Security Clearance Jobs Blog

National Public Radio covered the defense industry again, this time focusing on the growing reliance of private contractors to fill intelligence roles at the “three letter” agencies. I guess Jennifer Garner’s face on the CIA website isn’t quite doing the trick. Who would have thought?

What is interesting in this article, is the note that not only Federal agencies but State agencies are in need of contractor assistance. This is the first time a mainstream media outlet has noted this important fact.

Making the problem staffing shortage worse, a whole new market has evolved at the state level. State law enforcement agencies need their own intelligence personnel.

Even more interesting is the fact that due to grants from the DHS, the State intelligence offices cannot hire their own employees! The must rely on contractors. Definitely a good opportunity for a smart company.

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It has been over a year (since May 2005) that a national news organization has come out to declare the security clearance backlog as a major security risk. In 2005 during Congressional hearings, the “security threat” language was last used. Surprisingly, the topic hasn’t been put in these terms in a while, even though the same ol’ issues are still in place.

A new editorial reviews a recent Washington Post report and calls the baby ugly. The report notes that a December 17th, 2006 deadline was set in the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act which stipulates:

“..that 80 percent of applications for federal security clearances must be completed in an average of 120 days , by December 17th, 2006.”

Was anyone really taking this date seriously? Sure, it would have been great, but the deadline was not entirely realistic.

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