Comments on: Security Clearance Backlog Proves Costly http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:23:30 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: jen http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16393 jen Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16393 But James, surely you know that the government is reluctant to change anything that's perceived as "working." I don't think the methods of investigating employee backgrounds will change anytime soon. But James, surely you know that the government is reluctant to change anything that's perceived as "working." I don't think the methods of investigating employee backgrounds will change anytime soon.

]]> By: Rich Gardner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16394 Rich Gardner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16394 After each of the major spy cases (Walker and Ames) there has been the usual commission set up to determine what went wrong. And each time they have come up with the security clearance process needs revision, and that active monitoring of personal finances would uncover more than any of the investigations do. Intrusive, yes, and significant privacy concerns. But instead we have a system conceptionally mired in the 50s. The standards were based on profiles created in the 50s on US/UK esponiage cases in the 1940s/50s. But what you also have is a major jobs program, used to be DIS - Defense Investigative Services, now mostly outsourced, and staffed by, well frankly, folks that want to be criminal investigators but couldn't pass the mustard. They are not all like that, but I certainly have seen quite a few when they come by the office and the word goes around, "Hey, who knew 'John Smith' when he was here?" and you are then quizzed about items that if you knew about him doing, you wouldn't admit it or risk your own clearance (unless you are really dumb). And should the gumshoe find someone at home in your neighborhood, it is likely to be some retiree suspicious of everyone. And it is mostly pointless. I do have my last clearance submission on file (electronically) in case I ever need it, but after 19 months when I left, they still hadn't started it, and couldn't find it in the system. Making the system paperless is about the only update that had occured in the past 50 years. After each of the major spy cases (Walker and Ames) there has been the usual commission set up to determine what went wrong. And each time they have come up with the security clearance process needs revision, and that active monitoring of personal finances would uncover more than any of the investigations do. Intrusive, yes, and significant privacy concerns. But instead we have a system conceptionally mired in the 50s. The standards were based on profiles created in the 50s on US/UK esponiage cases in the 1940s/50s.

But what you also have is a major jobs program, used to be DIS - Defense Investigative Services, now mostly outsourced, and staffed by, well frankly, folks that want to be criminal investigators but couldn't pass the mustard. They are not all like that, but I certainly have seen quite a few when they come by the office and the word goes around, "Hey, who knew 'John Smith' when he was here?" and you are then quizzed about items that if you knew about him doing, you wouldn't admit it or risk your own clearance (unless you are really dumb). And should the gumshoe find someone at home in your neighborhood, it is likely to be some retiree suspicious of everyone. And it is mostly pointless.

I do have my last clearance submission on file (electronically) in case I ever need it, but after 19 months when I left, they still hadn't started it, and couldn't find it in the system. Making the system paperless is about the only update that had occured in the past 50 years.

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16395 James Joyner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16395 Yep. And the system isn't totally paperless, either. I had to fill out an entire background check for the FBI by hand a couple months ago. Yep. And the system isn't totally paperless, either. I had to fill out an entire background check for the FBI by hand a couple months ago.

]]> By: Jem http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16396 Jem Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16396 I got a TS/SCI clearance in 1989 and was reinvestigated in 1994 and 1999-2002 (I filled out paperwork at least three times on that one--it kept getting lost someplace in the system). It took me until a month ago to find out that my clearance had been recertified in 2002. Lots of folks that currently have clearances are working on "temporary" extensions of their clearances because it takes so long to do updates. The whole process is like being trapped in a hall of mirrors--no one can tell you the status of your case, it just mysteriously gets adjudicated and your clearance/continued access approved I got a TS/SCI clearance in 1989 and was reinvestigated in 1994 and 1999-2002 (I filled out paperwork at least three times on that one--it kept getting lost someplace in the system). It took me until a month ago to find out that my clearance had been recertified in 2002. Lots of folks that currently have clearances are working on "temporary" extensions of their clearances because it takes so long to do updates. The whole process is like being trapped in a hall of mirrors--no one can tell you the status of your case, it just mysteriously gets adjudicated and your clearance/continued access approved

]]> By: joseph c. burrell http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16397 joseph c. burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16397 how do i get a ts/sci security clearance for work? what is the procedure? how do i get a ts/sci security clearance for work? what is the procedure?

]]> By: joseph c. burrell http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16398 joseph c. burrell Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16398 How do i get a ts/sci security clearance for work? What is the procedure? How do i get a ts/sci security clearance for work? What is the procedure?

]]> By: Wizbang http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16399 Wizbang Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16399 <strong>Security Clearances</strong> James Joyner explains how you get a government security clearance, and why the process is broken. There really is a premium placed on potential employees who are already cleared. One of the reasons for the premium is the cost to... Security Clearances
James Joyner explains how you get a government security clearance, and why the process is broken. There really is a premium placed on potential employees who are already cleared. One of the reasons for the premium is the cost to...

]]> By: Texas Native http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/security_clearance_backlog_proves_costly/comment-page-1/#comment-16400 Texas Native Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=6051#comment-16400 <strong>Fun with security interviews</strong> Bored with the stifling routine of security interviews? Here's how I managed to spice one up --- Fun with security interviews
Bored with the stifling routine of security interviews? Here's how I managed to spice one up

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