Hi, I am a special investigator retained by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
Say that 10 times really fast.
New credentials are lighter. Badge looks cheaper and lacks that large “US” on the NBIB shield that satisfied people when the badge was being flashed.
The gothic type for “Department of Defense” looks amateurish but maybe all DoD creds look that way.
This will be the third set of credentials in three years for this job…
Do they make you turn them in each time?
It’s intersting peoples perspectives on credentials.
NBIB Credentials were not that great…in fact I though they were a little hoaxy. In addition, the general public doesn’t know who NBIB was or is.
Nobody is going to know who DCSA is. It’s going to be confusing to the general public. It’s also a mouthful to say as you alluded. But it’s always been that way. Special Investigator retained by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. That’s also a mouthful.
The credentials are fine…it’s how you present yourself with professionalism and politeness with the public. Other than that this is just a new paint job. So far, I’ve seen nothing from DCSA that indicates anything is going to be different from the status quo.
I’m okay with the new creds, my NBIB creds definitely looked cheaper, never flashed the badge anyway. I just don’t understand the extra little flap that covers the photo on the creds
I cut that flap off so quickly with both my NBIB and DSCA creds. It’s so annoying and serves no purpose.
I did the same with the NBIB creds, with my luck though, I wouldn’t be surprised if it came back and bit me in the butt in the form of a “destruction of government property” charge lol.
Congrats to you guys who received creds and still employed… What vendors are y’all with?
The new DCSA contractor shield looks a lot like the Air Force Security Police shield to me.
I agree, they are VERY similar. I’m assuming the badge looks different on the federal side? I figured it would have been the same thing, only gold instead of silver
I received mine today. I like the way it’s set. The old one would continuously slip out of place.
Fed is golden colored.
I don’t like the flap covering the one side of the creds either but I don’t cut it off for the same reason as investigator721 said lol.
I think it’s a mouthful to say as well but overall the change has been smooth (knock on wood…)
I’m a former DSS/FISD special agent retired since 2010. I’m glad NBIB is returning to DOD. I liked the job a lot better under DSS. Hope you guys will too.
Most of us have been left out to dry as contractors with DSS or DCSA so I personally have not enjoyed the agency transfer to DCSA from NBIB.
Things are pretty rough for us Independent Contractors but apparently DSS wants the vendors to sort things out so it looks bleak.
Can anyone here help me get into this position of Contract Background Investigator…thank you
AJ
I have a question for you. What is the current backlog at DCSA? I called them in regards to my clearance and I was told they were working on it. My investigation part is done I’m just waiting on DSCA to send over my paperwork so I can get adjudicated. I have a clearance already and DHS did my background again. Thanks for your reply
Most people can’t name the three branches of government. So I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Many have no clue what is happening outside their social media bubble.
AJ. As you can see from many posts, it is difficult to recommend the job of Background Investigator (BI) or Contract BI. Unless you already have a retirement pension providing you with a steady income and insurance, this is a difficult job to make a living, especially for the first year. During the first six months, you are setting up your business, office and learning the job and there is really not a lot left over. After you pay for all of your expenses and taxes, there is not a lot left over. The learning curve is difficult and the training is bad. Refiles are horrendous. I told myself before I started doing this that I am smarter than everyone else and I won’t get refiles, It doesn’t matter how smart you are, even BIs who have been doing this for 30 years get stupid refiles (from reviewers who have one year in). Refiles are corrections and additional work to cases that you have to make for free, even if the correction is not you fault (no fault refiles). As a contract BI, you pay for everything…and I mean everything. The company only pays the postage to send your cases back every month, but all the work and time and driving involved to get your cases to Fedex are on your time that you do that for free. Forget about being a full time employee. You just need to know what you are getting into before you start down the BI road. Good luck.
Thanks for the detail information…i am retired and still have my clearance I was with FEMA …i just wanted to know what company would consider me now since they have moved NBIB to DOD…
Could you give me a contact??
Thanks
AJ
A contrarian view: being a contract BI was fantastic… until early 2020. The bottom started to fall out with the end of the backlog (too many investigators, not enough cases) and fell out completely with covid-19. I can’t recommend the job because I have had almost no work since late April. But until then, it was a great run! A previous poster lists the many things you have to pay for (paper clips) and many things you do for “free” (drive to the fedex box), but remember you are paid handsomely to interview people and write reports. You set your own schedule, don’t have to take a lot of ### from anyone, can work when you want, and don’t have anyone looking over your shoulder.
I am working a temporary office job right now. It’s a good job that pays well and is commensurate with my experience. I am lucky! But I also have to be on station at 0800 every day without fail, have an hour for lunch, can’t be seen messing with my phone when I should be working, etc. In short all normal things that normal worker bees have to deal with. In my previous life as a contract background investigator I didn’t have to deal with any of that stuff. I would be very happy returning to contract BI life - even with all the drawbacks listed above - if it meant a steady income and more control over my own schedule. Alas, I don’t know if the salad days of 2016-2019 (as much work as you can handle, fat TDY premiums) will ever return. Good while it lasted.