WHAT   GOVERNS   DISPOSAL The  United  States  Criminal  Code  provides penalties  for  unlawful  removal  or  destruction of  federal  records.  The  Records  Disposal  Act of  1943  established  the  means  to  obtain  legal authority for   destruction   of   unneeded government   records.   Authority   for   general procedures   pertaining   to   disposal   of   federal government   records   rests   with   the   National Archives,   a   part   of   the   General   Services Administration. Specifically   pertaining   to   Navy   members is  Navy  Regulations,   1990,  Article  1127, which  provides  that  no  person  without  proper authority   may   withdraw   official   records   or destroy  them. AUTHORITY  FOR  DISPOSAL The  Records  Disposition  Manual   provides the  authority  for  disposal  of  naval  records, including   naval   correspondence,   accumulated by  naval  activities  ashore  and  afloat. DISPOSAL    RESPONSIBILITY The   individual   responsible   for   custody   of official  records  at  your  activity  also  has  the additional  responsibility  of  making  sure  that official  files  are  disposed  of  according  to  the appropriate  disposal  standard.  Your  job  is  to assist  the  responsible  person  in  making  sure that  your  records  are  complete  and  that  the proper standards from the  Records  Disposition Manual  are  applied. METHODS   OF   DISPOSAL The   two   official   methods   of   disposal   are local  destruction  or  transfer  to  the  nearest FRC.  The  types  of  records  transferred  to  the center   are   those   designated   in   the   Records Disposition  Manual   for  which  you  can  find  no disposal  authority  (after  they  have  served  the needs   of   your   activity),   and   any   inactive record    of    any    age    or    type    when    it    is determined that savings can be realized by the transfer and the records are no longer required for  local  operating  purposes. Destruction Most   unclassified   records   are   destroyed locally  at  the  end  of  their  retention  periods. Classified  material  must  be  destroyed  by burning   or   other   authorized   method.   If   you are  at  sea,  your  unclassified  and  classified records   should   be   destroyed   by   burning.   At ashore  activities  unclassified  records  may  be scrapped  or  sold  as  wastepaper,  provided  the records  are  either  treated  to  destroy  the  word content,  or  by  inserting  a  contract  clause  that prohibits  the  resale  or  use  of  the  records  or documents. Transfer Few  records  are  actually  transferred  for preservation. Those   records   that   have   a retention  value  are  transferred  to  the  nearest FRC. An   up-to-date   listing   of   FRCs   is contained  in  the  Records   Disposition   Manual. Appendix  C  of  the  Records   Disposition Manual  outlines the procedures for transferring   records. A   Records   Transmittal and  Receipt,  SF-135,  shown  in  figure  5-5,  is used  to  forward  retention  material  to  an  FRC. The FRC returns a copy to you acknowledging    receipt. Preservation Indefinite or permanent retention of official records   is   known   as   preservation.   This   does not  include  locally  retained  records,  but  does include  all  official  records  retained  at  an authorized  FRC. REVIEWING Using  the  Records   Disposition   Manual   as your  guide,  you  will  be  able  to  alert  the person  having  responsibility  for  the  files  as  to how  they  should  be  disposed  of.  One  way  to keep  ahead  of  this  process  is  to  have  a  label 5-7