After seeing a similar question get answered on here about clearances I thought it would be a good place to asked about my current situation.
Short story:
I had a job that required a TS/SCI clearance. I left that job to another job that required a S clearance. I thought the clearance part of the pre-job admin stuff was a piece of cake. Turns out I was wrong. Apparently my TS/SCI clearance wasn’t granted under the proper agency so I had to either a). fill out the paperwork again and hope the interim clearance came with in a few weeks (which I was told it would and from my research it looks like it takes that long) or b). wait for a clearance “conversion” which could take 30 to 60 days. I chose option a. That was a month and a half ago. I got a response once saying that I didn’t have the proper clearance granting agency on my paperwork so I had to fix it and resend all of the paperwork. Other than that, does any one have any similar experiences or reasons of why this is happening. I keep being told by my new employer that it should only take a week or so, but you know how that goes. Anyways, if anyone has any insight, please share. Thanks
Isn’t that a bit strong? The existence of security clearance levels, and the fact that you receive them through a bureaucratic process – that involves some combinations of hoop-jumping, nit-picking, filing forms in triplicate, and bitching at the right people – is not exactly classified information. As noted by the OP, we’ve discussed the procedural aspects before.
Whatever outfit you’re working for, or trying to work for, should have an administrative and/or security section*. Either one of those sections is the place to go to get your security clearance request genned up.
*Security as in government security clearance, not as in security guard.
Not sure why your post was so strong. I can’t really prove that my post has legitimacy (hence internet post), but I have been waiting for a while and my only outlets to retrieve information regarding my clearance are the company’s HR department (who I email on a weekly basis) and the security team (which don’t email me back). Other than that I can’t talk to anyone else since I can’t even start working yet without my interim. I saw a similar question on this forum without any nasty answers so I thought I’d ask since I have never had to get an interim before.
And to the other two replies, yes I would definitely have gone to security to get it cleared up quicker, but I don’t have that option and I am sort of out of other options.
Sorry for not posting every detail. Hopefully it’s cleared up now.
No, you don’t need nasty answers, you need patience. The more you push on the slowness the slower the process will get. Interims used to take weeks, but now they are into several months if not a year before they are granted.
I am just asking because my TS/SCI took 3 months and so far my interim SECRET has been a month and a half. I understand a different agency might take longer, but I have only lived in to areas in my entire life and been outside the country once. The worst run-in with the law is a traffic warning.
I 100% understand patience with government processes, even when they can be as tough as having a much higher clearance than needed, but still needed to wait for the government. I was just told it should only take a few weeks and since it has been long past the “few” weeks I thought I would see if anyone else had a similar situation or a reason why it might be taking longer.
I’ve had clearance granted several times over the past 30 years at various levels (but never SCI) and I remember once seeing a schedule of charges that varied by both level and speed. I think a S might have been as little as $500 if you waited 4 months but cost up over $1000 if you wanted it in 2 months. I think a fast (i.e., 2-3 month) TS cost something like $4000. Of course, in many jobs you can start the job before the clearance comes in, you just might not be able to attend some meetings, read some mail, or enter some offices.
I wouldn’t be surprised if your employer’s HR department is arguing with the government’s contracting officer responsible for the contract you will be on about who pays how much for your clearance.
Thanks for the insight I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I can’t do ANY work (I have asked though) so I am sitting here not earning income so it’s tough. I don’t know if the government and contractor are arguing about how much my clearance will cost. The company hires many people (probably 1000+) every year. I know the clearance itself will take 4 months, but an interim I have read takes a week or two max. All they do is a quick criminal background check and credit check (which I am good on both). Again, thanks for the insight!
As a CE contractor at an Air Force base I think the hold up is simply people freaking out about the possible upcoming congressional showdown re possible defense cuts.
Not a political statement but I think many offices are sitting on budgets, not funding stuff, just hoping they will survive.
Your clearance is probably sitting in somebody’s inbox just waiting to be processed…
My apologies for the tone. Within my agency the clearance process is long and drawn out. Part may be due to the normal bureaucratic process, part due to the fact there is an enormous backlog government-wide, and part due to the actual investigative process. That last part might be a sticky one. I’ve filled out enough security applications forms for staff to realize in my area they investigate your professional and personal Internet life these days.
However, I think Klaatu’s post has strong legs. Sequestration is coming no matter what now (with contractors at the bottom of the pile). Government employee background checks will most certainly take precedence over contractors, with exceptions. Unless your position is vital in the national interest, you may just unfortunate to have this process occurring now.