Government investigative agencies have a common expression. Each of their agents will be assigned as a ‘covering agent,’ one assigned for every supported cleared contractor, government agency, or other entity in their area. If overseas, there will be a covering agent for each foreign organization in their area of responsibility. The purpose of the covering agent is to have someone knowledgeable of all the requirements, personnel, and programs of each organization or company in their geographical area. Further, especially important when dealing with other investigative or government agencies, the covering agent must know the areas of responsibility for each organization they support. They are the go-to person for phone numbers, personal background, and other key data on their contacts. For instance, it was important to know that when contacting an FBI agent in town, they were married to another on a special investigative joint task force. One would generally know where the other was in a pinch for time. Likewise, one government agency oversaw certain military harbor activities worldwide.
Remember ‘Need to Know’
Likewise, it was important to know the chain of command or corporate responsibility for each organization or company supported. Given the nature of bureaucracy, it was never good to jump the chain of command if it could be avoided. Literal briefings on the chain of command were helpful. If you call this person, they can contact the appropriate person at their facility. How reassuring it was to know someone who, like a magician, could find each appropriate person in a given office. Not only the chain of command, but also knowing someone who knew the whole office setup was a godsend. Especially when time is a factor in an investigation, but even when it is not, it is best to know the right person to handle it. Of course, we need only add that fewer people in the ‘knowledgeability chain’ for any investigative process is best. Remember ‘Need to Know.’
If we find ourselves in a new position with security responsibilities, what should we do, knowing all this? We need to discuss with our company’s covering agent what they should know about our organization. We need to clarify the chain of command and brief them if necessary. Here, we might add a clarification. Who do we need to brief after each visit by our covering agent? Is it automatic that we go to our boss, then to theirs, and further? Or do we brief at the end of the week, or not at all? What if something unusual occurs? Once, a counterpart asked about a specialized surveillance technique. We considered it odd that they would ask about some technique we thought they knew. We cleared our response with our senior agency and offered it to them. Upon inquiry, we learned they were requesting yet another agency. Good, we had established an honest relationship with our counterparts, so it was easier to simply ask why they did something. Unless ‘Need to Know’ is in effect, always tell your boss if anything from your covering agent comes up.
Why Relationships and Recordkeeping Matter
Our covering agent must make themselves known in their areas of responsibility. Unless literally assigned to other tasks, their job is to constantly update books on the various agencies they cover. This can actually be a book. I’ve seen them with telephone numbers, spellings of counterparts’ names, and line-and-block charts. It is also important to understand what the supported agency does and what the covered agency protects. To that end, it is necessary to ask for briefings on the classified programs. Within Need to Know, a briefing for your covering agent will serve to advise them in a comprehensive, but general way, on what they’re helping to protect. By making themself available to the organization they cover, they’ll become a known quantity. It was always a common joke among well-meaning colleagues that when their covering agent showed up, they would comment, “Here’s Bob, drumming up business again!” This is funny and true! How often, when an agent showed up, would someone say, “Can we talk a minute?” and pass along something they were ‘wondering about.’ (We should add here that having a secure, private room available at all times is necessary for discussions such as this.) Sure, not every report was significant, but some were. Some led to spies. Some reports led to criminal activity, which required us to be aware of what could and couldn’t be done within the company. It is important for a covering agent to know which regular correspondence each facility maintains. Do they work with companies abroad? Are they coordinated with foreign-owned companies in the United States?
As is evident, each question can lead to more. The covering agent’s job is constant. Records of each visit and each discussion must be kept. That casual remark might be a lead when a serious incident is later investigated.
