If you could change one thing about the security clearance process, what would it be?
Seriously, I want to know! Whether you’re in the government, industry, or navigating the process yourself, drop your thoughts in the comments section. It’s a topic I love diving into, and I often discuss it with folks in the community.
Over the weekend, I read a 2011 Intelligence and National Security Alliance Security Policy Reform Council report. Even though it’s over a decade old, a lot of the issues they raised still hit home today. The Trusted Workforce 2.0 framework is addressing some of those things, so huge kudos to everyone who worked on that. But… we’ve still got a long way to go.
When people ask me what I’d improve, I always land on two things:
1. Clearance Portability and Reciprocity
This one’s a no-brainer. We need to make it easier for cleared professionals to move between agencies and contracts without jumping through hoops every time. I know it’s a core piece of the Trusted Workforce 2.0 push, but we’re still not there yet, and even as the policy is put into place we’re at the critical phase where it will be up to the implementers to do it. Will the framework solve it? Maybe. But it’s going to take a big commitment from the agencies to actually get us across the finish line. They need to embrace innovation and agile processes—get stuff done faster and smarter!
2. Better Candidate Communication
This is huge. Candidates go through such a personal, invasive process, and right now it often feels like throwing their information into a black hole. They deserve better. Even if they’re waiting for a year, just knowing what’s going on can make all the difference. I’m cautiously optimistic that with NBIS, we’ll see some improvements here, like a portal where candidates can log in and see their status. But even as we wait on NBIS, there are absolutely steps security officers can take to ensure candidates waiting months have a clearer picture of where they are in the timeline.
So, there you have it—portability and better communication. That’s my wish list. But I want to know—what’s on yours? It could be totally different depending on where you sit, whether you’re a new applicant, a veteran security professional, or a government policy expert.
