What if I have a TS clearance or above but my security office won't provide me with a simple letter verifying my clearance?
In case you don't know: Yes, having a TS Clearance or above does qualify you for your Maryland Permit to Carry a Handgun.
Getting a letter from your security officer simply stating something along the lines of: "__Insert Your Name___ has an active Top Secret ( or whatever higher clearance you may possess) eligibility granted on (example) 1/1/2021 based upon a PPR which closed on 12/31/2020". Have this put on company letter head from your security officer or supervisor. As long as the Maryland State Police can verify your possession of an Active TS Clearance or Above, you are approved. It doesn't matter whether you do secret squirrel work or a paper pusher.
Now, What if I have a TS clearance or above but my security office won't provide me with a simple letter verifying my clearance?
Well, I am going to present to you several different avenues of approach. I am not the mastermind behind this. We were provided this information by a past client that we will keep unnamed to protect them.
The first recommendation would be to contact the Investigator who did the primary case work in the beginning of obtaining the clearance to get the documentation that says you were granted the Clearance.
If you can’t remember the Investigators information because some Clearance renewals are longer than others, I would go up the Chain of Command with the Company and ask for the documentation on their Clearance, you can say you want it for your personal records or you can say you want a copy of it to have as reference for when you are up for renewing the Clearance.
Chain of command normally for Contractors is: Federal Customer Support (who they are supporting that is a Federal Employee), Company's Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Security Representative for the Company then the Supervisors of the Company. If you work on base and have a Secretary or Administrative contact with access to JPAS or DISS, they can pull Clearance information from JPAS or DISS which is where Clearance information is kept. This will provide information on the requestors Clearance.
Additionally, you can ask the Company for your Record/File which should be everything that pertains to them and if they send it back without the Security Clearance Information, I would ask where that documentation is and why it is not included in their file.
They can also ask if their local Human Resources or Security Officer can give them access to log back into the e-QIP system and retrieve their information on that system.
They are legally (I believe) to give the requestor any information that is pertaining to their records to include Security Clearance information.
If they don’t I would use all knowledge of going up the Chain of the Company to get what the requestor is needing, even if they say the information is “ for their records”.
If they still don’t get anywhere with those options, I would contact OPM/DCSA and let them know that they are withholding this information from them and it’s is a violation of the FOIA/PA .
DoD personnel, whether active duty or civilian, as well as contractors, can request their JPAS records from DCSA under the DCSA Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.
This is the form they would use to request their own documentation from OPM (See Below)
Providing all the information requested on the INV100 will help complete the request in a timely manner and ensure that it is not returned for additional information. Alternatively, if you wish to submit a handwritten request, your request must include the following information:
-Full name
-Date of birth
-Place of birth
-Full social security number
-Mailing address
-email address if they want the material returned electronically
Any available information regarding the type of record involved, photocopies of two different identity source documents. Examples of acceptable identity source documents are noted on the form if you wish to not use the form. An original notarized statement or an unsworn declaration , in the following format:
"I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct."
Executed on (date). (Handwritten Signature).
Requests can be sent to the FOI/P Office for Investigations via mail. Information is below
Mail: Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
ATTN: FOI/P Office for Investigations
PO Box 618
Boyers, PA 16018
For deliveries requiring a street address use:
1137 Branchton Road
Boyers, PA 16018
If youchoose to email that information is below
E-mail: FOIPARequests@nbib.gov
The requestor may submit their request and identity source documents as scanned attachments to the email. Prior to sending, please ensure the security of the e-mail system is adequate for transmitting sensitive, personally identifiable information which is normally encrypted (e.g., full name, social security number, date of birth, etc). Do not send it without any encryption.
Feel free to message us on MeWe if you have any additional information that we can add to help others.
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