I’m not sure what company folks work for, but all new IC’s go through the same training as OPM folks–as it is mandated by OPM and all training is approved through them. I however, having 20 years in criminal justice went through a 5 day condensed course. Others are correct, it takes time to learn the manual. On the other hand, many IC’s never take the time to learn it. Many with law enforcement backgrounds believe they already know the job. Anyone in LE should know, OPM Investigations are not the same and should not equate the two. Also, I have a direct line (Inv Help Team) to folks who have been in the game for years, some over 20. Some Investigators need to learn how to swallow their pride and ask for help when unsure–there is no shame in asking and the team is very helpful and not judgmental.

A contract investigator fighting an unjust claim of being unsuitable by OPM FISD, after working for some time in the industry commited suicide.

The suspensions were conducted by Kathy Dillaman of OPM FISD, her staff to include those of USIS who were contracted by Dillaman to review the work of contract investigators.

Contracting Companies conducting backgrounds for OPM FISD and other agencies for years QUIT the OPM FISD contract (MSM & Omnisec) which caused a loss of over 4 thousand contract investigators and knowledgeable staff, because of OPM FISD abuse of power…

Those wrongfully accused of unproven criminal acts, made every effort to obtain proper due process, but OPM Officials failed in every sense of the word to provide fair and impartial justice, and purposely disregarded all responses and correspondence. The offices included: Director of OPM; OPM Inspector General; OPM FISD and the OPM General Counsel.

Dillaman, Director of OPM FISD purposely delays all inquiries against her, and her office, by ignoring all requests and appeals, which in it self is the route to the delays of security backgrounds. All those of OPM FISD had deliberately ignored our Constitutional and Federal Laws, Regulations and OPM Notices. Even the OPM General Counsel’s Office to include the OPM IG ignored all responses for a request of due process.

OPM FISD continuous deception and delays, is an endless road. The lack of fair and impartial justice not given and abuse of power, by those within OPM is the real reason for the backlog. Those great man and woman, with extensive experience, that have been conducting security backgrounds for years, under contract, are leaving the business, because of Dillaman and her staff’s unethical practices of abuse and injustice..

There are people in the business that can correct the backlog of security backgrounds in months, but because of the reputation of injustice and abuse of power, to include deception of OPM FISD, it will never be corrected.

This country depends on our soldiers and agents in the field, to protect us. Since the 80’s those soldiers and agents continued after retirement, as contract investigators, conducting Security Background Investigations for little money and got the job done, out of patriotism, and loyalty, but now we have those that are greedy, incompetent running our country’s security, like OPM FISD who has over 90% of the Security Background Investigative duties and can’t get it done – we deserve everything we get, if this country and those in our government don’t wakeup NOW.

The “Investigator” post at 11:39pm on 03/25/08 is not the same person as the previous “Investigator” posts. I am the “Investigator” for the other posts in this section.

To that “Investigator” could you please change your posting name so there is no confusion? Thanks

Your tales ring true to me as well. I was hired in MAR 07 and had to put in my two weeks closing my career as an federal OPM investigator to one year and one week to the day. The number one reason that I left, besides illness due to stress from the job, was inadequate training. I know the stress problems were a direct result of wanting to do a good job but not feeling like I had the knowledge to do a good job. It’s interesting to hear stories from coworkers saying I would have gone far in OPM. I NEVER felt that I was being successful despite what others thought.

I was asked to provide information to a trainer for OPM, someone who I had built a friendship with, for an unofficial exit interview. In candidly speaking with the trainer, the person was sad to hear that I was leaving and that it seemed that “all the good ones go.” My response to the trainer was…”What is management doing about it?” It is my opinion, that OPM’s FISD will remain a high churn employer in the DC/MD/VA area until a radical change in how things are done is examined and followed through. If no change is done, more money will need to be thrown at the investigators to make it worth their wild to keep doing what, in my own experience and talking to co-workers, is considered to be an unfulfilling job. My real concern is how OPM FISD will staff the mission after those who can retire do and not take advantage of government employees counting down years until retirement. It was easy for me to live and let go because I had no significant time invested into the federal service.

I think OPM is at a chicken and egg situation…meaning things will not get better until they get more staff and the staffing situation will not improve because the unique nature of the job and its steep learning curve. Couple the steep learning curve with the never ending load, and people tend to move on to different jobs making the same if not more and enjoying less stress.

I’ve left OPM on good terms, with no resentment, and a genuine wish for FISD and my fellow former co-workers success in the future.

