| Defense Courier Service | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Active | 1953 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Joint |
| Role | transport of secure material |
| Motto | Excellence in secure, rapid movement |
The Defense Courier Service (DCS),is established under the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), and is a global courier network for the expeditious, cost-effective, and secure distribution of highly classified and sensitive material. The United States Transportation Command ( USTRANSCOM) is one of ten unified commands of the United States Department of Defense. Operational control of global courier activities is exercised through USTRANSCOM's Defense Courier Division (TCJ3-C). The division oversees and synchronizes activity of 18 courier stations world-wide to service over six-thousand accounts. Major accounts include the White House, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, other federal agencies, authorized government contractors, and allied nations.
The DCS directly supports the President, Unified and Specified CINCs, joint military operations, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, NSA, CIA, U. The Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS) is a group comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the Armed services in the United States armed forces The National Security Agency/ Central Security Service ( NSA/CSS) is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States government near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all S. allies, Department of State, and other federal agencies.
The DCS was formerly the Armed Forces Courier Service (ARFCOS) but was reorganized and renamed in 1985 after the Walker spy case. John Anthony Walker Jr (born July 28 1937 in Washington DC) is a former Warrant Officer and communications specialist for the U
History
Before the establishment of the courier service, American ship captains and selected American travelers were used to carry sealed packages of mail. Later, these individuals, called "Bearers of Dispatches," augmented a small group of Foreign Service Officers and carried material to and from overseas areas.
With few modifications, this method of moving classified mail abroad continued until 1918 when the War Department established the Military Postal Express Service, consisting of 70 officers and enlisted soldiers, divided into an Overseas Service and a European Service. The United States Department of War, sometimes also called the War Office, was the department of the United States government 's executive branch This continued until the early days of World War II when the War Department activated the Army Courier Service to move classified material between the War Department and various theaters of operation. Meanwhile, the Navy created the Officer Messenger Service and the Army Air Corps operated an Air Courier Service to move cryptographic materials. Frequently, couriers from all three services flew together on the routes.
In November of 1946, the War Department discontinued the Army Courier Service and established a "Security Courier Service," which operated until 1949. At this time, certain courier stations were transferred to the newly created U. S. Air Force Security Courier Service. Then in 1952, the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed a review of courier operations which resulted in the establishment of an organization consisting of Army, Navy, and Air Force courier elements. The Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS) is a group comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the Armed services in the United States armed forces The Armed Forces Courier Service (ARFCOS) was officially established on January 7, 1953. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The military courier services were now consolidated. The ARFCOS charter was updated seven times over the next 30 years to reflect changes in the armed forces, military doctrine, and operational procedures.
In the aftermath of the Walker-Wentworth espionage case (1985), the Secretary of Defense established a Security Commission-often referred to as the Stillwell Commission to review DoD security policies and practices. The United States Secretary of Defense ( SECDEF) is the head of the U As part of its findings, the commission recommended a review and restructuring of ARFCOS and the DoD courier function. This resulted in publication of DoD Directive 5200. 33, the revised charter for a new joint-service military command. Thus, the Defense Courier Service (DCS) was officially established on September 30, 1987. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar)
A revised concept for execution of the courier function emerged with the creation of the DCS. Key to this are the following major affiliations:
- Under the DoD, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence(USD(I)). The Under Secretary for Intelligence or USD(I is a position within the United States government that acts as the principal advisor to the United States
- Executive Agency responsibility for the DCS was transferred to the Air Force and, later, delegated to the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Air Mobility Command (AMC is a Major Command (MAJCOM of the U
- On December 5, 1994, the DCS became a Direct Reporting unit to the U. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). Later, on 1 October 1998, DCS was relieved from its assignment to the USTRANSCOM and assigned once again to AMC. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)
- More recently, on October 1, 2004, DCS was once again, reorganized under USTRANSCOM. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
The Gulf War provided the first real-world contingency deployment test of the DCS. Eight days after Iraqi tanks entered Kuwait, a seven-man DCS station was deployed to HQ, Central Command in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. By the end of the Gulf War, DCS couriers had provided over one million pounds of command, control, and intelligence material.
Since 2004, Defense Courier Service increasingly has been integrated into USTRANSCOM. This process began when Program Budget Decision (PBD) 410, dated December 5, 2003, directed the realignment of Defense Courier Service (DCS) from Air Mobility Command (AMC) to U. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). On October 1, 2004, DCS was aligned as a Functional Component Command (FCC) under the USTRANSCOM Director of Operations (TCJ3). Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " On 16 May 2005, the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) approved a proposal to eliminate the DCS command billet and integrate the functions of the DCS headquarters staff into USTRANSCOM. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On November 15, 2005, the Defense Courier Division (TCJ3-C) assumed operational control of worldwide defense courier stations and continues to synchronize the defense courier related activities of the USTRANSCOM staff. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
References
- Source: [1], archived on February 8, 1999. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar)
External links
This article incorporates text from [2], a public domain work of the United States Government. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone A work of the United States government, as defined by United States copyright law, is "a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U