I know personnel interviews are required for Top Secret, but I hear from more and more people who were contacted by an investigator and interviewed for just Secret clearances. Is this the new normal?
It’s due to the new case typing–personnel interviews are triggered based on the need for issue resolution. Triggers could be simple discrepancies or major issues, but either way an in person interview is conducted to resolve them.
Doesn’t seem to happen in every case but happens more and more frequently. I think it may also depend on the sponsor…? Has to do with Tiered Investigations, I believe.
I am a DoD contractor and currently waiting on a secret clearance with IT1. I work with dozens of people in the same boat. We all have undergone SSBI and have had interviews as well as having friends, family, acquaintances, former coworkers and colleagues interviewed.
IT1 is some kind of special access for system administrators and others with privileged access, is that about right? That’s the only reason I can imagine an SSBI being done for a Secret.
Unless of course I am misinformed 
Positions designations are divided up into two parts: Risk level & Clearance level. When you have a position that is designated as having duties with high risk combined with a need for a secret clearance then only a T5 satisfies both requirements.
Yes, IT1 is for IT personnel. I’m a Unix systems engineer. So if I’ve undergone a SSBI and all the interviews, how much more would I need for TS?
I think that is part of the National Agency Check (NAC) phase, and that is supposed to take place early on.