Security Clearance Jobs Blog

Really? What a shocker! The Government Accountibility Office came out with a recent report detailing how the security clearance process is taking too darn long. This same article and these findings seem to be copied and pasted verbatim on a yearly basis from past reports, dating back to 2000. The time delays have been a way of life for the defense industry for a good six years.

Even more scary news from the report:

In reviewing 50 reports on clearances granted, GAO found that 47 were missing required documents. More than half contained at least one unresolved issue, but none of the sampled industry personnel were denied security clearances.

“The use of incomplete investigations and adjudications in granting Top Secret clearance eligibility increases the risk of unauthorized disclosure of classified information,” the report stated.

 

Okay, I’m all up for speeding up the clearance process, but how can an adjudicator make a level-headed decision on clearance award without all of the necessary data?

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The newest ClearanceJobs.com Security Clearance Salary Survey reports average nationwide salaries are up by 2% since the first quarter of this year. The survey of about 2,200 cleared workers also lists a few other interesting findings:

• Salaries for the lowest level Department of Defense-issued clearance, Confidential, had the greatest gain this quarter, with the average salary rising 13.5 percent to $52,000
• The average salary in the Washington D.C. metro area declined nearly ten percent since the first quarter to $73,428
• Security cleared professionals in Iraq continue to be rewarded with higher than average pay, as salaries rose 6.4 percent to $98,387 this quarter
• Security-cleared women narrowed the salary gender gap by 3.75 percent since the first quarter, but they still earn approximately 12 percent less than their male counterparts
• IT management positions top the list of highest paying job titles with security-cleared IT executives earning $111,578 and security-cleared project managers earning $99,322

It is good to see DC area salaries leveling off a bit. Perhaps the era of $20k signing bonuses and free BMWs is coming to a close. Click for full security clearance salary survey results.

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A scientist in the Los Angeles area working for DoD prime contractor Boeing is under investigation for mishandling classified information.

“Abraham Lesnik, listed as an employee at Boeing’s Space Based Radar group in El Segundo, has been the subject of three searches of his Valley Village home, the FBI confirmed.

The investigation stems from classified information found on a laptop computer used by Lesnik that was confiscated by Boeing, then turned over to the FBI, according to sources and news reports.

Lesnik, an expert in high-energy physics, developed anti-missile systems for Boeing and has a high-level security clearance.”

So is this a case of espionage, or is this brilliant scientist not so smart when it comes to adhering to basic security guidelines? Regardless of the answer to this question, I hate to see Boeing’s image as a great American company and aerospace leader tarnished. This will be interesting to watch unfold.

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National Public Radio’s Marketplace program ran an interesting story recently on how private industry is stepping up to the plate and taking over many intelligence jobs for the government. Overall, its a good read.

The most provocative line from “intelligence guru and former spy Robert Steele” is as follows:

“Contractors are being given contracts where they claim to have thousands of people with clearances and language skills that don’t actually work for them. And then they turn around and hire away government employees for their clearances, or they provide people who don’t speak the language properly, all in order to make a buck. That’s simply wrong.”

Mr. Steele’s first line is dead-on correct. Many contractors claim to have the cleared talent to fill a contract, when in reality they only have a resume – not an employee. Look at the number of job postings that say “contingent on contract award”. That is some fine print you really don’t want to gloss over.

With regards to providing people that “don’t speak the language properly,” on this point I’d disagree. Contractors that supply the wrong personnel or unqualified personnel are taking a huge risk with their government client. I’d wager that Steele’s line is a hypothesis and not based on a specific event.

Furthermore, he makes it sound like “making a buck” is a nasty thing. The defense industry is a business, plain and simple. Granted, these aren’t folks turning out coat hangers here – but capitalism is the American way.

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Recently, I received notice from my company Factility Security Officer (FSO) that my security clearance is due for reinvestigation. Even via email and the written work, I can clearly tell he’s a bit anxious. I knew we had 90 days to slowly and carefully complete the data entry in e-QIP. Why the anxiety? What could cause a mild-mannered FSO to quake in his Timberlands? After some prying, he explained:

“Please be very, very careful with the information you input into e-QIP. Bob did his PR last year and made one small mistake in the online form. It took a year to get the typo changed and the PR resubmitted.”

Turns out that “Bob” was still able to work on his classified projects, but word around the water cooler is that this isn’t always the case. If the PR is delayed, is it really possible that someone might be denied access to their job? Take heed! Who thought an accidental typo could cause so much grief?

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Yes, its another blog on the web. But this one is different – really! Our goal: To provide lively discussion about careers in the U.S. defense industry and issues regarding obtaining and maintaining government security clearances.

Who are we, and why should you trust the information here? We hold a unique position with access to hundreds of defense industry recruiters and HR staff, current and former government employees, active duty and retired military, and certified career counselors and resume writers. Furthermore, your blog authors are security-cleared defense industry workers with a few decades of experience.

Good enough? We hope you find the posts here interesting, informative, and even entertaining.

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