Investigators Having Trouble With Reimbursable Suitability/Security Investigations

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) conducts reimbursable suitability or security investigations (RSIs) to address gaps in background investigations. These may involve missing coverage of a required item, clarification of existing information, or further review of specific details.

RSIs are also used for clearance upgrades and as part of Continuous Vetting. If DCSA receives adverse information about someone who already holds clearance eligibility, an RSI may support a new adjudication to determine whether that eligibility should continue.

There has been quite a bit of chatter by active background investigators on a ClearanceJobsBlog.com thread, posting their experiences and the difficulties in trying to complete RSI work for DCSA. Some of the issues the investigators are running into include applicants not answering their emails, phones, or returning voice mails due to thinking it is a scam; current clearance holders not understanding what CV means or why they should have to cooperate with being interviewed; so much time has passed since the incident that triggered the RSI the subject no longer thinks it is relevant. In one case, the investigator had several RSIs canceled because the applicant had been sentenced and incarcerated by the time the RSI was scheduled.

One investigator suggested that DCSA assign an intermediary who would contact the subject of the investigation prior to the RSI being assigned to the field to assure them it was legitimate and that cooperation is not optional in order to maintain eligibility for a clearance. Another suggestion was to contact the Facility Security Officer or Government Security Manager to assist in making sure the applicant or subject understands that it would be in their best interest to resolve the issue at hand.