Marko Hakamaa
A DOHA Appeal Involving Rarely Used Allegiance Guideline
The national security adjudicative guideline for allegiance is rarely used in security clearance denials, in fact, I have only come across it used less than a handful of times over the years. Now, one has popped up in a Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals case for a defense contractor. The contractor
What is the Cannabis Users Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act?
Last month, bipartisan legislation was submitted in the House of Representatives that would prevent federal agencies from denying an applicant a job or security clearance based on their current or prior marijuana use. The bill would also give those previously denied jobs or a clearance a chance to appeal that
The Original Charge for an Arrest is Relevant
It is common practice for courts to allow individuals who are charged with a felony or serious misdemeanor offense to plea bargain down to a lesser offense just to keep the justice system moving and to avoid long drawn-out trials. For example, someone gets arrested for aggravated assault with intent
The National Security Agency is on a Hiring Binge
The National Security Agency (NSA) is in the middle of hiring 3,000 new employees, the largest growth in the NSA’s history. Why? Because of a combination of factors. First, their workforce is aging and many of their employees are looking at retiring in the next one to five years. Second,