background investigations

[Ron Natalie]

> a)  (Presuming you're hiring someone for a full-time position, since they're
> most likely the sensitive ones:)  Security clearances DO NOT follow you.
> I mean that once you quit from one sensitive job, no matter whether it's due
> to "firing," "moving to a better job," or whatever, your security clearance
> is immediately cancelled, and you're debriefed (talk about the Federal Laws
> about secrecy that still apply, etc.).  Ergo, you're not hiring someone who
> already has a "clearance"; you're hiring someone who HAD a clearance.

Wrongo.  Security clearances don't follow you, but they can be retrieved.
You have 6 months to transfer a secret.  I went from being employed by the
Army, to be a contracter for the Army by a University, to being a contractor
for another government agency by an Aerospace company, back to working for
the Army without ever filling out new security clearance forms.  You just
fill out a one page "transfer" application.

Of course, higher clearances don't work this way, but once you've had an
extensive background investigation, subsequent ones may come easier.

-Ron "Super Spook" Natalie