Multiple Clearance Dilemma

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

Hi All!

I am in a bit of a predicament here! For background I have a DHS public trust clearance already. The story is in April of 2023 a “Secret” level security clearance was initiated for me by DoS, for a job I applied for. We are now in january and my clearance has still not processed. So I have been waiting 9 months now. Throughout this whole time Im questioning why its taking so long. Whats wrong? Whats the hold up? Just getting depressed because I need a job ASAP! Keep in mind during this whole time, I’m not receiving any updates about my case. I have to physically email the customer service department asking them about my clearance. Otherwise nobody informs me the status of my clearance.

Months later I was offered another role with another agency (DOD). The DOD agency told me that that their role requires a Top Secret clearance/SCI. I thought what the heck, let me apply for it, it won’t hurt to have another job in the pipeline as a backup. And besides its my right to apply for jobs because I need to work and make money. So they initiated that clearance investigation in Dec. So that investigation has only started 1 month ago.

Recently a recruiter reached out to me for a separate role. He told me that his role requires a secret clearance. He asked me if I have one. I told him I have one that is processing but I dont know the progress on it or if its been complete. He said his security specialist team can look me up in the system. They looked me up and told me that my secret clearance was already finished and concluded. However, the last step remaining is for it to go to an adjudicator, but that has been put on hold because another clearance (Top Secret) is processing. Basically they just paused my secret clearance. I was floored!

What does this mean? Does this mean that DoS is no longer considering me for the secret clearance anymore and I’m disqualified, or does it mean they’re just waiting on the top secret to finish since a TS is much higher than a secret? Does this mean two clearances cannot process simultaneously? I mean, I was pretty much 99% finished with the secret clearance and all that was left was adjudication. Why would they put it on pause if we’ve almost reached the finish line? Are things ruined for me for the DoS role because I really like that role and want a shot at it. Thanks!

2

Welcome to the board. I’m not an expert so just my opinions.

  1. Public Trust is not a clearance so probably has little impact on your clearance applications.
  2. I don’t think they will do 2 clearance investigations for you at the same time. Canceling the TS should restart the S but I would definitely verify that with your DoS recruiter before doing anything. Also maybe check with a clearance attorney just to cover your bases.
  3. Some agencies participate in clearance reciprocity with each other and some don’t. So even if you get the DOD TS it might not transfer to DoS. So if you still want that DoS job, you might have to re-start it anyway.
3

DoS do their own investigations. You can can have a DoS and a DCSA (DoD) background investigation running at the same time.

1 Like
4

Backgroundinvestigator knows way more than I do so please disregard what I said.

5

Thanks for your response. So how come my secret clearance with DoS is paused and not being sent to an adjudicator? The recruiter told me that the security specialist informed him that the secret clearance is not being sent to an adjudicator because the applicant has an active pending tier 5 investigation. What does this mean? Is it paused or no?

6

That would be a mystery to anyone in here but I doubt the concurrent investigations is the cause for the pause.