| Acronym/Term | Meaning | Comments | Source |
| Adjudicative Recommendation | Report prepared by SACU Analyst determining applicant suitability | Summarizes facts obtained in applicant background investigation. | Adjudicative Recommendation |
| FD-302 | Summary of interview. | A written statement summarizing interviews with witnesses, attested to by the Special Agent and not the witness. Not admissible evidence in a trial except for impeachment by the defense. | MAOP |
| ICS | Initial Clearance Section | A section of the Security Division that contains both the Special Agent Clearance Unit and the Special Agent Applicant Unit | Supervisory Special Agent Mark A. Gant, its Section Chief; Adjudicative Recommendation showing that my suitability determination officially came from ICS/SAAU and not ICS/SACU |
| IIU | Internal Investigations Unit | A unit of the Inspection Division that investigates personnel for criminal or unethical conduct that causes serious harm to an individual or the organization. | Assistant Director Amy Jo Lyons |
| IPU | Initial Processing Unit | A unit of the Inspection Division that handles complaint intake. | Unit Chief Sandra A. Bungo |
| MAOP | Manual of Administrative Operations and Procedures | The manual that controls preparation of documents, files, correspondence, and other matters. Interestingly enough, it sets standards for preparation of FD-302's...I have the complete manual. | MAOP |
| MIOG | Manual of Investigative Operations and Guidelines | The manual. It has it all-- every type of case within the FBI's jurisdiction. I have the complete manual. | MIOG |
| ODNI | Office of the Director of National Intelligence | ODNI maintains the Scattered Castles interagency database, which contains "comprehensive" personnel security information. | Policy guidance available in Manuals section. |
| OIG | Office of the Inspector General | The Inspector General is the superior command of the FBI Inspection Division. The Inspector General has the right of first refusal on all complaints of misconduct by FBI personnel. | The Bell Report. |
| OPR | Office of Professional Responsibility | The component of the FBI responsible for disciplining personnel who are investigated by the Inspection Division | Assistant Director Candice M. Will; MIOG sec. 263--OPR Matters |
| SAAU | Special Agent Applicant Unit | The component of the FBI that decides whether your drug use is within acceptable parameters, among other things. | MIOG |
| SACU | Special Agent Clearance Unit | The component of the FBI that makes suitability and security adjudications. | Rejection letter |
| Scattered Castles | An interagency database | ODNI maintains this repository of personnel security data and other information. Part of the FBI background investigation is a search of Scattered Castles, classified ODNI databases, and the CIA to determine whether the applicant has previously been investigated by another agency, among other things. | Scattered Castles/ODNI/CIA request form |