-Domo

The truly tragic part of the entire effort to revamp the Government’s personal security investigations is that no one at the Congressional or decision-making level has EVER asked the field agents what has gone wrong or what could be done better.

If you do the research you will find that GAO has been reviewing PSIs since the late 70s. The common theme has always been the same……lack of funds, lack of resources, lack of agents, lack of meaningful sponsorship. Every time there was a budget crunch one of the first things to be cut was PSI budget.

When the Berlin wall came down there were around 2100 DIS field agents. When DOD transferred the function to OPM in FEB 05, there were 1260 trained agents transferred over (OPM and DOD will tell you the number was closer to 1800, but that included around 600 secretaries and IT people who had NO investigative training, but were handed badges one day and told to run cases).

Do the math.

You can see a primary reason for the backlog. There are other factors as well, but as GAO can demonstrate the Gov’t had clearly never (excluding a brief time in the mid 80s) fully resourced the PSI mission.

There are other contributing factors as well, but mismanagement and disrespect for the mission are at the root of the problem.

Thanks
edge141

I miss typed earlier when I said almost every single contractor was a federal agent one night and then became a USIS contractor the next day. I meant USIS employees were OPM federal agents who became employees of USIS. I said contractor because USIS employees are contractors retained by OPM.

I have heard the opposite regarding the caseload OPM is giving USIS. Last I was told it is a little over 90%. Again I could have just been told that too to make it sound like USIS is doing well. I do know USIS is trying to grow into other background investigation markets such as local law enforcement and local fire/EMS.

I was a USIS independent contractor (IC), for 7 years working for both PSD and ISD divisions. All were not Federal agents, quite the contrary. Many are ex-military. In the seven years I worked for them, there was a very high turnover rate. Since I started, no one (particularly management), is still around…they all left to move on to other things, I was told. Full time investigators working on the OPM contract get the formal training you outlined above, plus a company car to use. Contractors get nothing other than a higher pay rate. They do not get benefits, company car or paid training. I job shadowed someone for a week (with no pay), to do SPINS. I was not the exception either. The individual, who I shadowed, claimed she just completed two other IC’s job training that consisted of only a week for each. She was considered “a senior” investigator with only three years with USIS. She had a four-year degree (something not related to criminal justice or law) with no prior law enforcement/investigative experience. She was hired directly out of College. Most IC’s are retired law enforcement of some kind trying to stay busy in their retirement. USIS likes this, so they do not have to invest much money in the individual, and the individual can be up and running in short order. I feel this should not be the case. The full timers take almost a year to get up and running on their own with all the formal training requirements. That is about what it takes to begin to understand the Federal Investigative handbook(s). The IC’s, however, are sent out with a week of job shadowing under their belt. I am told by yet another new station manger, that USIS is not getting the caseload they once did from OPM, and were cutting back on IC’s use. Hmmm? USIS is always looking for people, however, as any of the major job sites depict. That is a fundemental fact, check it out.

Also a little tid bit of information. When USIS was formed in 1996 almost every single contractor who worked for USIS was a former OPM federal agent. They went to bed one night a federal OPM agent and woke up the next morning a USIS contractor. Of course now that is not the case. But all of the training done for new USIS investigators exactly the same as new OPM agents since both are learning the same information which is in the OPM Manual that takes a 4 inch binder to hold.

Federal background investigations should remain Federal and should not be outsourced, i.e.: third party contractors. If third party sources are to be used (they always will be), due to Federal budget restraints or lack of personnel, then an appropriate educational program should be put in place for the independent contractor (IC). The IC is NOT trained adequately as “Confused” outlined in Her Nov. 8, 2007 post under security clearance investigators section. Job shadowing is not enough as “Investigator” outlined within this blog. Ask any Special Agent working for OPM how long their federal training was. Far more than a few weeks! There lies the crux of the matter. OPM (DOD previously did the federal background investigations), needs to hire more Federal investigators and stop the outsourcing of IC’s or the matters outlined within this blog will continue.

For Spook…Wow! I am shaking my head as I write this! Having worked for “the Agency” you claim with your infinite resources you cannot access what you need? Two phones calls later, I obtained the answers and what was required to begin the process. FOIP is where you begin. Having worked for the three letter Agency you identified and inquiring about “who one can trust” regarding disclosure of ones background investigation—I find absurd. Maybe your fellow Spooks could better direct you?

Signed>

Spook