Some valentine gift ideas to send to your loved one overseas include:

• Homemade Cards
  The delight of a homemade card is that even very young children can make them using finger paints and glue. Older children can send pictures, poems or thoughts that can be treasured for years to come. It is a great way for an entire family to create something together for their loved ones abroad.
• Family Picture Books
  Family members can easily make picture books to send to soldiers abroad. Books for individual soldiers can include photos of spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, siblings, children and other relatives, as well as pets, their favorite hangouts, etc. You can write a caption of each page, or have relatives write a note about what’s been going on since the soldier has been deployed. The book can be handmade with glue, scissors and construction paper, or professional companies can print and bind the books for you.
• Love Songs Mix CD
  If you seek something more romantic, how about making a custom CD with songs that are meaningful to your relationship. What could be more romantic than listening to the same songs halfway around the world while thinking about where you’ll be the next time you get to listen to them together?
• Virtual Gifts from AOL
  This year, AOL is allowing people to send “virtual gifts” by e-mail anywhere around the globe. These gifts include virtual flowers, boxes of candy, hugs, rings, Teddy bears and more. For each gift sent, AOL will donate to the USO, which will use the funds to provide free talk time between soldiers and their families and friends. Check out Share the Love: AOL Virtual Gifts

Military Valentine Ideas Around the Country

• Shoebox “Mailboxes”
  Even if you don’t personally know a soldier fighting abroad, you can still work with your community to support fighting men and women abroad. Simply decorate a shoebox, and have your church, school or civic group work with children to create personalized Valentines cards to send to a particular soldier – or even whole troops. In addition to Valentine cards, thank you notes, photos of children holding the cards, even photos of the soldiers’ families can be included to make truly personalized gifts. Shoebox mailboxes are simple but meaningful gifts that are sure to delight those far from home.
• Banners of Love
  Another gift that can involve the efforts of an entire community is creating a “Banner of Love.” Simply get a huge piece of paper or fabric and have children cover them with words, drawing and pictures using markers or fabric paint.

On this annual day of love, take a moment to show a solider – or troop of soldiers –just how much you love them and appreciate their sacrifice.

Do You Need Security Clearance for an Overseas Government Job?

The Edmunds Law Firm has national security clearance attorneys on staff that have represented more military security clearance cases than any other law firm in the country. Contact us today to get started on appealing your national security clearance denial. We look forward to serving you!

A person can’t simply apply for security clearance. Rather a cleared contractor or government agency must sponsor an individual, and that person must (1) currently work for them, or (b) has received and accepted a written offer of employment to begin within 30-days of receiving clearance.

In determining whether a person should receive security clearance, a number of factors are taken into account including indications of a person’s:

• Allegiance to the United States
• Allegiance to a foreign country
• Sexual behavior
• Emotional, Mental, and Personality Disorders
• Personal conduct
• Financial conduct (e.g., financial impropriety, financial distress)
• Excessive Alcohol consumption
• Involvement with illegal drugs or other criminal conduct
• Previous security violations
• Outside activities
• Misuse of information technology systems

It is rare that one factor will be the cause of a denial. Rather the adjudicator will look at all of the variables to get an idea of whether the person can be trusted with classified information. This is called the “whole person approach.” In addition to the criteria written above, the adjudicator will consider such personal issues as the nature, extent and seriousness of any questionable conduct; the age of the individual when the conduct occurred; the circumstances surrounding the event; the voluntariness of the actions, among other things.

In general, it is difficult to say which factors will result in denial. However, the Bond Amendment, which replaced 10 USC, Section 996 (The Smith Amendment), precludes granting or renewal of security clearance to any individual who:

• Has been convicted of a crime and served more than one year of incarceration.
• Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.
• Has been determined to be mentally incompetent by a court of administrative agency.
• Currently is an unlawful user of a controlled substance or is an “addict.”

If a person’s security clearance is denied, that person can appeal the decision to the US Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).

Denied Security Clearance?

The Edmunds Law Firm has national security clearance attorneys on staff that have represented more clients in national security clearance than any other law firm in the country. Contact us today to get started on appealing your national security clearance denial. We look forward to serving you!

This easy-to-read 112-page book is designed for the average American wishing to apply for security clearance, but don’t necessarily have formal legal experience. The book not only explains how to avoid common application errors, but also how to successfully meet the national security concerns of governmental agencies charged with determining who should get access to sensitive government information.

