QUESTIONS ON PERSONNEL SECURITY AS DISCUSSED WITH (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00530R000601600002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 17, 1988
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP90-00530R000601600002-2
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Questions on Personnel Security: NSA
Discussed with) on 6/17/88. (301) 859-6350
STAT
1) Noted the fact that your program has a statutory basis. Do you
thing this helps/hinders it in any way?
There are practical aspects to it They do adhere to DCID 1/14.
The statute also provides an "out" in that DCID 1/14 permits
intelligence agencies to grant people temporary SCI clearances, and
their statute does not. thinks that's good, prevents them STAT
from possibly granting a temporary SCI and then having to revoke
it. The statute also give the NSA Director authority to withdraw a
clearance. While he has never had to use this authority (he
normally appoints a Board of Appraisal and accepts their
recommendation), the fact that he can do so is important. NSA uses
this part of the statute to demonstrate to Congress the sensitivity
of their work.
2) Are there any particular differences in your program because of
the statutory requirements?
3) Do most of the clearances meet the five month timeframe that
NSA considers reasonable?
Vast majority do. Those that don't, and which might skew
statistics, are those which have a lot of overseas background
checking. Many don't take 5 months.
4) As far as you know, is NSA the only intelligence agency that
grants an interim, limited clearance?
As far as he knows. Those who have limited interim clearance
(a secret clearance without SCI access) have different badges and
can't be i areas with access to gray phones or SCI data. They have
had the full lifestyle poly and a psychological examination, and
very few have "washed out" afterwards. They use it frequently
because it gives them a better chance to compete with private
industry. If they couldn't commit, the would lose qualified
persnnel -- they can't afford to do this.
The staff really don't "waste time" by being there without the
clearance. There are classes they have to take as new employees,
and they can take these with only a secret. They sometimes get
assigned to areas that really need help but wouldn't otherwise get
it (e.g. personnel). One new staff member who was cleared quickly,
because a parent was an NSA employee, said it would have actually
been better to have the Limited Interim Clearance for awhile. As it
was, every time she got into her job (with the full clearance), she
had to stop for a week of training.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP90-00530R000601600002-2
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5) The obvious "To" to the interim clearance is that you can
bring staff on board quickly. Are there any cons?
Only that it is sometimes difficult to find a "clean" work area
for LIC staff -- no grey phones, no SCI data, etc. This isn't
really a big problem.
6) Looking at Applicant Review Panel and Security close-outs.
Does Security get all these applications at the same time the ARP
does, and work on them concurrently, or does ARP get them first for
a "personnel qualifications" review?
The Applicant Review Panel only gets those cases which have
been through security and for which there is some derogatory
information. If all the security clearances are fine, the person's
paperwork goes back to personnel to decide on final hiring. ARP
goes over all components -- medical, security, psychological, etc --
and recommends approval/disapproval.
Impact of Security Issues on Lifestyle/Family Issues
7) Exit-questionnaire data very helpful, and we noted how few of
those who left cited 'restrictions imposed by the classified nature
of the work.' In general, are any of the most prevalent reasons
cited related to the nature of NAPA's review -- i.e. problems with
the personnel system?
This question would best be asked of personnel. Ask Duane.
Impact of Involuntary Staff Separation on Agency Security
8) Does any part of your Crisis Intervention Program involve
helping with a job search for post-NSA employment? If so, is this
done by the agency's own staff, or is this contracted out?
The outplacement staff is a small, overworked one. THey had
planned that it would be bigger, but when NSA adopted its no-growth
policy, the slots were cut. The problem is probably bigger than
they even know. They are in the middle of the first five-year
reinvestigation cycle. In the next 18 months, as they finish it for
all 25,000 people, they will probably find more problems and need
more outplacement.
9) Is it possible to give any examples of the program's
demonstrated success (as cited in NSA's response.)?
Decided not to ask this question.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP90-00530R000601600002-2
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Agency Views on the Polygraph as a Security Tool
10) Is the polygraph used before or after you do the BI? And what
is the rationale for when it is done?
They do it before. If they did it after the SBI, they would be
doing the investigation on people who would have "washed out" on an
up-front poly. This would be wasteful. The policy is economically
correct. /
11) In adjudicating polygraph results, do you use the criteria
outlined in Attachment C to DCID 1/14? Presuming so, how do you
instruct/train staff so they apply them the same way?
There is polygrapher training to help them be consistent.
There's a DCI course All adjudicators must go. STAT
12) We hear people say that agencies handling SCI who routinely use
the polygraph are hesitant to use on details/special projects the
staff of agencies who don't. Could you comment on this?
"We don't practi this at all." NSA's tact is to actively
pursue the polygraphs a requirement for all SCI-cleared people.
However, in the meantime, they don't treat non-poly'd people "that
way," and he would not "want to go on record as thinking that." In
the past, they have been accused of having an overreliance on the
poly. Really, what it helps in are lifestyle issues. They don't
reply on it as the primary clearance tool for those who pass it.
The tool is the full-field investigation, as it should be.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP90-0053OR000601600002-2
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/05/07: CIA-RDP90-0053OR000601600002-2