I was former active duty and received a TS/SCI clearance with SSBI a little over 4 years now. I have been utilizing my clearance at the Secret level as the current position I hold is the highest classification I would need. I know that my clearance does not expire until the end of this year.
Recently I have been in the market and was contacted about an opportunity requiring TS/SCI. As things progressed and it looked like I was solid and I qualifed for the position, my clearance was verified through JPAS and the employer said I only came back with Secret and my TS/SCI is not available because of a technicality requiring something up to 24 months I was not aware of and they did not explain very well to me.
I did a little more investigation and contacted my current FSO who verified that I do have an active TS/SCI in JPAS but only utilize Secret right now.
My question is, why would both FSO’s see two different results about my clearance? As I stand now I’m unaware if I have a TS/SCI or Secret and this has frozen me from actively searching opportunities. Is there any cause for this confusion based on how I’m searched in JPAS or is there something in writing and details I’m missing?
I can add one data point, my own: my last finally adjudicated BI was like October 2009. I got my paperwork/eQIP in before the five-year mark so I am good with my current employer. But outside agencies apparently can only see that 2009 date, or at least that’s the only date they can go by.
Curious to see what others have to say about this.
After hours of back and forth today between me and three FSO’s, the ruling was that because I was never “read in to” SCI for 24 months, it expired and I only have a TS. That basically means I was never briefed or debriefed on that level for 24 months so it expired because inactivity. Two out of the three FSO’s didn’t know that rule existed. I still don’t know where that rule is written and they still think that I could just be “read in to” SCI once I need access to that level.
As for them thinking I only had Secret, that’s because that’s the highest classification I work with currently and what’s found in JPAS when I’m searched. The recruiters who thought they knew about clearances messed up. They thought because SCI expired so did the TS with it when it’s actually two separate investigations. SCI takes roughly 6 to 8 months for investigation separate from TS.
SCI access is not an investigation, but rather a review of the SF86 used to grant you a TS and other information as deemed necessary by the agency that is granting the SCI access. If you were not read in previously and 24 months have passed, then the review process for SCI would have to start all over again. As far as the TS is concerned, eligibility can be reinstated because you were continuously in an access status even though it was at the Secret level, as long as the SSBI is still within scope.
I’m in th same boat. I just received an offer letter for a 1 position supporting a client required a TS/SCI. Apparently my SCI eligibility lapsed in August, so I’m 3 months past the 24 month window. My TS is good an d I was reinvestigated in 2015. What are my options to keep this job? Does the company have to got bat for me to get me a SCI waiver? Am I screwed? Any help is greatly appreciated!