press room
March 2011
Book review for: Federal Suitability and Security Clearances
ISSUE MITIGATION HANDBOOK
by William H. Henderson
For immediate Release:
Despite significant improvements in overall clearance processing times, many applicants still face long delays in obtaining a federal clearance. Incomplete data and problems involving fingerprint cards result in the rejection of 13.6% of contractor clearance applications. Investigations of clean cases and those involving only minor derogatory information are being completed in record time, but other cases continue to take several months or more. As overall investigation time has decreased, security adjudicators are demanding better quality. Department of Defense adjudication facilities return 20% of all completed clearance investigations to the Office of Personnel Management for additional work.
Government agencies and contractors continue to face shortages of cleared personnel in a broad range of programs and often depend on interim clearances to fill many positions that would otherwise remain vacant for months. But Government agencies decline to grant interim clearances to 20% to 30% of applicants.
Understanding the potentially disqualifying and mitigating conditions for federal clearances and how they affect case processing are critical to obtaining to best possible results in the shortest possible time. For most applicants the longer the process takes, the greater the possibility that clearance sponsorship will be withdrawn before a final clearance is granted.
Issue Mitigation Handbook begins with an explanation of the three major federal personnel security programs and why so many cases take substantially longer than the statistical averages published by Government agencies. It covers the various investigations and the adjudicative processes. The remainder of the text is devoted to a detailed discussion of all potentially disqualifying conditions and how most of those conditions can be mitigated for both interim and final clearances. The book’s back matter contains invaluable sample affidavits, as well as instructions and reference materials applicants never see until the final stages of an unfavorable clearance decision when there is little time to prepare a rebuttal or an appeal.
The author was a U.S. Army Counterintelligence Agent and a supervisory investigator with the Defense Security Service. He has applied his 35 years of experience in federal personnel security to produce a thoroughly researched book that is indispensable to all clearance applicants who have even the slightest doubt about the security implications of their past conduct or relationship to foreign nationals.
Last Post Publishing Presents for Review A copy of your review to the address below will be appreciated:
Title: Federal Suitability and Security Clearances Last Post Publishing
ISSUE MITIGATION HANDBOOK Attn: Editor
1120 Forest Avenue PMB 274
Author: William H. Henderson Pacific Grove, CA 93950
LCCN: 2011902983 Tel: 831-233-4340
ISBN: 978-0-9793466-3-7 editor@lastpostpublishing.com
Pages: 254 http://lastpostpublishing.com
Price: $26.50
Pub date: 24 March 2011
Format: Trade Paperback (6" x 9")
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
June 2007
Book review for SECURITY CLEARANCE MANUAL: How To Reduce The Time It Takes To Get Your Government Clearance
by William H. Henderson.
For Immediate Release:
This is the first book that guides an applicant through the federal security clearance process with detailed instructions on how to complete the application form and comprehensive information on clearances, investigative standards, adjudicative criteria, and case examples. This book is a must for anyone applying (or reapplying) for a Department of Defense or Department of Energy security clearance, as well as those seeking other sensitive federal positions and those enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. Never before has this information been presented to the public or the military-industrial community in a single, comprehensive, easily understood publication.
Security Clearance Manual is a thoroughly researched, expertly organized book, written by an investigative professional with 30 years of government experience. With this book you will learn how to significantly reduce the time it takes to get your security clearance and in some cases greatly improve your chances of being granted a clearance. Defense contractors now have a tool for reducing the enormous cost of loss productivity due to backlogs and delays in the DoD security clearance program. Applicants can minimize the frustrations and the possibility of loss of employment due to prolonged clearance processing times.
Security Clearance Manual was adopted by the University of New Haven, CT for use as a text in their graduate course, NSP--Security Clearance Programs in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.