Guideline A: 13 Adjudication Criteria

Many are aware of the Thirteen Adjudicative Guidelines of which security clearance decisions are made. For those not aware, the security clearance process begins, maintains, and continues with background investigations, observations, and adjudication decisions. When an employee is required to perform on a classified contract, the Facility Security Officer initiates a security clearance background investigation. When an employee performs on a classified contract, their security clearance privilege is in continuous evaluation. When a cleared employee is required to continue their clearance, the FSO submits a periodic reinvestigation request. These three security clearance states rely on the employee demonstrating their competency to protect classified information under the 13 Adjudicative Guidelines. This article is the first in a series of articles to describe each guideline.

Guideline A Allegiance to the United States

Under Guideline A, the employee bears the burden to clearly demonstrate unquestionable loyalty to the United States. After all, they will be in possession of sensitive information that could lead to varying levels of damage to national security if compromised.

Questionable Behavior

Under Guideline A, decisions are based on findings of disloyal activity, not on the applications words of faithfulness. There are many ways to demonstrate questionable loyalty that outweigh verbal declarations.  For example, you might think your neighbor’s daily flag raising ceremony is very patriotic and you may never question their loyalty. However, your discovery of their belonging to an organization sympathetic to America’s enemies may change your view. In light of their questionable associations, their reciting the Pledge of Allegiance every day is a nice gesture that is outweighed by their behavior.  In a security clearance investigation, these observations may cause a denial or revocation of a security clearance; no matter how much they protest their love of America. The risk that they may compromise classified information to support their potentially true allegiance is too great.

An example of a Guideline A violation could be joining an anti-America or other hate group demonstrating desire to attack, overthrow, sabotage, or otherwise cause harm to the American government or just supporting those who do. This “joining” could be as involved as participating in activities, attending meetings, or just “liking” a social media group run by a foreign or domestic terrorist organization.

Currently, there are no security clearance decisions available on the DOHA website that are based on Guideline A violations. However, there are plenty of examples for Guidelines B and C (Foreign Influence and Foreign Preference). In other words, while Guideline A violations may be difficult to prove, the great probability of determining Guidelines B and C violations may be the next considerations to deny or revoke a security clearance. We will cover these cases in future installments.

Please follow link to read the rest of the article at clearancejobs.com https://news.clearancejobs.com/2017/05/31/criticizing-government-cost-security-clearance/

NISPOM Based Questions

NISPOM Based Questions

                  
 By Jeffrey W. Bennett, ISP, SAPPC
                  
                                                                                                                                 

Get your copy @ www.redbikepublishing.com

                  

         
         
            If you are serious about advancing in your field, get security certification. 
                  

            Taking practice tests is a great way to prepare for an exam. Successful students in grade school and college study using guides and exam preparation questions based on the test subject material. This same successful methodology can also help prepare for professional exams like ISP Certification and SPeD Certification. DSS has study material and tests available for those who enrol, NCMS has test study material as well.
           
              Practice tests augment certification exam preparation. Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Study Guide features four complete test length practice exams based on NISPOM. It could help you pass the ISP and SPeD certification exams.
                  
We've updated our manual for NISPOM Change 2. Have a go at some new questions. 
                  

            Try these questions to see how you do:
                  

         

1. The NISP was established by:
                      
a. Executive Order 12829 
                      
b. Executive Order 12333
                      
c. Executive Order 13355
                      
d. Executive Order 12356
                      
e. Executive order 12345
                      
2. An employee with a privileged user account can perform which of the following functions?
                      
a. System Control
                      
b. System Monitoring
                      
c. Data Transfer
                      
d. Functions general users are not authorized to perform
                      
e. All of the above 
                      
3. General and privileged users should receive which of the following training?
                      
a. Threat awareness training
                      
b. Insider threat training
                      
c. Risks associated with user activities
                      
d. NISP based responsibilities
                      
e. All the above 
                      
4. Contractors performing work on federal installations shall safeguard classified information
              according to procedures of:
                      
a. NISPOM
                      
b. Block 13 of DD From 254
                      
c. Host Installation or Agency 
                      
d. CSA
                      
e. CSO
                      
          

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

         

           
              Scroll Down For Answers
           
         
                      
                      
                      
1. The NISP was established by:
                         
a. Executive Order 12829 (NISPOM 1-101)
                         
b. Executive Order 12333 
                      
c. Executive Order 13355 
                      
d. Executive Order 12356
                      
e. Executive order 12345
                      
2. An employee with a privileged user account can perform which of the following functions?
                      
a. System Control
                      
b. System Monitoring 
                      
c. Data Transfer
                      
d. Functions general users are not authorized to perform
                      
e. All of the above (DSS Assessment and Authorization Process Manual)
                      
3. General and privileged users should receive which of the following training?
                      
a. Threat awareness training 
                      
b. Insider threat training
                      
c. Risks associated with user activities
                      
d. NISP based responsibilities
                      
e. All the above (NISPOM 8-101)
                      
4. Contractors performing work on federal installations shall safeguard classified information
              according to procedures of:
                      
a. NISPOM
                      
b. Block 13 of DD From 254
                      
c. Host Installation or Agency (NISPOM 1-200)
                      
d. CSA
                      
e. CSO
                      

           
           
           
              So how did you do? These questions and more can be found in Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Guide to ISP Certification,
                      
                      
                      
                      
DoD Security Clearance and Contracts Guidebook, as well as in NISPOM Training. Both resources provide excellent study material that may help with passing the ISP and SPeD certification exams.
           
              According to reader comments and emails to the author, many who have bought this book, the ISP Test Tips, and used our techniques to augment their preparation have performed very well on the exam.