The Players
Personnel Security Specialists

Personnel security specialists play an integral role in the federal security clearance process. In both the private-sector world and federal government, it is here where the initial paperwork for a security clearance application begins. It is crucial that your paperwork is screened for completeness, accuracy and mistaken omissions. It is here where these corrections need to be caught and not further down the road in the clearance process. If your clearance papers are full and complete, your application can be properly directed through the pipeline.

If errors in your paperwork are detected somewhere In the middle of the process, the whole train comes to a stop. You’ve just added 3 to 6 more months to your security clearance application process. While personnel security specialists essentially perform the same functions in the security process, their roles and responsibilities differ slightly in the private-sector industry and federal government.

Basic Levels of Security Classification:

• Confidential:
  This clearance refers to material which, if improperly disclosed, could be reasonably expected to cause some measurable damage to national security. The vast majority of military personnel are given this very basic level of clearance. It must be reinvestigated every 15 years.
• Secret:
  Unauthorized disclosure of the information this clearance covers could be expected to cause grave damage to national security. This level gets reinvestigated every 10 years.
• Top Secret:
  Individuals with this clearance have access to information or material that could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if it was released without authorization. This level needs to be reinvestigated every five years.