Author Archive

Marko Hakamaa

Marko Hakamaa served in various military police positions with the United States Army worldwide for 22 years before retiring in 2006 as a Master Sergeant. Afterwards, he transitioned into the civilian workforce as a contractor background investigator for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before entering civil service as a Security Specialist in 2009.

Obtaining Security Clearance

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Hearing and Appeals upheld the security clearance denial for a contractor based on financial issues, and criminal conduct. After reading the details on the applicant’s appeal presentation in the hearing, it is not surprising – here is a summary of the case: In

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Obtaining Security Clearance

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a new Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD-8) providing policy guidance and requirements on granting temporary (interim) access to classified national security information. SEAD-8: Temporary Eligibility outlines specific criteria all agencies must ensure are met before granting someone an interim security

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Background Investigations

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) published the latest numbers for national security background investigation processing timeliness and showed a slight improvement from the last report released by the Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council (PAC) back in December 2019. According to DCSA, the average time to complete

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Security Clearance Denial

A Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) case caught my eye because it is related to all of the recent protests across the United States advocating fair treatment and respect for all. This applicant had previously held a security clearance for 12 years and has worked as a federal

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