A Controlled position in the PRP requires an NACI or DNACI investigation within the past 5 years before assignment. Continued assignment to a Controlled position is also allowed with an update of the investigation. Initial assignment in the program is interpreted as the first time a person is screened and qualified for  the  program,  regardless  of  the  position occupied. Subsequent assignments in the PRP require  a  reinvestigation  under  the  following conditions: 1. 2. When the person has been out of the program more than 5 years When the requirements for the PRP position currently being considered have not been satisfied by an investigation within the last 5 years When military personnel have a break in active duty of more than 1 year, investigations completed before the break become invalid for assignments to the PRP. However, they may be used to determine if a person is eligible for a clearance. Included are persons who transfer from active duty into the Reserves for over a year and then  return  to  active  duty.  An  investigation completed in the previous tour of active duty is also invalid for PRP assignments. ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED MATERIAL The Department of Defense uses the simple principle  of  circulation  control  to  maintain security  of  classified  information.  Circulation control means that knowledge or possession of classified  information  is  permitted  only  by persons requiring access in the interest of national security. Only personnel who are eligible are granted access. No  one  is  granted  access  to  classified information solely because of rank, position, or a security clearance. The person authorized to have possession, knowledge, or control of classified information has the final responsibility for deciding whether a person requires access to that information. The preceding security precautions also apply to access by another federal agency, a defense contractor, a foreign government, or an organiza- tion such as a command. GRANTING ACCESS Commanding officers have the authority to grant access to classified information and are responsible for the security of the information or materials in their command. They may grant access to classified information to persons who have an official need to know or a valid security clearance. They may also grant access if local disqualifying information is unavailable about a person. The commanding officer should take the following steps in granting access to a member of a command: 1. 2. 3. 4. Determine the level of access necessary for the person to perform his or her official duties (need to know). Check  the  person’s  official  personnel record and determine if he or she has, or is eligible for, the proper clearance. Review  the  available  command  records and  reports  for  possible  disqualifying information. Grant the access and record it if the person has the proper clearance and, dis- qualifying information is unavailable. Since granting access is a command respon- sibility, access is terminated automatically when the  person  transfers  from  the  command,  is discharged, or is separated from federal service. It is also terminated when a security clearance is withdrawn, denied, or revoked for any reason. When questionable or unfavorable informa- tion becomes available on a person who has been granted access, commanding officers may decide to restrict or suspend access. They may use a restriction or suspension of access  for  cause only as a temporary measure until the person’s eligibility for access is resolved. LIMITED ACCESS AUTHORIZATION Commanding officers may sometimes grant access to classified information to a person who is ineligible. The person maybe someone outside the  executive  branch  of  the  government  or someone who is otherwise ineligible for a security clearance. Commanding officers may grant such access only in the interest of national security. Those commanding officers who decide to grant access to such a person should submit a request to CNO (OP-09N) for a limited access authoriza- tion (LAA). The CNO (OP-09N) will accept LAA 9-43