The security clearance process is filled with acronyms and seems to be a subject of debate due to changing policy and semantic differences among security clearance holders. As you move from Secret level to the Top Secret, and from TS to TS/SCI, are there risks that applicants should be aware of? One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber was curious:
Here’s the situation: My current job requires a TS (which I received in 2019), employer wants me to go for a TS/SCI, saying it’s “nice to have,” but it’s not required for my current job, and is willing to sponsor me. Is there any benefit to getting a TS/SCI even though it’s not required for my job? (i.e. does it open more doors later on in career?) What about possible down sides? (i.e. if I am not favorably adjudicated for the SCI, does that impact my current TS clearance?) For context, current job is language analysis for a very hot/useful language at the moment. Thanks for the advice.
BENEFITS TO BEING SCI ELIGIBLE
Many clearance holders confuse “SCI” designations as a new clearance, but that is not the case. The criteria for a Top Secret clearance and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) are the same – both entail a Single Scope Background Investigation. If you have an SSBI, you have the eligibility for SCI. To actually access this type of classified information, you are required to be in a position that needs access to SCI. So, really, you are trying to become “SCI eligible”. Once you move on from your current role that doesn’t require access to it, apply elsewhere (or apply to another contract within your company), and are in a position that requires access to the SCI, you will be “read on” to the program, and will be vetted through security to gain SCI access.
This certainly does open up doors if you are looking to move on from your current position down the road. Your employer is taking a leap of faith that you will stay in sponsoring you. They likely have some program involving your skillset and an SCI program and are hoping to open up their flexibility – and yours – by making you eligible with the government customer.
DOWNSIDES to ts/sci
This additional vetting process could open up some risks to the applicant being screened. If the applicant has a current SSBI, and there hasn’t been any new adjudicatively significant information through Continuous Evaluation or self-reporting, a new investigation shouldn’t be required, due to reciprocity guidelines (SEAD 7). But just because reciprocity applies doesn’t mean the agency won’t require a new investigation, anyway.
“Under SEAD 7, when a person with active TS eligibility is being considered for SCI eligibility, the agency making the SCI eligibility determination may request a new SF86 or SF86C,” said William Henderson, a security clearance consultant and regular ClearanceJobs contributor. “If there is no new information, related to a potentially disqualifying condition, since his/her last SF86, no new investigation should be conducted. The agency may adjudicate the existing Tier 5 (or Tier 5R) investigation for SCI eligibility. If there is new potentially disqualifying information, the agency can do as much or as little investigative work as it feels is necessary to properly adjudicate eligibility.”
You’ll note there are a lot of ‘mays’ involved in the process. If the individual ‘may’ have adverse information that wasn’t discovered in an initial SSBI but could be during a more lengthy counterintelligence investigation required for SCI, they should probably turn down the SCI offer. But assuming they are open to the additional scrutiny, the benefits outweigh any possible negatives, in career opportunity and advancement.
