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.

Security Clearance Denial

Last year, the number of security clearance denials involving illegal drug use increased by 36% from the previous year. Quite a few of the denials involved security clearance holders who mistakenly thought they could partake in marijuana use because it was legal in their state. So far, 2024 is starting

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Security Clearance Denial

I ran across a rather unusual Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) case involving serious criminal conduct occurring in 2007. In most cases, the time elapsed since then would have mitigated the concerns, but in this particular instance, they did not. Here are the highlights of the case. In

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Security Clearance Process

Background investigators can tell you they hate it when they are interviewing someone who has listed information way beyond what the scope of the questions are asking for on the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86). That is because the investigator has to cover all of the information listed by

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Security Clearance Denial

When a clearance applicant certifies the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86), they are signing to say their statements on the form, and on any attachments to it, are true, complete, and correct to the best of their knowledge and are made in good faith. They are also stating that they understand

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