Attorney Alan Edmunds, a licensed California Attorney, has been representing clients throughout the United States on military and national security matters for more than 31 years. He has appeared on national television and has been featured in dozens of newspapers and radio programs. In addition to being a security clearance attorney, Edmunds is a college instructor, author and lecturer. He has represented clients from throughout the globe, and is one of the few lawyers in the nation who travels around the country each week helping professionals fight government allegations that threaten their careers.

This is Edmunds second book on national security law. His first publication “National Security Clearance: How to Get Clearance and How to Keep It” was published in November 2009.

Denied Security Clearance?

The Edmunds Law Firm has national security clearance attorneys on staff that have represented more clients in national security clearance than any other law firm in the country. Contact us today to get started on appealing your national security clearance denial.

The first step is to challenge the denial of your security clearance is to request a formal hearing through the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. You can handle this hearing on your own, though many people choose to have a lawyer present.

It is possible to circumvent the formal hearing however, by successfully making one’s case through a written response to the Statement of Reasons. This involves responding to a document explaining why the applicant was turned down for security clearance. Though chances of winning the case this way are rare, it does happen on occasion, especially when a legal team is involved to assist with the wording and format.

Getting Help on Day of Formal Hearing

When it is time for your formal hearing, the hearing is held before an administrative law judge. The hearings require the applicant’s testimony and sometimes ask for character witnesses. This can take a lot of preparation and work because both the government and the applicant exchange supporting documents for their cases that they plan to present at the hearing. Again a legal team can help with this process and represent you.

Find National Security Clearance Help

The Edmunds Law Firm has national security clearance attorneys on staff that have represented more clients in national security clearance than any other law firm in the country. Contact us today to get started on appealing your national security clearance denial. We look forward to serving you!

A security clearance, also known as an “eligibility for access,” is a determination by the U.S. government that an individual is permitted to access classified information. There are two types of security clearances:

• Personnel Security Clearances
• Facility Security Clearances

When an individual works for an organization that has access to sensitive or classified information, the individuals have to be authorized to access this information just to carry out their daily job tasks.

Submitting a Security Clearance Application

If you have to apply for security clearance for your job, the first step is to submit an application to the Department of Defense. When you are applying, you should be prepared to divulge both personal and professional information. The Department of Defense reviews the application for security clearance and decides whether or not the individual is a security risk.

Many individuals mistakenly believe however that because it is called an “application,” it will be easy to complete. There are many different parts to a security clearance application. Security clearance applications ask for a lot of details on your personal history that you may need to refresh yourself on to remember. It also asks for names and addresses of people who can act as references on your behalf. Any wrong answers, whether intentional or simply a slip-up of memory can be detrimental to your application.

There are different security clearance applications available according to the branch or level (i.e. classified, secret, top-secret). An attorney can help you find the appropriate application and help you fill the answers in correctly and accurately.

Getting Help with Your Security Clearance Application

Your security clearance application must be checked for accuracy and completeness multiple times before submitting because it’s success will directly affect whether or not your security clearance is approved or denied. This is why many individuals in need of security clearance partner with an attorney prior to completing their security clearance application.

Even if the application is denied, which is fairly common, having a security clearance attorney on your side from the beginning can be helpful in appealing the decision. Contact the security clearance lawyers at the Edmunds Law Firm to learn more about the security clearance application process and what to do if your application has been denied.

The Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO) is a Central Adjudication Facility (CAF) that is part of the Defense Security Service (DSS). DISCO processes personnel security clearances for DoD contractors and 23 other federal agencies.

Advantages of Obtaining Security Clearance

Many private companies work with sensitive government information. The company itself must have security clearance, as well as any personnel who will have direct access to secure information.

There are currently more than a half-million background investigations pending national security clearance approval. It can take up to a year for a determination to be made. This means that if a person comes to a company with a security clearance in hand, he or she can begin working on sensitive projects right away – while others cannot. For that reason, experts project that having security clearance can increase an applicant’s salary anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000.

Many individuals seeking security clearance work for US defense-related projects funded through the DoD. However, any company with access to government secrets may have a demand for personnel with security clearance, such as companies in the telecommunications, education, financial, environmental, medical, transportation and energy fields.

