Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5230.16
October 6, 2015
ATSD(PA)
SUBJECT: Nuclear-Radiological Incident Public Affairs (PA) Guidance
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This instruction reissues DoD Directive 5230.16 (Reference (a)) as a DoD
instruction, in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5122.05 (Reference (b)), to
establish policy and assign responsibilities for the prompt release of information to the public in
the event of incidents involving nuclear weapons or nuclear components, radioactive material,
nuclear weapon launch or transport vehicles (when a nuclear weapon is aboard), or nuclear
reactors under DoD control, or during an improvised nuclear device or radiological dispersal
device incident, in accordance with DoD Directive 3150.08 (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy:
a. To respond to public queries about the location of nuclear weapons with the following
statement: “It is U.S. policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear
weapons at any general or specific location.” This response must be provided even when such
location is thought to be known or obvious.
b. To respond to public queries about information on nuclear-capable units, ships,
submarines, and naval aircraft with the following statement: “It is general U.S. policy not to
deploy nuclear weapons with ground units, or aboard surface ships, attack submarines, or
aircraft. However, we do not discuss the presence or absence of nuclear weapons aboard specific
ships, submarines, or aircraft.”
c. To respond to public queries about why the United States has a “Neither Confirm Nor
Deny” policy with the following statement: “The basis for the security requirement inherent in
the U.S. policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence or absence of nuclear weapons is
