We all know the phrase made prevalent by the Department of Homeland Security following 9/11: ‘If you see something, say something.’ It has specific implications for national security workers, but it doesn’t make coming forward any easier.
Saying something to your security officer is certainly the right thing to do, but some clearance holders may be reluctant for fear of getting involved, experiencing retaliation, or being deemed a ‘snitch’. However, Security Executive Agent Directive (SEAD)-3 imposes a requirement on clearance holders to “alert their agency heads or designees to the following reportable activities of other clearance holders that may be of potential security or counterintelligence concern.”
But what if you’re a concerned citizen?
COULD (OR SHOULD) YOU REPORT A CLEARANCE HOLDER AS A BYSTANDER
The ClearanceJobsBlog is a place where security clearance applicants, current holders, and background investigators can ask questions on topics like the SF-86, clearance denials / revocations, or any number of other things that arise in the cleared community. Commenters on the blog have also asked about reporting someone they knew who had a clearance and they believed didn’t deserve one:
“How does one report an ex-husband with a top-secret clearance who refuses to pay child support? He also asks me for explicit pics for payment. Tells me to earn it like he does. He is required to pay me child support and doesn’t. I can’t afford a lawyer and I’m done with the harassment.”
“How would a regular citizen without clearance report a violation on someone you know has clearance and shouldn’t? I’m not sure if it’s blatantly criminal. This person is lying about who they are and providing a falsified birth certificate. A private investigator verified the correct information on the individual. I’m not trying to be a troublemaker, or the adjudicator. Just trying to make sure the proper people know so they can make that decision.”
If you’re a bystander worried about a clearance holder, don’t let your emotion run amuck. If your ex-husband isn’t paying child support, there are other avenues to tackling the issue. Eventually, he would have to mitigate any financial issues in the future pertaining to his clearance, but contacting his office is not the best recourse for getting a spouse to pay.
If someone is falsifying documents, lying about their identity, or providing false information on the security clearance application forms, this is a federal offense. The FBI supports agencies by investigating and prosecuting these very serious offenses, so reach out your local FBI field office for guidance.
Additional Obligations for Security Clearance Holders
The blog moderator recently started a thread about reporting another clearance holder:
“We all know about having to self-report information as a security clearance holder, but what about reporting on another clearance holder? This scenario is played out almost every day: another individual with whom you work has a security clearance and you become aware of some conduct that could be an issue…”
You may be asking what should you do, who to report the information to, or other questions that may arise through this ethical decision-making process. SEAD-3 reporting requirements apply to clearance holders and other personnel known to have eligibility/access. So, if you see something, say something to your Facility Security Officer (FSO), or report it anonymously to the DoD Hotline.
As a clearance holder, you should report any information that raises doubts about whether another clearance holder’s continued eligibility for access to classified information is a threat to national security. Some will argue that certain situations are not serious enough. But better safe than sorry.
If you are aware of information about a clearance holder that may be concerning, do not approach the individual, coworkers or supervisors about it: contact your security team. Let your FSO make the determination and handle any necessary inquires. If you’re unsure of your specific circumstance, check out our guide to ‘How to Report a Security Violation.’
Rule of thumb: if you see something that’s concerning, just speak up. Reporting an issue will not immediately cause a clearance denial or be a career killer, but allows the government to consider or open an investigation into potential issues. How you reach out will depend on both if you have a security clearance yourself and the severity of the information. But when in doubt, report it to your security officer or local FBI office.
