Security clearances are a necessary part of the federal government’s workforce and are vital to maintain sensitive and classified information. KCNF’s Elaine Fitch and Mary Kuntz, authors of Security Clearance Law and Procedure, spoke with Ross Gianfortune on the GovExec Daily podcast about how the government is updating and modifying its clearance processes and how federal employees and contractors are impacted by these changes.
Fitch and Kuntz discussed several issues pertaining to security clearances, including a Department of Defense (DoD) memo directing the consolidation and uniformity of appeal processes for DoD clearance holders and applicants, polygraphs, cannabis and CBD, continuous evaluation, and changes to the clearance rules over the years. Kuntz noted that the evolution of continuous evaluation will have an immediate impact on clearances: “Things that happen that are security significant will affect [clearance holders] in real time,” citing the expanding scope of databases monitored by agencies.
Fitch commented that honesty and diligence in self-reporting is the best approach to obtaining and maintaining a security clearance, noting “Our lives are more and more well documented with every online step that we take, and people need to be mindful of that.”
To listen to the full podcast, click here.