Government Clearance
When government clearance is needed, an individual must submit a security check application to the Department of Defense (DoD). The government agency requesting the clearance is responsible for requesting the security check. The individual is not able to request the clearance, only the government agency. When the application for government clearance is submitted, the DoD will review the application based on various security guidelines. The security check is used to ensure that the individual is an acceptable security risk.
The security check is based on the individual's background. The security check for government clearance may be approved or denied. An individual's security check can be denied for several reasons, and when the security check is denied the individual will receive a Statement of Reasons (SOR). The SOR will contain allegations regarding the individual's denial for government clearance. The individual will have the opportunity to respond to these allegations in attempt to obtain the needed security clearance.
When government clearance has been denied, individuals are advised to seek the legal guidance of an experienced attorney. An attorney can help individual more fully understand the security check process and the security guidelines used by the DoD. Individuals may require assistance in formulating answers to the DoD allegations, and an attorney can help the individual ensure that his or her answers will meet DoD security guidelines in order to obtain the required government clearance.