Statement of Donald Mancuso Deputy Inspector General Department of Defense Before the Senate Committee on the Armed Services on Issues Facing the Department of Defense Regarding Personnel Security Clearance Investigations
Donald Mancuso · 2000
Personnel security clearance investigations are intended to establish and maintain a reasonable threshold for trustworthiness through investigation and adjudication before granting and maintaining access to classified information. The initial investigation provides assurance that a person has not demonstrated behavior that could be a security concern. Periodic reinvestigation is an 2 important, formal check to help uncover changes in behavior that may occur after the initial clearance is granted. The standard for periodic reinvestigation is 5 years for Top Secret, 10 years for Secret, and 15 years for Confidential clearances. Reinvestigations are actually more important than the initial clearance investigation, because people who have held clearances longer are more likely to be working with more critical information and systems.