Every year we ask an open-ended question in our compensation survey: What is one thing you’d like to see changed in the national security workforce this year?
Nearly 9,000 cleared professionals answered. Some wrote a single word. Others wrote paragraphs. A few said “nothing” and probably meant it. But taken together, the responses paint a clear picture of a workforce that is committed to the mission and ready for smart reform.
What People Want to Change in the national security workforce
Here’s what rose to the top.
1. Stability in an Unstable Environment
The most consistent theme was stability.
More than 1,100 respondents referenced stability, funding consistency, contract delays, or policy whiplash. People talked about long contract extensions pending review, shifting priorities, and uncertainty tied to administration changes. The underlying message was not political. It was practical.
Cleared professionals want predictability. They want contracts awarded in reasonable timeframes. They want funding priorities communicated clearly. They want to know that the work they are building their careers around will not stall because of administrative churn.
For a mission-driven workforce, uncertainty is exhausting. Stability is not about comfort. It is about operational effectiveness.
2. Pay That Reflects the Mission
Compensation remains front and center.
More than 850 respondents directly mentioned pay, salary, wages, or compensation adjustments. In a year marked by inflation pressures and aggressive private sector recruiting, cleared professionals are acutely aware of their market value.
Some asked for higher base pay. Others asked for more transparent pay bands. A few pointed out pay compression between junior and senior staff. The theme was consistent. If the work is critical to national security, compensation should reflect that reality.
This aligns with what we see in the data tables. The cleared workforce knows its worth, and it is comparing opportunities.
3. Remote Work and Flexibility
Flexibility is not going away.
More than 500 responses specifically referenced remote work, telework, or work from home options. For some, it was the only change they wanted. For others, it was part of a broader call for modernization.
Cleared work will always require secure facilities. But many professionals believe hybrid models, unclassified tasking from home, and flexible schedules are possible without compromising mission integrity. The desire for remote options is not about convenience. It is about retention, family balance, and competing with commercial employers who offer flexibility as a baseline.
The workforce is not asking to dismantle SCIF culture. They are asking for smart adaptation.
4. Clearance Reform and Polygraph Frustration
The clearance process remains a pain point.
More than 600 responses referenced clearances, adjudication timelines, transfers between contracts, or polygraph requirements. Many called for faster reciprocity and easier clearance transfers when moving between roles. Others specifically asked for fewer polygraphs or more consistency in how they are applied.
For a workforce built around access to classified information, delays in processing or transferring clearances directly impact careers. When mobility is slowed by administrative friction, it affects morale and retention.
Streamlining clearance systems is not just a bureaucratic improvement. It is a workforce modernization strategy.
5. Bureaucracy and Acquisition Bottlenecks
Red tape continues to frustrate.
Hundreds of respondents mentioned bureaucracy, slow processes, SBIR and STTR complexities, and acquisition delays. They want fewer layers. They want faster decisions. They want innovation pathways that do not take years to move from concept to contract.
National security professionals are used to operating in high stakes environments. What frustrates them most is unnecessary delay. When contracts linger, when programs stall, or when processes feel outdated, it erodes confidence in the system.
Efficiency is not a buzzword to this workforce. It is a requirement.
6. Leadership, Culture, and Unity
Leadership came up often as well.
Some respondents called for stronger leadership. Others asked for better communication from management or clearer direction from policymakers. A handful mentioned cultural concerns, including fairness, unity, and professionalism in the workplace.
The tone varied, but the underlying request was consistent. People want to feel aligned. They want leadership that communicates priorities clearly and fosters collaboration across teams and agencies.
The national security mission is inherently collective. Professionals want their workplace culture to reflect that.
7. And Then There Were the “Nothing” Responses
A meaningful number of respondents simply said “nothing.”
Some wrote, “The workforce is top notch.” Maybe they were just being a little chippy, but others said they were satisfied with how things are going. Even in a year of funding shifts, policy debates, and global instability, many cleared professionals expressed confidence in their peers and pride in their work.
It is easy to focus on what needs to change. But the open-ended responses also reveal deep respect for the people doing the work. The mission remains strong because the workforce remains strong.
What we want in the Work Ahead of US
The national security workforce is not asking for radical transformation. It is asking for modernization with stability. Above all, it is asking for systems that match the seriousness of the mission.
When you read thousands of verbatim responses, the emotion comes through. This is a community that cares deeply about national security. They are not disengaged. They are invested.
The workforce is ready to meet the moment. The question is whether the systems around them will evolve just as quickly.
