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

The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) ranks the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the number one threat when it comes to protecting classified national security information and sensitive proprietary data. Reports from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Departments of Justice and Commerce, and the Defense Security and

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Security Clearance Process

The Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86) has always had a section on it where applicants must provide their Selective Service registration status (if it applies to them).  Nowadays the question that asks “were you born a male after December 31, 1959, is not so straightforward anymore.  The Selective Service has updated their

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Security Clearance Denial

Everyone knows the continued use of illegal drugs is not compatible with holding a security clearance. However, not everyone is aware that the same thing applies with the misuse of prescription drugs. We don’t see that many appeals cases involving this issue, so this case from the Department of Energy Office (DOE)

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Obtaining Security Clearance

The National Background Investigation System (NBIS) has been in the news quite a bit lately, and not in a good way. Congressional hearings, Inspector General reports, and even the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) itself, who owns the system, all acknowledge the continuing issues with NBIS despite being eight

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