and alternates the responsibility for all overall
management of the CMS account.
CMS Custodian and Alternate
Custodians
The CMS custodian is the person designated in
writing by the commanding officer to maintain the CMS
account for the command. The alternate custodians are
also designated in writing by the commanding officer
and assist the CMS custodian.
In the custodian’s absence, the alternates assume
the duties of the custodian. Their duties include
receiving, inventorying, destroying, and issuing
COMSEC material and equipment to authorized users
and local holders. They are also responsible for training
all personnel involved in CMS and submitting required
COMSEC reports to the proper authority in a timely
manner. CMS 1 provides details on the responsibilities
of the CMS custodian and alternates.
CMS Local Holder
A CMS local holder is a command or activity that
receives its COMSEC material support from a CMS
account command. The local holder command has a
designated CMS custodian and alternates who are
responsible to their commanding officer for the proper
handling of COMSEC material and training of
personnel involved. For example, if a ship drew all of
its COMSEC material from a central account
maintained by the squadron commander, the ship would
have to be a local holder. Local holders must draw all
of their material from only one CMS account and may
not be local holders to two or more accounts.
CMS User
A CMS user is an individual who requires
COMSEC material to accomplish an assigned duty or
who needs COMSEC material for advancement study
or training purposes. A CMS user must be properly
cleared and authorized by the commanding officer to
handle CMS material. As a Radioman, you will most
likely become a user of COMSEC material.
CMS Witness
There may be times when you will be assigned as a
CMS witness. You will be responsible for assisting a
custodian or user in performing routine administrative
tasks related to the handling of COMSEC material. As
a witness, you must be familiar with applicable CMS
procedures and command directives.
CMS Responsibilities
Whether you are a CMS user or a witness, you are
responsible for the proper security, control,
accountability, and destruction of CMS material in your
workspace. Everyone involved with CMS material
must comply with the procedures in CMS 1-related
administrative and procedural publications. You must
also comply with the CMS instructions of the command
and higher authority.
CMS Training Requirements
The CMS custodian and alternates are responsible
for training all personnel involved with COMSEC
material in the proper handling, security, accounting,
and destruction of COMSEC material. The CMS
custodian may use the Personnel Qualifications
Standards (PQS) for CMS as a training tool. All
personnel who become involved with CMS should
complete the PQS training course.
CMS Storage Requirements
COMSEC material must be stored separately from
non-COMSEC material. This helps ensure separate
control for COMSEC material and makes emergency
destruction of COMSEC material easier. COMSEC
material of different security classifications may be
stored in the same security container drawer. COMSEC
material, however, must be segregated according to
classification so that it can be destroyed in a timely
manner in an emergency.
Storage requirements for COMSEC keying
material are more stringent than for nonkeying material.
All COMSEC keying material requiring two-person
integrity (TPI) must be stored in such a manner that a
single person, including the CMS custodian, cannot
obtain access. CMS 1 lists the storage requirements for
COMSEC keying material.
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