About Department of Defense Security Clearances

About Department of Defense Security ClearancesAbout Department of Defense Security ClearancesA security clearance investigation ensures that you are eligible for access to national security information. The investigation focuses on your character and conduct, emphasizing such factors as honesty, trustworthiness, reliability,financial responsibility, criminal activity, emotional stability, and other pertinent areas. All investigations consist of checks of national records andcredit checks some investigations also include bewerbungsgesprchs with individuals who know the candidate for the clearance as well as the candidate himself/herself. Types of Security Clearances In the military, all classified information is divided into one of three categories ConfidentialUnauthorized disclosure could causedamageto national security.SecretUnauthorized disclosure could causeserious damageto national security.Top SecretUnauthorized disclosure could cause exceptionallygrave damageto national se curity. In addition to the above, some classified information is so sensitive that even the extra protection measures applied to Top Secret information are not sufficient. This information is known as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) or Special Access Programs (SAP), and one needs special SCI Access or SAP approval to be given access to this information. You may need one of unterstellung levels of security clearance to hold different jobs in the military and with civilian contractors. You can apply for these jobs if you dont have a clearance, but they will give preference to those who already have a security clearance. The government pays the cost of clearances for military personnel and civilian government employees. But the law requires that contractors pay most of the costs of obtaining clearances for their employees. Thats why contractors often advertise for applicants who already hold a valid clearance. Additionally, it saves them time, as they dont have to wait for mo nths for the new employee to obtain a clearance, and begin to do the job they were hired for. What Determines a Security Clearance Level For military personnel, two things determine the level of security clearance required your job and your assignment.Many military jobs require access to classified information, regardless of where you are assigned. In other cases, the job itself may not require a security clearance, but the particular location or unit that the person is assigned to would require giving access to classified information and material. TheDepartment of Defense(DOD) operates its security program separate from other government agencies, with its own procedures and standards. A Top Secret Clearance with theDepartment of Energy, for example, would not necessarily transfer to DoD. Merely having a certain level of security clearance does not mean you are authorized to viewclassified information. To have access to classified information, you must possess the necessary two elements A level of security clearance, at least equal to the classification of the information, and an appropriate need to know the information in order to perform your duties. Just because you have a secret clearance, doesnt mean you would have access to all secret information in the military. You would need to have a specific reason to know thatinformationbefore you were granted access. Security Clearance Background Investigations Security clearance hintergrund investigations for the Department of Defense are conducted by the Defense Security Service (DSS). This includes background investigations for military personnel, civilian personnel who work for DoD, and military contractors. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducts security clearance investigations for most other branches of the federal government. Once it is determined that a military member requires a security clearance because of assignment or job, they complete a Security Clearance Background Investigation Questionnaire. For confidential and secret clearances, applicants have to provide five years of information for top secret clearances 10 years of information is required. The form contains a statement which you sign authorizingthe releaseofanyinformation about you to security clearance investigators. That includes sealed records, juvenile records, expunged records and medical records. Your clearance could be denied if you conceal information. Once granted, your clearance could be revoked if the military later discovers you lied when filling out the forms. If you realize after you submit the form that you made a mistake or omitted something important, tell your Security Officer, Recruiter, MEPS Security Interviewer, or the DSS Investigator when you are interviewed. If you do not do so, the error or omission could be held against you during the adjudicative process. Processing a Clearance Application Once you complete the questionnaire, it is sent to the Defense Security Service (DSS). They verify the information and performthe actual background investigation. The level oftheinvestigationdepends upon the level of access to be granted. For confidential and secret clearances, they will do a National Agency Check (NAC), which is a search of records held by federal agencies including the FBI and OPM, a Local Agency Check and a review of criminal history records, and a financial check of your credit record. For a top secret clearance, a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) is performed which includes all of the above, plus field interviews of references, checks of records held by employers, courts, and rental offices. Youll also be subject to an interview with an investigator. Field Interviews with References Investigators will do field interviews with the references you listed on the questionnaire and use them to develop more references to interview. Your references will be asked questions about your character and whether you should be given access to classified information or assigned to a sensitive position. The interviews are wide-ranging with questions about your activities, job history, education, family, finances, drugs, alcohol problems and any police encounters. Approval or Disapproval of Security Clearance Each military service has its own adjudicator that receives the information from DSS and decides whether to grant the security clearance. They apply their specific guidelines to your case. They may request further investigation of problem areas. Adjudicators are not the final authority. All denials of clearances must be personally reviewed by a branchchiefor higher authority. The investigations are wide-ranging but the following are grounds for denying a security clearance Conviction of a crime in any U.S. court with a sentence of a year or more in prisonUsing a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 or the Controlled Substances ActMental incompetence as determined by a mental health professional approv ed by the DoDA dishonorable discharge from the military In general, expect a confidential or secret clearance process to take between one and three months. A top secret will probably take between four and eight monthsbut can take more than ayear. A periodic reinvestigation (PR) is required every five years for a top secret clearance, 10 years for a secret clearance, and 15 years for a confidential clearance. But you may be subject to a random reinvestigation at any time. When a security clearance is inactivated (ie, when someone gets out of the military, or quits from their government civilian job or contractor job), it can be reactivated within 24 months, as long as the last background investigation falls within the above time frame. Having a security clearance can give you hiring preference with DoD contractors once you leave the military, as it saves them the expense of conducting one. Once your clearance expires, you will have to have present or pending duties to get it renewed.

