Prepublication Review

What Is Prepublication Review? 

Prepublication review is the process to determine that information proposed for public release contains no protected information and is consistent with established NDU, DOD, and Federal policies.

Protected information is classified, in the process of a classification determination, or unclassified, but protected by statute.

Department of Defense Instruction 5230.29, "Security and Policy Review of DOD Information for Public Release" requires that only FULL and FINAL material proposed for release into the public domain be submitted to the Prepublication Review Team for review. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted.

REMINDER: Official NDU information appearing in the public domain shall not be considered automatically UNCLASSIFIED or approved for public release. Information remains classified and must be protected until the U.S. Government official with Original Classification Authority declassifies the information.  

Why Perform Prepublication Review? 

All NDU affiliates sign a nondisclosure agreement that binds them to these lifetime obligations: 

  • Safeguarding protected information 
  • Prepublication Review 
  • Reporting unauthorized disclosures of protected information 

An NDU affiliate is any person employed by, detailed to or assigned to NDU, including faculty; staff; students; members of the U.S. Armed Forces; an expert or consultant to NDU; an industrial or commercial contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or grantee of NDU to include all subcontractors; a personal services contractor; or any other category of person who acts for or on behalf of NDU as determined by the NDU President. 

All NDU affiliates are subject to NDU Regulation 360-1, which sets forth the policy, procedures, and responsibilities governing the prepublication review of official NDU information intended for public release. This policy helps to manage the risk of inadvertent disclosure of protected information.  

What Should Be Reviewed? 

Official NDU information comprises any DOD information that is in the custody and control of NDU and was obtained for or generated on NDU's behalf during the course of employment or other service, whether contractual or not, with NDU. 

Examples include the following: 

  • articles (newspapers, magazines, professional journals, online, op-eds) 
  • blog posts
  • books (non-fiction and fiction) 
  • book reviews 
  • conference briefings 
  • press releases
  • research papers 
  • speeches 
  • student papers
  • videos

EXEMPTION: Material containing no information about or gained through one's affiliation with NDU (e.g., books about gardening, cooking, sports, crafts, etc.) are not subject to prepublication review. 

How Long Will It Take? 

Internal reviews are typically completed within 2–3 working days. External reviews are sent to the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review (DOPSR) in the Pentagon.  DOPSR requests:

  • 10–15 working days for the review of papers, articles, and briefings
  • 15–20 working days for the review of technical papers and brochures
  • 30–60 working days for the review of larger documents (books, reports, and manuscripts)

The actual review time will vary based on the current workload, the length and subject of the material submitted, and the amount of coordination required for the review. 

What Do I Need to Send and Where Do I Send My Request? 

The Prepublication Review Team within NDU Press handles all prepublication review requests on behalf of the NDU President. 

Your submission package should be sent to DOPSR@ndu.edu and must include: 

  • Title of document 
  • Document for review in its FULL and FINAL form. Partial information (drafts) cannot be accepted. 
  • Name
  • Position
  • Contact Information (address, telephone number, and e-mail address) 
  • Intended audience or publication venue—please include as much detail as possible 
  • Specific Deadline, if applicable (i.e., conference date, research paper due date, etc.) 

NOTE: Submissions should include an appropriate disclaimer, the disclaimer should read: "The views expressed by this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government."

Additional Requirements for NDU Publications

If you are submitting a package for an NDU publication (Joint Force Quarterly, PRISM, etc), you must also submit a DD Form 1910.  These packages will be processed and routed through DOPSR in the Pentagon.  

Additional Requirements for Non-NDU Publications

If you are submitting a package for a non-NDU publication that you plan to publish outside of the University, we request that you have two NDU subject matter experts (typically faculty and/or research fellows) review your manuscript before submission. 

Reviewers should:

  • hold U.S. security clearances at the SECRET level of above
  • be readily identifiable as NDU Federal employees who are in a position to properly review your paper for classified material, policy misstatements, or information detrimental to DOD.

Reviewers must certify the submission by sending an e-mail to DOPSR@ndu.edu stating the submission:

  • does not misrepresent current U.S. administration policy
  • does not contain classified information
  • is not detrimental to DOD.

Requests and SME reviews must come through DOPSR@ndu.edu, requests sent to individuals will not be accepted.  

How Does the Review Process Work? 

The Prepublication Review Team within NDU Press will: 

  • confirm that the request qualifies as a prepublication review 
  • confirm that all required information is included in the package (name, publication venue, etc.) 
  • issue an acknowledgement or receipt to the submitter 
  • review the information to ensure that it is unclassified and appropriate for public release 
  • coordinate with internal offices, as needed 
  • issue a determination to the submitter within or by the end of the 25 business days, if applicable 

Send the package to: 

DOPSR@ndu.edu

How Do I Check the Status of My Submission? 

You can check the status of a submission by visiting the NDU Press page on the SharePoint Portal or contacting NDU Press at (202) 685-4210 and requesting a status check.