What the heck is holding up my security clearance?

The biggest barrier to obtaining a security clearance is oftentimes ourselves. Walt Kelly first used the quote "We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us" on a poster for Earth Day in 1970. The same thing applies to security clearance investigations.

Many times delays stem from failing to provide complete, accurate and detailed information on your Questionnaire for National Security Positions (Standard Form 86 (SF-86)).

Maybe you weren't given much time to fill-out and complete the 31-page form, or the questions being asked are too tough.

Investigators and support personnel must verify all the information you list and when their are missing or inaccurate portions, who do you think is going to have to provide them; you!

When this happens, investigators will verify everything else they are able to, and send the form back to you through the office you submitted your security clearance applcation through for correction.

Wait, you say you followed all the instructions on the SF-86. Unfortunately, providing just the requested information isn't always enough. Some questions on the form aren't as clear as they can be, and worse, you may have to refer to supplemental instructions that you didn't receive. WHAT!?! Who's running this dog and pony show anyway! You'd like to think the Security Manager, Special Security Officer, or their staff had a clue, but oftentimes they don't, because they don't know either.

It's not their fault; training was abysmal from the local level, all the way up to what the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) offers in their Security Manager Course at the national level.

The second biggest barrier to obtaining a security clearance faster is when unfavorable information exists on your SF-86, or in your case report when you're not clear, list partial information, or outright omit this information.

On the other hand, when everything is presented clear and correct on your SF-86, and during your Personal Subject Interview (PRSI), or Special Interview (SPIN), this will help the investigator and person who reviews your case (called the adjudicator), make the decision to process your clearance over other cases with more red flags.

Complete the form correctly, be honest and upfront during your interview and this will go further than anything else you will do to help speed up the process. Best of all, this choice is yours!