DOE has a wide and diverse mission. A few decades ago, they flew me to DC for a couple days. I was impressed by how much I didn't know about their mission. Apparently they were not.
Dept of Energy includes a bunch of research labs that get funded for energy research and physics projects, but because those researchers are so damn good at what they are doing, they also funnel money into projects that are more questionable (as energy projects if under public scrutiny but still relevant to national security) and more targeted towards supporting the military.
Answer: A Q clearance! "Until 1993, essentially every weapons laboratory employee had a Q clearance. These facilities worked for more than 40 years with the assumption that everyone who has access to it has a Q clearance.
"The Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI), also abbreviated IN, DOE-IN, DOE/IN, I&CI, or OIC, was established in 2006 by the merger of pre-existing Energy Department intelligence and security organizations.
It is an office of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) responsible for all intelligence and counterintelligence activities throughout the DOE complex; due to this central role, OICI is designated DOE's Headquarters Intelligence.
As a component of the United States Intelligence Community in addition to the Department of Energy, OICI reports to both the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Energy.
"Since June 2019, OICI directors have also been charged which determining which foreign government-sponsored talent recruitment programs (e.g. Thousand Talents Plan) pose intellectual property and espionage threats. Foreign governments deemed to be "of risk" will have American DOE/NNSA researchers and contractors barred from participation."
"Directorates and agency structure - OICI is divided into at least five directorates:
Intelligence Directorate: Assesses the capabilities, intentions, and activities of foreign powers, organizations, and persons who may be targeting the Department of Energy for espionage.
Counterintelligence Directorate: Protects the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration from espionage and terrorism.
Management Directorate: Houses support activities for the other two directorates, including human resource services, contract support, and facility planning.
Energy and Environmental Security Directorate: Examines the impact of certain energy and environmental issues on U.S. national security, created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Cyber Intelligence Directorate: Includes the Cyber Special Programs Division.
Seriously. Why would the Dept. of Energy be the ones to determine where the virus originated?
TRUST THE PLAN
DOE has a wide and diverse mission. A few decades ago, they flew me to DC for a couple days. I was impressed by how much I didn't know about their mission. Apparently they were not.
I thought that was very fishy too!
Dark Energy?
Dept of Energy includes a bunch of research labs that get funded for energy research and physics projects, but because those researchers are so damn good at what they are doing, they also funnel money into projects that are more questionable (as energy projects if under public scrutiny but still relevant to national security) and more targeted towards supporting the military.
Yep. Advanced energy / propulsion research is as classified as it gets.
Big budgets too, which probably means DOE programs are used to siphon money into all sorts of classified projects unrelated to energy.
Advanced weaponry would likely use energy or propulsion from the DOE programs.
Like....bio weaponry?
"DOE Classification and Security" https://sgp.fas.org/classdoe.htm
Answer: A Q clearance! "Until 1993, essentially every weapons laboratory employee had a Q clearance. These facilities worked for more than 40 years with the assumption that everyone who has access to it has a Q clearance.
AND ...
PROGRAM UNDER THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY --- "INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERINTELLIGENCE"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy#Organization
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Intelligence_and_Counterintelligence
"The Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI), also abbreviated IN, DOE-IN, DOE/IN, I&CI, or OIC, was established in 2006 by the merger of pre-existing Energy Department intelligence and security organizations.
It is an office of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) responsible for all intelligence and counterintelligence activities throughout the DOE complex; due to this central role, OICI is designated DOE's Headquarters Intelligence.
As a component of the United States Intelligence Community in addition to the Department of Energy, OICI reports to both the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of Energy.
"Since June 2019, OICI directors have also been charged which determining which foreign government-sponsored talent recruitment programs (e.g. Thousand Talents Plan) pose intellectual property and espionage threats. Foreign governments deemed to be "of risk" will have American DOE/NNSA researchers and contractors barred from participation."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Intelligence_and_Counterintelligence#Director_of_the_Office_of_Intelligence_and_Counterintelligence
"Directorates and agency structure - OICI is divided into at least five directorates:
Intelligence Directorate: Assesses the capabilities, intentions, and activities of foreign powers, organizations, and persons who may be targeting the Department of Energy for espionage.
Counterintelligence Directorate: Protects the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration from espionage and terrorism.
Management Directorate: Houses support activities for the other two directorates, including human resource services, contract support, and facility planning.
Energy and Environmental Security Directorate: Examines the impact of certain energy and environmental issues on U.S. national security, created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Cyber Intelligence Directorate: Includes the Cyber Special Programs Division.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Intelligence_and_Counterintelligence#Directorates_and_agency_structure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Intelligence_and_Counterintelligence#Criticism