Marko Hakamaa
Illegal Drug Use – How Long of a Wait is Long Enough Before Applying for a Clearance?
Many on this forum have described their own personal history of illegal drug use and then ask for an opinion on how long they have to wait to have a chance at getting granted a security clearance. No one can answer that with certainty as many factors are involved and
Associating with Illegal Drug Users Results in Clearance Revocation
The Department of Energy (DOE) Personnel Security Program has a reputation as one of the better ones across the Federal government. Background investigators actually prefer working DOE cases because of the level of professionalism, courtesy, and cooperation from the applicants, their co-workers, supervisors, and even neighbors. DOE ingrains security awareness into their
How Do FSOs and Security Managers Track Clearances?
Facility Security Officers (FSO) and government agency security managers track the status of security clearances and applications for hundreds of employees and new hires. This can be pretty challenging with all of the moving pieces involving various data systems, agencies, and processes. DoD’s Joint Personnel Adjudication System (JPAS), which has
Security Clearance Adjudicators Overruled by Politics
Security clearance adjudicators are trained to review background investigations, apply adjudicative guidelines and criteria, and make a decision as to whether granting an individual eligibility for a clearance is in compliance with the guidelines and in the interest of national security. New adjudicators undergo extensive on the job training with