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 has worked as a contractor background investigator, a government industrial and personnel security specialist, and as a national security and public trust background investigation adjudicator.

Security Clearance Process

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is expanding Rap Back enrollment to the broader industry population—not just clearance holders—following the successful completion of a pilot program. This marks a significant milestone in the implementation of Trusted Workforce 2.0 (TW 2.0) and the transition to a Continuous Vetting (CV) framework

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Security Clearance Process

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) released a new public-facing interface called the Individual Engagement Platform (IEP) with the intent to improve transparency and streamline interactions between the government and individuals undergoing personnel vetting. Starting in March 2026, when an applicant is initiated in eAPP to fill out the

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Security Clearance Denial

I ran across one of the more colorful Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals cases in which the applicant, a defense contractor and retired USAF veteran, was initially denied security clearance eligibility due to concerns with personal conduct and handling of protected information. Here are the highlights of the case.

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Security Clearance Denial

Three security clearance applicants were initially denied clearance eligibility by the DoD due to concerns with on-going involvement with marijuana use. They all appealed to the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA). Here are the highlights of the cases. The first applicant submitted his SF-86 and admitted to using

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