FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
Time to report yourself? “If you are worried about whether or not you should self-report your own situation, here is a compilation of several agency publications that may prove helpful. Note, however, that this is only a guide. You should always contact your own agency’s security office to determine whether more specific reporting requirements exist (especially if you work on a Special Access Program). You MUST self-report to your agency’s security office if you . . . .”
About that cleared recruiting process . . . “If you’re recruiting cleared talent, you need to understand the security clearance process. There’s a good reason why small companies often have a recruiter pull double duty as a facility security officer – by the time you’ve mastered the clearance hiring process, you may feel like a security expert. But whether you’re new to cleared recruiting or just looking for a quick refresher on the latest policy changes, here are five things every recruiter needs to know about the security clearance process. . . .”
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
Closing in on ISIS’ front lines. “The death of an American service member in Iraq this week highlights the new risks of a recent shift in the United States’ military strategy in Iraq. To help local forces, the Pentagon is moving more troops ‘closer to the action,’ as Defense Secretary Ash Carter puts it. The thinking is that local forces can take over the security of territory once Islamic State fighters are ousted, but they aren’t yet capable of winning the territory back by themselves.” (Christian Science Monitor)
Congress is in, in North Korea. “North Korea on Friday opened the first full congress of its ruling party since 1980, a major political event intended to showcase the country’s stability and unity under young leader Kim Jong Un despite international criticism and tough new sanctions over the North’s recent nuclear test and a slew of missile launches.” (AP)
Thinking a fight against ISIS in Libya. “On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford said the Pentagon had been talking with one of the factions vying for control of the country to determine operational needs. But removing ISIS from the Libyan sands or their stronghold in Sirte would be more complicated than fighting them in Iraq or even in Syria. The good news, such as it is, is that ISIS, too, has limited prospects there.” (Defense One)
Supporting Nigeria’s Boko Haram fight. “The U.S. administration is seeking to approve a sale of as many as 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria to aid its battle against the extremist group Boko Haram, U.S. officials say, in a vote of confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive to reform the country’s corruption-tainted military. Washington also is dedicating more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to the campaign against the Islamist militants in the region and plans to provide additional training to Nigerian infantry forces . . . .” (Reuters)
What we’re doing in Afghanistan. “U.S. forces in Afghanistan conduct missions to train, advise and assist Afghan forces as part of a larger NATO role, and conduct a unilateral U.S.-counterterrorism mission, Army Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland, the Resolute Support mission’s deputy communications chief, said . . . .” (Defense Media Activity)
CONTRACT WATCH
Customs & Border looking for network ops support. “Customs and Border Protection wants to hear from vendors who can help support its network operations center (NOC) and ensure it’s up and running 24/7/365. Per a May 5 request for information, CBP is considering creating a contract for support personnel but wants to get a better idea of the marketplace before issuing a request for proposals.” (Federal Times)
Off-the-shelf precision approaches. “U.S. military air traffic control experts needed a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) precision-approach radar to replace the AN-FPN-63(V) radar. They found their solution from Exelis Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Harris Corp. in Van Nuys, Calif. Officials of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, N.J., announced a $70.3 million contract to Exelis on Wednesday to provide 42 COTS precision-approach radar systems. Of these COTS radar systems, 21 are for the U.S. Army, 16 are for the Navy, and five are for the U.S. Air Force.” (Military & Aerospace Electronics)
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
Why the ISI would poison CIA’s Mark Kelton. “Two months after Osama bin Laden was killed, the CIA’s top operative in Pakistan was pulled out of the country in an abrupt move vaguely attributed to health concerns and his strained relationship with Islamabad. In reality, the CIA station chief was so violently ill that he was often doubled over in pain, current and former U.S. officials said. Trips out of the country for treatment proved futile. And the cause of his ailment was so mysterious, the officials said, that both he and the agency began to suspect that he had been poisoned.” (Washington Post)
NSA’s child porn problem. “Two senior U.S. intelligence officials said recently that defense and intelligence employees have an ‘unbelievable’ amount of child pornography on their work computers and devices, and that child porn has been found on the systems of the National Security Agency . . . . Six years ago, the Pentagon released more than 90 pages from an investigation called Operation Flicker, which revealed that members of the military and defense contractors had allegedly purchased child porn on their government computers. One contractor with a top-secret security clearance was charged with possession. The contractor worked for the NSA.” (The Daily Beast)
OPM background checks coming back. “OPM has proposed rules to generally bar agencies from asking job applicants about prior criminal records, credit problems and other potentially adverse information as a way of initial screening in the hiring process. Following is the portion of the proposal explaining the planned changes, including the justification, planned exceptions, and how the hiring process would work.” (FedWeek)
Firing Brimstones success at China Lake. “The Brimstone air-to-surface missile developed by MBDA has undertaken a challenging operational evaluation trials by the Royal Air Force (RAF) that confirm the performance of the weapon’s latest technical enhancements. . . . Brimstones were conducted against a variety of operational scenarios with precise hits on small, fast moving vehicles and static targets in complex positions. The trials included single missiles and salvo firings using laser, millimetric radar and dual-mode guidance, using ground-based, third party laser designation.” (Defense Update)
