“I just wanted to call and welcome you to the family!” This
was what the person who was going to be my new boss said when he called me at
the end of June last year. I was ecstatic. I had been able to get a job with
the federal government where I would be able to serve my county again. Sure, I
was going to have to go through the process of getting another security
clearance, but I was a disabled veteran, ethics professor, and someone with no
criminal history or any foreign contacts. Plus, I’d done my research. I read
that clearances took an average of a few months. I was told that I would
probably even be given an interim clearance so I could start work while waiting
for the official adjudication process to play out. I think it was a Friday
afternoon when the hiring official called. That would be the last stress-free
weekend I would have through the present day.
It took over two months, but I was finally told that I
wouldn’t be given an interim clearance. No reason was given. I was told it
wasn’t uncommon for people to be denied interim clearances in the post-Snowden,
post Navy Yard Shooter days. I wasn’t happy, but I figured that the process was
almost complete anyway, so I couldn’t complain too much.
Fast forward to November. Now, I was getting a little ticked
off. All interviews had been completed and whenever I emailed the security
office where I had been “hired,” I was told that things could come at any time.
It was OPM’s fault, they said. There was nothing to do but wait. Well, I
waited. And I waited. In the meantime, the person who had offered me the job
retired. The person who was my assigned clearance adjudicator went on to do
something else (I only knew when I tried to email her and my email was bounced
back). Still, the security people told me my case should be adjudicated by the
end of the year.
When the new year came with no news, I reached out again.
This time, I was answered by a representative in Human Resources who said that
Security wanted him to be my new point of contact with any questions. He seemed
nice enough – and what else could I do?
Here started the weekly dance of me emailing my POC and him
emailing back and saying that nothing had changed.
Eventually, I decided that enough was enough. I reached out
to the individual who was my retired boss’s boss. Surely, if I had been offered
a job, there was a need for me to start work. Someone would be an advocate for
me. Wrong answer. Even this individual, while saying they were looking forward
to having me start work, said that nothing could be done.
At this point, I emailed my person in HR and begged them to
man-up and tell me if I was no longer wanted, so I could cut ties and look
elsewhere with clear resolve. No such luck; I was told that I was still wanted.
Since that time, I have reached out to the director of my
hiring agency and the OPM Ombudsman only to be ignored by each. At this point,
I don’t have much hope of ever being cleared to start the job I was offered.
So, why am I writing this? Well, there are three reasons: First, I have done my
best to hide my anger, sadness, confusion, and feelings of hopelessness. Unlike
people who probably don’t deserve a clearance, I express my emotions in words.
Second, though extremely unlikely, maybe someone will see this and try to help.
Lastly, I want anyone else going through this process that feels like they’ve
been crapped on for the better part of a year to know you aren’t alone. I
understand that the security clearance process has had its problems. However,
screwing over the people you ostensibly want to give clearance to isn’t a part
of the solution. I love my country and still want to serve, but this is
ridiculous.
