I also had compartmented clearances over my 24 years in uniform and 15 years as a DOD Civilian. And I spent many years as a SSO/SSA/Security Manager (and in the "revamped" Security Service which became the Electronic Security Command - TS is the highest classification and the compartmented accesses (vs clearances) are based on the gravity of the TS info being protected.
There are different "flavors" of TS, but it remains the highest actual classification.
I believe they organized it like that to keep from having a plethora of clearance levels. A lot of the compartmented accesses require polygraphs and extra background checks.
Looks like we both had similar jobs during our careers. God Bless for your service to our country.
They did. There is a difference between official terminology and practice. The classifications from Confidential through Secret to Top Secret describe categories to which fewer and fewer people are privy. Continuing that system means that CW and other compartmentalizations including Eyes Only are, in fact, if not termed, higher classifications. In my particular category there was at least one more exclusive level beyond even the “need to know” requirements and for all I was permitted to know, perhaps that category was even further compartmentalized.