Did you know “Q Access Authorization” is the highest level of security in the United States Department of Energy (DOE) which gives access to Formerly Restricted Data, Secret Restricted Data and National Security Information?
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Q Clearance
A Q Access Authorization, or Q Clearance, is equivalent to a U.S. Department of Defense Top Secret clearance.
Anyone possessing an active Q clearance is always categorized as holding a National Security Critical-Sensitive position (sensitivity Level 3).
Most Q-cleared incumbents will have collateral responsibilities designating them as Level 4: National Security Special-Sensitive personnel.
With these two designations standing as the highest-risk sensitivity levels, occupants of these positions hold extraordinary accountability, having the potential to cause "exceptionally grave" or "inestimable" damage to the national security of the United States.

Q Access Authorization means an access authorization granted by the Commission normally based on a Tier 5 (T5) investigation conducted by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, the FBI, or other U.S. Government agency that conducts personnel security investigations.
Employee Accesses Authorized Based on DOE-Issued Security Clearances
"Q" access authorization permits an individual access on a need-to-know basis to: 1. Secret and Confidential Restricted Data 2. Secret and Confidential National Security Information including intelligence information, CRYPTO (i.e., cryptographic information) or other classified communications security (COMSEC) information.
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