it typically indicated when the classification status was decided? Is this all about emails that were retroactively classified?

[Adrahil]

3. No....

It's rare for a document to have when it was marked classified noted (I've never seen it), though the declassification date is often included.

Keep in mind that the classification guides are hundreds if pages long, and sometimes open to interpretation. I've run into cases where I was assured information was unclassified by one security officer, and later been told the information IS classified.

[DVRacer]

2. I was unable to tell when it was added

I looked over the email and it is marked but when I can't be sure 100% when it was. In context it may have been original to the email being drafted if so.... I won't do GOP homework for them. I wanted those who may not be familiar with the term a definition so they understood what was being discussed.