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.

Security Clearance Denial

The number of security clearance denials for sexual behavior doubled from last year according to analysis of the top reasons for a denial. Three recent DOHA appeals cases jumped out at me because they involved solicitation of prostitutes or paying for sexual services. This has always been a source danger

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Security Clearance Process

The government shutdown will surely affect many clearance holders and their ability to pay credit card bills, mortgages, or car loans. As we have noted this year and in years past, financial issues remain the top issue for clearance denials and revocations. Life events happen and the circumstances are taken

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Security Clearance Process

The Defense Security Service (DSS) has upgraded the look and functionality of their website in order to provide the Industrial Security industry with better information and easier to use tools related to security clearances and access to classified information. DSS’s Vetting Risk Operations Center (VROC) is responsible for aligning processes

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Security Clearance Denial

There is a common misperception among security clearance applicants regarding the requirement to disclose or resolve charged off debts. Many believe when creditors charge off a debt then they are no longer indebted. Not true! Here is a simple definition of the term: a charge-off is a debt that a

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