Cleared or Clearable?

For anyone seeking employment with the federal government, military, or a government contractor, this is the $64,000 question. Even though there are more than 1.5 million workers in the government contracting world with clearances, there are thousands of jobs in the Washington area and across the country begging for cleared or clearable people to fill them.

Why are they so important?
Due to the sensitive nature of the information handled by many government workers and contractors, only those individuals who have proven throughout their personal and professional lives that they are trustworthy and unlikely to compromise secrets should be allowed to have access to information relating to matters of national security. The secret or sensitive information a person may be asked to handle could be as complex as a world-wide military communications network or as basic as knowing the identity of another government worker covertly assigned overseas. Either way, the disclosure of such information, whether intentional or accidental, could have a significant adverse effect upon the security of our nation and our citizens.

Many government agencies require some sort of security clearance. Most obvious among these are the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and the various other agencies and organizations that make up the Intelligence Community. But there are other, less obvious government agencies which also require at least a background check or personal security investigation. Individuals who work for the Departments of State, Energy, or the Treasury may also be subject to this same level of scrutiny.

Since the risks may differ from one agency to another, it is not uncommon for each agency to have its own set of security requirements that must be satisfied in order for an individual to be cleared to work in their environment. For example, a person working with international financial transactions will need to pass a credit check. A person working in the Intelligence Community will be carefully examined about close contacts or relatives living overseas.

Depending upon the nature of the information to which a person will have access, there are several levels of clearances:

• The Confidential security clearance deals with material, if improperly disclosed, that could be reasonably expected to cause some measurable damage to issues of national security. Military personnel have the largest number of this type of clearance. Individuals possessing this clearance require reinvestigation every 15 years.
• Secret clearances are required for individuals who have access to sensitive information for which unauthorized disclosure could seriously endanger national security. Reinvestigations are required every 10 years for this level of clearance.
• Top Secret information is deemed to be so sensitive that unauthorized disclosure could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to our national security. People with this level of clearance are reinvestigated every five years.

How do I get a clearance?
No one can apply for a clearance on their own. The first step is to apply to work for a federal agency or government contractor. If the employer wants you to apply your skills on a government contract which requires a security clearance, the employer's security representative will work with you to initiate the security process. This can be a very long process—sometimes a year or more—so you should not expect instant gratification. And, it is the government, not your employer, who will decide if, and when, to issue that clearance.

The process usually begins with the completion of a lengthy questionnaire commonly referred to as the SF-86. Fortunately, the paper version has been replaced with an electronic version that can be downloaded on your home computer. For Confidential and Secret clearances, this usually encompasses the last five years of the applicants life. For Top Secret clearances, the last ten years is closely examined.

The next phase of the process involves the actual investigation of your background by a federal investigator with the necessary credentials to gain access to former employers, references, neighbors, etc. This individual will conduct an extensive personal interview with you as well.

For positions requiring access to highly sensitive information, a polygraph (lie detector test) may be required.

The final phase of the process is referred to as the adjudication. All of the data collected throughout the investigation are evaluated to determine loyalty, character, trustworthiness, and reliability, among other factors noted below. Complete and total honesty is essential throughout this process. Any suspicion of deception or dishonesty will delay, if not derail, the process.

What factors are considered?
For starters, if you don't have a clean record, you shouldn't even think about applying for a job requiring a clearance. Depending on the type of security clearance involved, items to be considered may include: verification of U.S. citizenship, search of federal records, criminal record checks with local law enforcement agencies, fingerprinting, credit checks, employer references, interviews with neighbors, and a personal interview. At higher levels, a medical and psychological exam and polygraph test may be required.

People who have a criminal record, a history of substance abuse, a bad credit record or personal bankruptcy, or a checkered employment record are generally considered to be at risk of blackmail or subject to compromise by foreign agents or people who wish to undermine the United States government.

There are a few "show-stoppers" that will prevent an individual from ever being granted a clearance. They include:

• A conviction for a crime leading to a sentence of one or more years of imprisonment regardless of actual time served;
• Evidence of current/recent use of or addiction to controlled substances (illegal or prescribed drugs);
• Mental incompetence as determined by a mental health professional;
• A dishonorable discharge from U. S. military service.

Individuals who have one or more of these significant factors or other derogatory information in their background are well-advised not to seek positions requiring a clearance. Once an individual is denied a clearance, that person can never again be considered for a clearance with any government agency.

Why does it take so long?
Primarily, due to the buildups of Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Defense, there are well over a half million people in process for clearances. Despite the fact that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Defense Security Service (DSS), and a number of sub-contractors have been called into action, the sheer volume guarantees that for most people the process will be many months in duration.

Obviously, the less extensive background checks for Confidential and Secret clearances may only take a few months. For the more sensitive positions, it will not be uncommon for the process to take a year or more.

Individuals who are submitted for clearance processing should understand that there are a number of factors that can prolong an investigation. Some of the more common circumstances are:

• Having lived or worked in several different geographic locations or overseas
• Travel outside of the United States
• Relatives who live overseas
• Background information that is difficult to obtain or verify

What's in it for me?
Most recruiting experts believe that a person with a security clearance can command a salary of $5,000 to $15,000 more than others in the same career field who do not possess a clearance. More importantly, due to the nearly recession-proof job market in the federal and government contracting arenas, an active security clearance almost guarantees an interview whenever a cleared individual decides to change employers.

Transferring a clearance from one employer to another usually requires only a few weeks. Employers, of course, know this and can benefit significantly if they can put a person to work on a government project immediately. That is why they always prefer to hire the cleared, rather than the clearable, candidate.

—by Gary Cluff

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