What is SOR security clearance?
A Statement of Reasons (SOR) is a preliminary notice of security clearance denial. It offers the applicant in detail the reasons for why their security clearance has been denied.
What is a statement of reasons for security clearance?
A Statement of Reasons is a list of the government’s reasons for denying or revoking your security clearance. A Statement of Reasons issued by the Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DoD CAF) will usually list less than five factual allegations against you, although some can include many more.
Can you appeal a security clearance decision?
If the decision is to deny or revoke the security clearance, the individual has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Appeal Board. The Appeal Board will review the case file and render its decision. This decision is final and concludes the appeal process.
What can disqualify you for a top secret clearance?
These conditions may disqualify you from access to classified information:
- Drug abuse.
- Illegal drug possession.
- Diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence by a medical professional.
- Evaluation of drug abuse or dependence by a licensed social worker.
- Failure to successfully complete a prescribed drug treatment program.
How do you respond to Sor?
Responses to the SOR will be submitted under oath or affirmation. The SOR is usually written in numbered paragraphs so you can respond specifically to each charge. You will be required to respond to each issue by stating, “I admit” or “I deny.” All answers must be “sufficient.”
What is an SOR army?
When adjudicators have sufficient information to make a clearance decision, they can either grant the clearance or write a Statement of Reasons (SOR), explaining why granting a clearance is not “clearly consistent with the interests of national security.” The SOR must provide “as comprehensive and detailed a written …
What percentage of security clearances are denied?
But don’t lose heart – 20-30% of all interim security clearances are denied, but that is vastly different than the figure of final clearance denials, which hovers around 1%.
What happens if you’re denied a security clearance?
Even if your security clearance application is denied, you still have options. Presidential Executive Order 12968 requires that denied applicants be provided with a written explanation of their denial and a chance to request a review.
Is polygraph required for secret clearance?
According to William Henderson, a retired federal clearance investigator and author of “Security Clearance Manual,” polygraphs are usually only issued “for Sensitive Compartment Information (SCI) and other Special Access Programs (SAP).” Some federal jobs do require a polygraph regardless of the clearance level …
How far back does a Top Secret clearance go?
ten years
Security Clearance Adjudicative Process The clearance process for Secret level access uses an investigation called the National Agency Check with Law and Credit that goes back five years, while the clearance process for Top Secret uses a Single Scope Background Investigation that goes back ten years.
What is a statement of reasons?
A statement of reasons is intended to explain to an applicant or a consulted third party how the decision was made. Writing good statements of reasons is a fundamental aspect of good decision making. This guideline has been developed to assist decision makers to make reasoned and consistent decisions.
How do you respond to an interrogatory letter?
Your answers to the interrogatories should usually be short, clear, and direct and should answer only the question that is being asked. This is not the time to set out your entire case or defense to the other side. Take the time to make sure your answers are correct and truthful.
What is a security clearance Sor?
The SOR is a preliminary decision to deny or revoke a clearance. Once it’s completed, it’s sent to the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) for review and approval, before it’s sent to the applicant. If you receive an SOR, it will be sent to your Facility Security Officer (FSO) in a double envelope.
What is a security clearance statement of reasons or letter of intent?
It is easy to read a Security Clearance Statement of Reasons (SOR) or Security Clearance Letter of Intent (LOI) and assume that your character is being called into question. In certain cases, the listed “concern” or the “factors that may raise a security concern” listed in the SOR or LOI can certainly imply that.
What should be included in a security clearance reference letter?
The reference needs to indicate that he or she is fully away of the security clearance concerns raised in the SOR or LOI and that the letter will be used for the applicant’s response. The reference needs to give concern examples that demonstrate the applicants reliability, trustworthiness, and good judgment.
Do I need a narrative response to my security clearance letter?
Thus, short but concise responses are usually preferred. Occasionally, however, a longer, narrative response may be appropriate. Whether this is true in your case is best discussed with an experienced security clearance lawyer. Sometimes a narrative response may be required in order to address the real concerns raised by the SOR.