Defense.gov News Article: DOD Official Reports on Security Clearance Process
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NEWS ARTICLE
DODOfficialReportsonSecurity
ClearanceProcess
ByTerriMoonCronk
AmericanForces Press Service
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2014 – The DefenseDepartmenthas taken several initiatives to controlsecurity clearances following a mass shooting byacontract employee at the Washington Navy Yard last September.
The shooting left 12 peopledead. The gunman, a former Navy reservist,was shot deadbypolice. Stephen Lewis, deputy directorfor personnel, industrial and physical security policy in the Pentagon’sCounterintelligence and security directorate,told the panel about DOD’s practices and procedures forgranting security clearances to employees.
“We have used multiple initiatives to reviewand confirm the quality of the investigative products we receive, the qualityofouradjudications,andtheaccuracyandcompletenessof thedocumentationofadjudicativerationales insupportofoversightandreciprocity,”Lewissaid.
Headdedthatthedepartmentalsohasa certificationprocessin placeforpersonnelsecurityadjudicators,and that component heads are responsibleforoversightroles and responsibilities.
“[They are] responsible for establishing and overseeing implementation of procedurestoensure prompt reporting of significant derogatory information, unfavorable administrative actions, and adverse information, unfavorable administrativeactions,andadverseinformationrelatedto itspersonnel,”hesaid.
Suchinformationisgivento appropriateofficialsinthecomponent,andtotheDODConsolidatedAdjudication
Facility,whenapplicable,Lewissaid.“Thisresponsibilityappliesto militaryservicemembers,DODciviliansand embedded contractor personnel,” he added.
“Under the National Industrial Security Program, cleared contractors are required to
report adverse information…regarding their cleared employees,” Lewis noted.
The Defense Security Service Companiesare responsible foroverseeingthe businesses cleared to work on classifiedcontractsforDODand26otherfederaldepartmentsandagenciesthatuseDODindustrialsecurity services,Lewissaid.
“[DOD]hasworkedveryhardtocreateimprovementsthatproducedgreaterefficienciesandeffectivenessinthe face of initiating and adjudicating background investigations,”Lewis toldthe committee.
The Government Accountability Officeremoved DOD's personnel security clearanceprogramfromitshigh-risk list in 2011, he added.