SKI PATROL FINAL UPDATED
PREPARATION SHEET 2026 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED RATIONALES
2. Seeking to gain higher clearance or expand access outside job scope
3. Engaging in classified conversations without NTK
4. Working inconsistent hours
5. Exploitable behavior traits
6. Repeated security violations
7. Unexplainable affluence/living above one's means
8. Illegal downloads of information/files
◉ Elements that should be considered in identifying Critical Program
Information Answer: Elements which if compromised could:
1. cause significant degradation in mission effectiveness,
2. shorten expected combat-effective life of system
3. reduce technological advantage
4. significantly alter program direction; or
5. enable adversary to defeat, counter, copy, or reverse engineer
technology/capability.
,◉ Elements that security professional should consider when assessing
and managing risks to DoD assets (risk management process) Answer: 1.
Assess assets
2. Assess threats
3. Assess Vulnerabilities
4. Assess risks
5. Determine countermeasure options
6. Make RM decision
◉ The three categories of Special Access Programs Answer: acquisition,
intelligence, and operations & support
◉ Types of threats to classified information Answer: Insider Threat,
Foreign Intelligence Entities (FIE), criminal activities, cyber threats,
business competitors
◉ The concept of an insider threat Answer: An employee who may
represent a threat to
national security. These threats encompass potential espionage, violent
acts against the Government or the nation, and unauthorized disclosure
of classified information
◉ The purpose of the Foreign Visitor Program Answer: To track and
approve access by a foreign entity to information that is classified; and
,to approve access by a foreign entity to information that is unclassified,
related to a U.S. Government contract, or plant visits covered by ITAR.
◉ Special Access Program Answer: A program established for a specific
class of
classified information that imposes safeguarding and access
requirements that exceed those normally required for information at the
same classification level.
◉ Enhanced security requirements for protecting Special Access
Program (SAP) information Answer: Within Personnel Security:
• Access Rosters;
• Billet Structures (if required);
• Indoctrination Agreement;
• Clearance based on appropriate investigation completed within last 5/6
years;
• Individual must materially contribute to program and have need to
know (NTK);
• SAP personnel subject to random counterintelligence scope polygraph;
• Polygraph examination, if approved by the DepSecDef, may be used as
a
mandatory access determination;
• Tier review process;
• Personnel must have Secret or TS clearance;
, • SF-86 must be current within one year;
• Limited Access;
• Waivers required for foreign cohabitants, spouses, and immediate
family
members.
Within Industrial Security:
The SecDef or DepSecDef can approve carve-out provision to relieve
Defense
Security Service of industrial security oversight responsibilities.
Within Physical Security:
• Access Control;
• Maintain SAP Facility;
• Access Roster;
• All SAPs must have unclassified nickname/ Codeword (optional).
Within Information Security:
• The use of HVSACO;
• Transmission requirements (order of precedence).
◉ Responsibilities of the Government SAP Security Officer/Contractor
Program
Security Officer (GSSO/
CPSO) Answer: • Possess personnel clearance and Program access at
least equal to highest level of Program classified information involved.
PREPARATION SHEET 2026 PRACTICE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED RATIONALES
2. Seeking to gain higher clearance or expand access outside job scope
3. Engaging in classified conversations without NTK
4. Working inconsistent hours
5. Exploitable behavior traits
6. Repeated security violations
7. Unexplainable affluence/living above one's means
8. Illegal downloads of information/files
◉ Elements that should be considered in identifying Critical Program
Information Answer: Elements which if compromised could:
1. cause significant degradation in mission effectiveness,
2. shorten expected combat-effective life of system
3. reduce technological advantage
4. significantly alter program direction; or
5. enable adversary to defeat, counter, copy, or reverse engineer
technology/capability.
,◉ Elements that security professional should consider when assessing
and managing risks to DoD assets (risk management process) Answer: 1.
Assess assets
2. Assess threats
3. Assess Vulnerabilities
4. Assess risks
5. Determine countermeasure options
6. Make RM decision
◉ The three categories of Special Access Programs Answer: acquisition,
intelligence, and operations & support
◉ Types of threats to classified information Answer: Insider Threat,
Foreign Intelligence Entities (FIE), criminal activities, cyber threats,
business competitors
◉ The concept of an insider threat Answer: An employee who may
represent a threat to
national security. These threats encompass potential espionage, violent
acts against the Government or the nation, and unauthorized disclosure
of classified information
◉ The purpose of the Foreign Visitor Program Answer: To track and
approve access by a foreign entity to information that is classified; and
,to approve access by a foreign entity to information that is unclassified,
related to a U.S. Government contract, or plant visits covered by ITAR.
◉ Special Access Program Answer: A program established for a specific
class of
classified information that imposes safeguarding and access
requirements that exceed those normally required for information at the
same classification level.
◉ Enhanced security requirements for protecting Special Access
Program (SAP) information Answer: Within Personnel Security:
• Access Rosters;
• Billet Structures (if required);
• Indoctrination Agreement;
• Clearance based on appropriate investigation completed within last 5/6
years;
• Individual must materially contribute to program and have need to
know (NTK);
• SAP personnel subject to random counterintelligence scope polygraph;
• Polygraph examination, if approved by the DepSecDef, may be used as
a
mandatory access determination;
• Tier review process;
• Personnel must have Secret or TS clearance;
, • SF-86 must be current within one year;
• Limited Access;
• Waivers required for foreign cohabitants, spouses, and immediate
family
members.
Within Industrial Security:
The SecDef or DepSecDef can approve carve-out provision to relieve
Defense
Security Service of industrial security oversight responsibilities.
Within Physical Security:
• Access Control;
• Maintain SAP Facility;
• Access Roster;
• All SAPs must have unclassified nickname/ Codeword (optional).
Within Information Security:
• The use of HVSACO;
• Transmission requirements (order of precedence).
◉ Responsibilities of the Government SAP Security Officer/Contractor
Program
Security Officer (GSSO/
CPSO) Answer: • Possess personnel clearance and Program access at
least equal to highest level of Program classified information involved.
