The year 2015 ushered in a trifecta of security clearance reductions, according to the 2015 Annual Report on Security Clearance Determinations from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). In 2015 the population of cleared, in-access professionals; those cleared but without access; and new clearances approved all saw a drop.
The report indicated that a significant percentage of reductions were related to Data Quality Initiatives (DQIs) implemented. Chief among the initiatives was simply enforcing JPAS policies on the books, including separating personnel who have left the service, deceased, or who are no longer US citizens. Another initiative that successfully reduced the size of the cleared population was the effort to reduce the periodic reinvestigation backlog. Before conducting periodic reinvestigations, agencies first determined if the individual still needed access at all.
The other key theme of 2015? Serious security clearance delays. the number of initial cases pending for more than four months nearly doubled, from 1,322 in 2014 to 2,526 in 2015. The cause? The periodic reinvestigation backlog as well as the push to reduce insider threats caused funds to be reallocated – away from new investigations.
Can DISS Help with Delays?
While not addressed in the report, one key change that may help the clearance process in the year to come is the implementation of the Defense Information System for Security (DISS). DISS will roll out later this month and in addition to cyber vetting, it is supposed to help with reciprocity and improve the overall usability of the Defense Department’s key hub for security clearance data. DISS allows for continuous evaluation of cleared applicants. It allows for an Automated Record Check (ARC), a critical component of insider threat reform.
Are Reductions Over?
The 2015 report on clearance determinations made no promise that the current reductions in the cleared workforce are over. In fact, it reiterated the positive success seen through DQIs would be continued. This means the cleared ‘in access’ population could continue to decrease as well as the overall size of the cleared workforce, as investigations are allowed to lapse. For cleared personnel who need a security clearance in order to perform duties, it will be increasingly important to stay on top of periodic reinvestigation dates.
