What would prolong adjudication?

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

I’m waiting on a TS/SCI for an ODNI hiring pool role and I’m confused at how my investigation (SF86 processing, 2 interviews, medical etc) can take 4 months, and then adjudication can take a full year (based on when they told me they were ‘moving on to next steps’. I assume, with everything else done, adjudication is the next step.).

My only ‘red flag’ is having ~10 frequent foreign contacts; 6 from the UK (I studied there) and 4 family members from Nigeria. But anything regarding vetting foreign contacts would be done DURING the investigation stage, right? Not the final decision stage?

I asked ODNI’s security team about my status in November and they said ‘still processing.’ Processing what?

Is it because its an IC agency? Is it because it’s a hiring pool role, so they’re waiting for an actual role to open before they finish my package?

I’m getting a bit antsy because I’m working part time and this role is supposed to give me the stability to escape a toxic home situation. I’ve been looking for other roles in my field, but I’m struggling there too.

2

“What would prolong adjudication?”

Got a few hours? We can list some for you.

3

In cases like this, it isn’t so much the investigation but the adjudication, mainly, the seeming hesitation of anyone to make a decision. It probably has to get bumped up to several additional levels of review.

With regard to the “hiring pool” I think they usually let you know once you clear and are actually moved into the “pool.”

I’m not even sure how much “investigation” they can do for overseas contacts. Maybe they could ask the US Embassy to run some name checks with their contacts in local law enforcement, but that may or may not be worth the effort, depending on the country, the relationship, etc.