How long can DOD recipient organizations retain background investigation records?

The retention of background investigation records by DOD recipient organizations is governed by established guidelines that emphasize the need for maintaining these records only for specific official purposes related to personnel security. This aligns with the principle of data minimization and ensures that sensitive information is not retained longer than necessary.

Retaining such records only as needed for the originally requested official purpose means that organizations should keep these records as long as they are relevant to the role or functioning of the individual being investigated, and not beyond that. This helps in ensuring that personnel security measures remain effective, while also minimizing the risk of unauthorized access to potentially sensitive information.

By adhering to this guideline, organizations can manage their personnel security processes effectively while complying with legal and administrative requirements regarding data privacy and protection. The other options imply indefinite retention, retention based solely on employee termination, or a fixed maximum period, which do not align with the correct guideline of retaining records only as necessary for official purposes.