Adrian Woolcock ⋅ Charlotte, NC ProSidian Consulting ⋅ 18 years experience

You will loose your clearance, however you should seek to market your clearance to the civilian Government Service community as that clearance combined with your background and experiences are valuable in that arena. Don't rule out government contract service opportunities...

Oliver Dagum ⋅ Mount Holly, NJ U.S. Air Force, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 15 years served

Your security clearance is due every 10 years. This is for secret clearance. (Top secret clearance might be different.) The only reason I know this is because I had one done last year and its good for another 10 years. You need this if you are going to work again for the govt as a civilian. Keep in mind though that companies have the right to have to check your security clearance again at their own discretion. But on the application you should be able to say you are still good 10 years from which you got it . Also, remember the date you did your security clearance. I would advice for you to get one before you get out. Ask you squadrons security manager if you don't remember. Good luck to you.

Julia Rivera ⋅ Burbank, CA Los Angeles Ballet Company ⋅ 15 years experience

Some application processes give you the opportunity to include your classification history. It can be an attractive detail to some employers because it demonstrates a level of responsibility. I held a Secret clearance and I am often asked about it.

Julia Rivera

Rabi Singh ⋅ Orange Park, FL Deutsche Bank ⋅ 21 years experience

I list the number of years I held a Top Secret on my resume. A company looking to fill a clearance position would still have to pay time/money to get my clearance, but for non-clearance jobs, I am demonstrating the level of trust I maintained with the Government.

Marlene Boychak ⋅ Newark, DE CSC ⋅ 20 years experience

You clearance whether active or not is an asset that you can use to obtain employment. It demonstrates a level of trust that a prospective employer wouldn't normally have. You can always put what period you had clearance on the resume. If you are applying for a position that requires security clearance, you will have an advantage over other candidates because the employer knows it's easier to obtain or re-instate versus someone who never had clearance. Don't worry too much about loosing your current clearance.

Kenneth Moffett ⋅ El Paso, TX U.S. Air Force, Senior Master Sergeant ⋅ 24 years served

If you no longer require access to classified, you will be debriefed. Your record will remain in the DOD government database for two years. After the 2-year mark, if you require a clearance, a new investigation will have to be completed. A new investigation will also have to be completed if the current clearance is out of scope. 10-years DoD Collateral, 5-years DoD TS or other unique accesses. The good news is at that time OPM will forward your record electronically and you can update the record. I will still highly recommend you you keep a copy of the E-Quip investigation for record.

Duke Khadan Sawh ⋅ Keyport, NJ CECOM, Department of Defense ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Richard,

Part of your out-processing from Active Duty will require that you sign a Non-Disclosure Statement as relates to your security clearance. You will lose that clearance however DIS maintains your security clearance status and if you were to get another federal job or Government Contractor Job which requires the level of clearance which you had while on Active Duty, your company/agency may be able to request and reactivate that clearance, providing it has not been too long ago. Also the US Army Reserve and the National Guard are always looking for personnel to become part of their units as AGR members and so your previous held security clearance can be reactivated again. OPM.Gov is a great site for these kind of jobs,. Good Luck.

Tom Cal, CFA ⋅ San Francisco, CA Army Veteran, Investment Manager ⋅ 25 years experience

This discussion LinkedIn covers this topic, and is a good place to if needed ask follow up questions. First read the discussion and its comments..

"Security Clearances; Needing one, getting one, applying without one"
https://www.linkedin.com/grp/post/4466143-5980558728653455363

Seth Lynch ⋅ Plano, TX Hewlett Packard ⋅ 15 years experience

Richard,

With less than 8 years in service, you likely have 2 years left on your mandatory service obligation. That means you will transition to the Individual Ready Reserve or Standby Reserve to serve out the remainder of your MSO. Your security clearance will transfer to the IRR intact. It will remain with you until you are released from IRR or the review date expires.

To maintain your security clearance, you would need to join a Army Reserve or National Guard unit, or transfer to TPU or IMA in a position that requires that security clearance or join a company that does work for the DoD and needs you to maintain that clearance.

This website has some good information on the IRR along with information on other reserve component activities.
https://www.hrc.army.mil/staff/individual%20ready%20reserve%20homepage

Make sure you clearly ask questions about what happens when you transition and your obligations until you meet your MSO during your outprocessing. That transition team can also explain how to maintain your security clearance and help find you a good reserve component position if you choose to do that.

Omar Sultan ⋅ Elk Grove, CA Cisco ⋅ 25 years experience

You should certainly note your clearance history on your resume. For an employer that needs folks with clearance, all else being equal, it will give you an edge as it will be faster and cheaper to get your clearance reactivated versus having to start someone else from scratch.

RICHARD ANSAH ⋅ Fort Riley, KS U.S. Army, Sergeant ⋅ 6 years served

Thank you all very much for the various insights and information. I am really happy about all the responses that I have received here.

Robert Da Costa ⋅ Orlando, FL U.S. Army Reserve, Chief Warrant Officer ⋅ 17 years served

Richard, you will not loose your clearance immediately. What you will loose is your ACCESS to the facility as you are read off. HOWEVER,...IF you have a TS your ELIGIBILITY will remain active for 5 years. If by then you have a job requiring ACCESS your sponsor/owner will conduct your Periodic Reinvestigation (PRI) by the 5 year mark from your previous PRI. If you are not in a job/position requiring ACCESS your ELIGIBILITY will be downgraded to a Secret for an additional 5 years making it 10 total years from your last Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) or PRI. There after a new SSBI will have to be initiated. However, the return on adjudication will likely be shorter as you previously held a clearance.

If you are planning to secure employment in the related field I would recommend, if possible, obtaining an CI Poly or a Full Scope Poly. Most employers are looking for either when considering potential candidates for their work force.

The NUMBER 1 impact to your clearance will be financially related concerns. Keep your credit clean and you should be good to go.

Best of Luck

Kate Weiner ⋅ Wayzata, MN ⋅ 20 years experience

I served in the Federal Government and was advised that as soon as I left my security clearance would be revoked. I think it all depends on what you do after active duty.

RICHARD ANSAH ⋅ Fort Riley, KS U.S. Army, Sergeant ⋅ 6 years served

Mr Rick Kiehn, my ETS is December next year so I still have some time and it doesn't expire until 2019.