Federal Suitability and Security Clearances
Issue Mitigation Handbook
Today most people who apply for government work will go through some type of suitability or security clearance process. Those who have had moderate to major suitability or security issues will experience significant delays in obtaining a clearance and will potentially fail to complete the process because of these delays or be denied a clearance because of:
FINANCES CRIMINAL CONDUCT
ALCOHOL FOREIGN INFLUENCE
DRUGS FOREIGN PREFERENCE
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR MISUSE OF TECHNOLOGY
MENTAL HEALTH CONFLICT OF INTEREST
PERSONAL CONDUCT SECURITY VIOLATIONS
1. National Security Clearance is required for anyone needing access to classified national security information. Applicants must be investigated, favorably adjudicated, and reinvestigated periodically thereafter. About 3 million jobs require a security clearance and over 800,000 investigations and reinvestigations are conducted each year.
2. Federal Employment Suitability and Fitness regulations require all federal employees and contractor applicants for Public Trust positions be investigated and receive favorable suitability or fitness determinations. About 400,000 investigations are conducted a year for this purpose.
3. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requires everyone with physical or logical access to federally controlled facil-ities or computer systems be investigated and cleared for a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card (also known as a CAC within DoD and sometimes referred to as an NACI clearance). It affects about 5.5 million federal employee and contractor positions.
This book explains how suitability and security issues can be mitigated. Proper issue mitigation is not only critical to ultimately obtaining a clearance; in many cases it can result in the granting of an interim clearance and reduce the time it takes to get a final clearance. All 3 major federal personnel security programs are covered in this book with explanations of the procedures, investigations, and adjudicative standards. Sample SOR, LOD, NOPA, and affidavit forms, as well as reference materials, case citations, and rebuttal, hearing, and appeal instructions are included.
REVIEWS
“In today’s tough economy, a security clearance is an immensely valuable career asset. Issue Mitigation Handbook gives cleared professionals the knowledge and guidance they need to help maintain their suitability and keep their clearance.” – Evan Lesser, Managing Director, ClearanceJobs.com
“. . . a ready-reference of useful information for industrial security officers and would-be holders of all levels of Government-granted security clearances. [This] well-researched book . . . lays out the answers to the tough questions that clearance-aspirants won’t find via a Google search.” – Douglas J. Harpel, Editor, Defense Systems Journal (read more)
“. . . unique in its approach and exceptionally thorough in its content. A great job by an author with extensive practical experience in the personnel security field.” – William R. Loveridge, Facility Security Officer and retired DOD Personnel Security Adjudicator
“. . . valuable for everyone working with the federal security system from the security professional to the novice self-advocate. The book is well-organized and succinct, yet exceedingly comprehensive.” — Susan L. Fonfa, Ph.D., Security Consultant
"Issue Mitigation Handbook . . . a tremendous service for all current and aspiring federal employees and contractors requiring security clearance. . . Henderson [is] the preeminent private-sector expert on security clearance processing; the information he imparts significantly contributes to dispelling much of the myth, mystery, and outright misinformation and fear surrounding federal security clearances." – Jess M. Sadick, Founder and Editor, ClearedCommunity.com
The University of New Haven, CT adopted Federal Suitability and Security Clearances for use as a text in their graduate course, NSP 602--Personnel Security Programs in 2012.
Author: William H. Henderson
Pub. Date: March 2011 Order from Amazon
Format: Trade Paperback (6" x 9") (shipping time varies)
Pages: 254
ISBN: 978-0-9793466-3-7
LCCN: 2011902983 Order from BN.com
Price: $26.50 (ships in 24 hours)