HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Base officials are reminding employees here of the reporting requirements for personnel with access to classified information or those who hold sensitive positions.
According to the Security Executive Agent Directive 3, such covered individuals must report their own activities, or those of a covered coworker, related to ownership of foreign-backed cryptocurrency, some interactions with law enforcement, foreign contacts and travel, marriage, cohabitation, questionable behavior or conduct, and mental health to their designated security manager.
Reports of concerning behavior or conduct must be based on credible information, not solely on rumor, innuendo, or unsubstantiated hearsay.
Security managers must also be notified of contact with media if they show interest in classified information or controlled unclassified information. All other media contacts should be coordinated through the installation’s Public Affairs Office.
Failure to report could result in a member’s clearance being suspended or revoked.
“We are continuously vetted as covered members, so it’s always in someone’s best interest to self-report than to wait and have it come up in a check,” said Mary Lyons, a Hanscom personnel security manager.
Lyons explained that just because an event is reportable, it doesn’t automatically mean a member’s clearance is in jeopardy, especially in cases of mental health.
“There’s a misconception that seeking mental health treatment will adversely affect someone’s clearance, but that’s not the case,” said Deborah DeTora, Hanscom’s Information Protection director.
According to the guidance, reportable mental health treatment and counseling events include court-ordered treatment and hospitalizations for a mental health condition. Low risk, non-reportable conditions could include treatment for stress and anxiety, as well as marriage and grief counseling.
DeTora said there is a similar standard for reportable traffic violations. Minor, routine traffic or parking tickets would not be reportable, but offenses that include the endangerment of others, such as reckless driving, would be.
“We need to know about these types of offenses because they are ultimately judgement calls that reflect on an individual, and it all boils down to how someone would protect national security,” said Lyons.
Covered individuals can contact their unit’s designated security representative to document events, and Lyons said it is better to be proactive with the information than not.
“It has always been the case with clearance investigations to report something than to have it show up after the fact,” she said.
Additional information on reportable events can be found at https://www.dcsa.mil/Portals/91/Documents/CTP/tools/SEAD3_REPORTING_DESKTOP_AID_FOR_CLEARED_INDUSTRY.pdf.