Security clearances may be denied or revoked for a number of reasons, and just because a clearance is revoked at some point doesn’t mean the applicant won’t be able to obtain a security clearance down the road. Passage of time is often one of the most significant mitigating factors for all of the adjudicative criteria – put enough time between an issue and a follow-up application, and your chances of obtaining a security clearance increase dramatically.
To Tell or Not to Tell?
If you’ve previously held a security clearance and had it revoked or suspended, and are now working in a new job without a clearance, you may wonder if you’ll need to disclose your previous clearance issues if your new employer asks you to consider a position requiring clearance eligibility. Like most areas of the security clearance process, honesty is generally the best policy.
Depending upon the position, how your employer presents it, and whether you’re currently employed with the company that would like to submit you will make all of the difference. You won’t be able to hide your prior clearance issues from your facility security officer – you’ll need to disclose any clearance denials, revocations, or suspensions on the SF-86. The form also asks for an explanation of the circumstances that led to the issue. This is a good thing – carefully articulate the reason behind the suspension or denial, and also why it is no longer an issue.
Current Issues or a Thing of the Past?
If your immediate supervisor is unaware of your security clearance past and asks to put you in for a position requiring clearance eligibility, you’ll generally want to be up front. If passage of time or circumstances changes improve your favorability, you should be able to demonstrate that. Indicate to your employer what you’ve learned, and why the previous issue shouldn’t negatively affect your current chances.
If you know you’re unable to obtain a security clearance (you’ve been denied a clearance in the prior 12 months or are an ongoing drug user, for instance), it’s also better to be up front with that. Employers don’t pay for the cost to perform a background investigation, but maintaining a personnel security program costs time and money. You certainly don’t want to waste your own time going through the process again if it’s a fool’s errand.
