I’m a little shaky right now so please forgive any typos.
I was just let go from my position as a contractor in the basis of my clearance being out of scope. I got my initial clearance in 2011 as an active duty service member. I submitted everything to redo my process in 2016 while I was attached to the DIA. I left active duty in 2017, before I left I checked with the FSO to ensure my clearance was good and he ensured me that it was renewed and everything was fine.
From there I began working as a government contractor for a company, eventually I was approached by an investigator to close out my investigation in November of 2017 I spoke to him and gave him the info of my FSO at my employer and that was the last I heard of it. In August I took a new position as a contractor working at DIA and I was waiting while they attempted to get things taken care of so I could begin working. I just got a phone call from HR at my new company that my clearance is out of scope and DIA refuses to accept it or accept me so I’m going to be let go and I have no clearance.
I’m freaking out because I thought I had made sure to take care of getting my clearance renewed, and it’s kind of critical for my employment. Anyone with any tips or hello on this kind of situation please let me know. I’m kind of drowning at the moment.
If your company granted you access to classified material…they believed you were cleared…and committed a security violation if you were not. How long did you perform on the new job believing you were cleared? Normally you remain in access even if well out of scope. They simply submit you for a re-investigation. Period. Previously before I took control of all clearance activity at my site, HR submitted people when the client directed it. Now I track clearances and submit a year out from going out of scope. Your hiring company was responsible for crossing your clearance over. If they failed to cross you over, forgot to cross you over…thought you were crossed over…but you were not…you likely went out of scope. I can only guess you are far enough out of scope they would not simply activate your existing clearance by submitting for a crossover now. Even though what they really want to do is “re-activate” your existing clearance (if it was there) it is far simpler to submit a fresh crossover request and just turn it back on. It happens from time to time on my site. People work multiple contracts and one simply falls off due to administrative error. We submit the crossover request and see what they say. It ranges from:
A: Done
B: Done but I need a quick SF86 for crossover to review
C: Sorry out of scope, submit as initial (6 to 8 month wait).
D: Sorry no go…not eligible for crossover (this means unadjudicated info).
Your company may be trying to cover their tracks if they failed to cross you over. I doubt DIA would badge and brief if you did not show as cleared in their system. Sadly, I doubt you will get a clear answer from HR or your FSO.
I wasn’t badged in by DIA, I was waiting at home for the last month while they got admin things sorted because this was a newly created position. I spoke to my previous FSO and they informed me that there was a 2016 memo that stated I was still able to work the only issue is my new company would have to request they finish my investigation. But apparently DIA (the customer) won’t accept that so my company is not going to be able to keep me on.
As a sidenote I had previously worked there and gotten my CI Poly in 2015 back when I was active duty.
That is still a fairly fresh Poly. That they would simply decline to accept sponsorship (and cover cost to continue ) investigation doesn’t pass the smell test. Could be they decided to change the position, not fund the position, hire a person fully cleared…and you will never get tot eh bottom of that as HR and current FSO will just go dark. I recommend seeking any of the “many available” escort positions in any of the government functions in that area. If any aspect of your clearance is available they will grab it. Yes the pay isn’t career oriented, but it is easier to achieve, get hired, re-clear…then apply for the level position you want. Meanwhile it is “keep the lights on” money for now, and it gets you the clearance you need for bigger things.
Northern Va and Washington DC, Maryland etc have hundreds of secure compounds, government facilities processing tons of TS material. They are closed tot eh general public and vendors must be escorted by a TS cleared “escort/Monitor.” It is the same clearance professional career level positions must obtain. They are 100% valid, crossover to any agency, and require almost no previous experience. Many people obtain these jobs to get cleared and then seek positions for a career. If you lose a position but are already cleared, it can provide " keep the lights on money," until something else comes along. Our location has anywhere from 45 to 65 cleared escorts at any given time. They range from Secret to TS to full scope poly TS.I had numerous people start in these positions and move on to government positions as they completed education and other life goals.
Update: I asked HR to let me know what the specific message was and this is what I got.
"The nomination submitted via titan on the individual listed below as been withdrawn because his/her investigation is out of scope and there is no current/updated investigation open at this time. The last investigation conducted and adjudicated on the individual was discontinued on 11/24/2017. "
I reached out to my former FSO for information and they informed me of a 2016 memo confirming that my clearance was still valid. I got a reply from my current FSO saying it wasn’t my clearance but my SCI. This was the response they gave me.
The issue is not about your collateral DoD Top Secret clearance. It is about your last investigation being too old for a SCI eligibility to be granted without a current investigation in place. SCI is not an investigation or clearance but a caveat for special access, which the Government agency has control over and decides who can have access to it. I am still waiting to hear back from HR or Upper Management on what steps they want me to take. I tried reaching out to the COR at DIA to ask them some clearance questions but they never got back to me.
So as of now I’m waiting to hear information in the next step or how I move forward.
Seems they are in a bind to fill a seat and hope to find a candidate with an “in scope” BI fresh enough for the client to accept and read in. They could submit you for an updated BI and move you down that path for future consideration. Some clients just want to see a person is in process and that is enough for them to extend their timelines. Companies aren’t looking out for you, they are looking out for their profit on your position. With near 100% employment…it is in their favor to work closely with you. A person with a clean record, active clearance, no issues…the price goes up with each new promising economic data release. It works in reverse when unemployment soars. Companies then pick and choose who to keep on let alone hire. In a three person shop on last contract they were forced to cut one slot. The fact I had an active TS and SCi was what saved me over the guy having an interim secret. But that was during the drawdown in 08 timeframe. Economy slowed down, employment numbers looked bad.