Employee Health and Wellness Checkup

Employee Health and Wellness CheckupEmployee Health and Wellness CheckupEMPLOYEE HEALTH WELLNESS CHECKUPHR managers say that in the past 5 years their companys health and wellness offerings haveIncreased 66%Decreased 20% Dont know 14% 89% of employees feel their company is supportive of their health and wellness goals.Workers biggest obstacles to achieving their health and wellness goalsFood at sekretariat celebrations 30% Snacks brought in by coworkers 22% Free meals 10%The vending machine 10%The office candy jar 10%Happy hours/after-work drinks 9%Business trips 8%Bagel Mondays 3%(Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding)44% of employees say they eat healthier when they work from home.What workers do for lunchBring their own meal 60% Grab something and bring it back to the office 18%Dine at a restaurant 12% Have food delivered 7%Choose something from the vending machine 3%How employees feel about the office cand y jarIts great to have around for a quick pick-me-up 54% I have a love-hate relationship with it. 33% Its bad news - I dont want it around. 13%

5 Ways Youre Hurting Your Career Without Realizing It

5 Ways Youre Hurting Your Career Without Realizing It5 Ways Youre Hurting Your Career Without Realizing It There are certain behaviors that are bound to make you look bad on the job. Showing up late, for example, is a good way to incur your boss wrath, as is ditching team meetings or handing assignments in past their deadlines. But there are certain less obvious things you might be doing at work that could damage your career in the long run. Here are five to be aware of.You probably know that constantly moaning in front of your boss isnt the best career move. But griping too much to your peers could have the same effect. If you gain a reputation as someone whos perpetually ungrateful and never satisfied, your colleagues wont want to partner with you on projects for fear that your negativity will impact them. A better bet, therefore, is to keep your complaining to a minimum. Its OK to grumble when your manager asks you to work late three nights in a row, but dont whi ne about every little thing that gets under your skin.Once you get used to a certain routine at work, sticking with it can be comforting. Its also a good practice in stress avoidance. After all, if you know what youre doing, youre less likely to make mistakes or face challenges that make you look weak. Heres the problem, though If you keep up the same routine for too long, youll risk cornering yourself into a dead-end job with limited to no room for growth. Instead, try asking your manager to work on a few new projects here and there so that youre dabbling in different things. Incidentally, this will help with the boredom factor, which might work wonders for your outlook.Its a good thing to have the ability to focus on important assignments and avoid the distractions so many office workers face. But if you err on the side of bedrngnis being social at work at all, it might impede your ability to build relationships with your peers. Rather than stay put at your desk staring at your la ptop all the time, make an effort to meet new people and explore networking opportunities within your company. Knowing the right people might help your career just as much as your solid output.Many employees would rather sit back and wait for their managers to critique their work rather than ask for feedback . But actually, the more feedback you receive, the more opportunities youll get to improve as you go. Rather than avoid asking for feedback for fear of opening up a can of worms, ask your boss for a quarterly sit-down to discuss your performance. This will show your manager that youre invested in doing well and arent too proud to accept criticism.You might think that working late consistently will help your career, since it shows your manager that youre willing to put in the time to get things done. But if you clock those long hours all the time, youll risk burning out and having your performance suffer as a result. Rather than go that route, save your late nights for when th e situation really warrants it, but leave the office at a reasonable hour a good amount of the time. That way, you wont be the person who gets taken advantage of by folks who come to expect a certain commitment you were never obliged to make in the first place.The last thing you want to do is engage in behavior that hurts your career instead of helping it. Avoid these mistakes, and with any luck, youll excel on the job and keep moving forward.This article was originally published on The Motley Fool . It is reprinted with permission.