Author Archive

Marko Hakamaa

Marko Hakamaa served in various military police positions with the United States Army worldwide for 22 years before retiring in 2006 as a Master Sergeant. Afterwards, he transitioned into the civilian workforce as a contractor background investigator for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before entering civil service as a Security Specialist in 2009.

AdjudicationBackground InvestigationsObtaining Security ClearanceSecurity Clearance DenialSecurity Clearance Process

In a recent Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals case, a DoD contractor was able to overcome concerns with her history of incidents involving alcohol consumption to get security clearance eligibility. This was one of those cases that could have gone either way, depending on the interpretation of the mitigating

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Security Clearance Process

The United States is a member of the intelligence alliance known as the “Fives Eyes” which includes Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As such, classified intelligence and threat information is shared among the members of the alliance. Obviously, the intelligence staff and others involved must be vetted

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AdjudicationObtaining Security ClearanceSecurity Clearance DenialSecurity Clearance Process

A Department of Energy (DOE) contractor had his security clearance suspended by the local security office due to concerns related to sexual and criminal conduct after he reported he had been arrested and charged with engaging in lewd conduct, peeking, and invasion of privacy. After an administrative review, the decision

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Background InvestigationsObtaining Security ClearanceSecurity Clearance Process

When a defense contractor’s Security Management Office (SMO) offers someone a job in a sensitive position that requires a security clearance there are certain responsibilities and actions they must take to process the request through the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), depending on the scenario. First and foremost, they

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