Types of Security Clearance

There are three basic types of security clearance:

1. 1. Confidential: This level provides someone access to material whose unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause “some measurable harm” to national security. It generally takes between one and three months to obtain such clearance, which must be reinvestigated (reissued) every 15 years.
2. 2. Secret: This level provides someone with access to information whose unauthorized disclosure could be expected to cause “serious damage” to national security. It generally takes between one and three months to obtain such clearance, which must be reinvestigated every 10 years.
3. 3. Top Secret: This level provides someone with access to information whose disclosure could be expected to cause “exceptionally grave damage” to national security. It generally takes between four and eight months to obtain such clearance, which must be reinvestigated every five years.

Who can obtain security clearance?

A person can’t simply apply for security clearance to become more marketable. Rather a cleared contractor or government agency may sponsor an individual who meet one of two criteria: (a) the person currently works for them, or (b) that person has received and accepted a written offer of employment to begin within 30-days of receiving clearance.

If a person’s national security clearance application is denied, that person can appeal the decision to the US Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA). If YOUR security clearance has been denied, the Edmunds Law Firm can help you appeal your case. Give us a call at 800-481-2526 or contact us today!

If DISCO recommends against security clearance, it sends DOHA a Statement of Reasons (SOR) for its decision. The SOR is then sent to the applicant, who can rebut the SOR either in writing or through a hearing request. If a person feels the SOR is in error, or the facts were not interpreted correctly, the applicant can – and should – appeal the decision. Of the approximately 35,000 to 40,000 cases DOHA receives each year, it overturns about 96 percent of DISCO’s recommended denials.

A person who chooses to appeal the decision that he or she be denied security clearance must send a written rebuttal to DOHA within 20 days. Applicants may request an extension of time, but they must show good cause for doing so. The applicant’s written rebuttal must admit or deny each allegation in the SOR and provide detailed information that supports the applicant’s position.

The DOHA will then send the applicant a File of Relevant Materials (FORM), which contains all of the documents used in making the decision. The applicant has 30 days to object, rebut, mitigate or explain the items in the FORM. The appeal may stop at this point if the DOHA agrees with the applicant and orders DISCO to grant or continue security clearance. Otherwise, the case will be assigned to a DOHA Administrative Judge (AJ), who will consider the case with or without a hearing.

DOHA Hearings

Either the applicant or his/her legal representative can request a hearing. In many cases, the AJ is the only government representative at the hearing. However, Department Counsel may be there to support the government’s case against granting or continuing an applicant’s security clearance.

The AJ will already have the applicant’s case file supporting DISCO’s case for denying security clearance. The applicant may submit documents to counter what is in that file, as well as invite witnesses to speak on the his or her behalf. The Department Counsel, if present, also has the right to bring witnesses to advocate in support of the government’s position. Applicants, their legal counsel, the AJ and the Department Counsel all have the right to question witnesses, regardless of the side they are there to represent.

It is important to note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to arrange for legal representation and the presence of witnesses on his/her behalf. The AJ will not postpone a hearing simply to allow an applicant more time to locate and secure an attorney or critical witness. Remember, the AJ does not have subpoena power, and the Department Counsel is not obligated to provide assistance in obtaining witnesses on the applicant’s behalf. If a witness cannot be present, the applicant can offer written testimony. A simple signed and dated letter is sufficient, but a notarized affidavit usually carries more weight.

DOHA Decisions and Appeals

At the end of the proceeding, the applicant or his/her legal representative will be asked to sum up the case for granting security clearance. The Department Counsel (if one is present) will be given the opportunity to summarize the opposing point of view. The AJ will then prepare a recommended decision, along with a record of the case, to the Personnel Security Appeals Board (PSAB), who can adopt, reverse or modify the AJ’s decision. Applicant’s can appeal this decision to the DOHA Appeals Board within 15 days. In the vast majority of cases, the DOHA Appeals Board will affirm clearance denials.

The Edmunds Law firm has represented more clients in the area of security clearance than any other law firm in the country and we would be honored to assist you. Just fill out the convenient contact form and you can be assured someone will respond promptly. We look forward to serving you!

With Social Media sites and Social Networking growing exponentially, the need for Social Networking Security is growing as well.

Facebook, Twitter and other social networks seem innocuous enough on the surface but, if you are needing a security clearance for work in the military or government, you may want to consider the sensitive information that you, unknowingly and innocently enough, could be giving enemies of the United States, or just bad guys in general, who could use it as an opportunity to infiltrate and coerce you to give more valuable information.

The following information was gleaned from a Naval OPSEC (operational security) presentation and should be taken seriously by anyone desiring a security clearance of any kind. Operational security is everyone’s job. Protecting yourself and your family is yours!

So back to my opening statement. You may be asking, “What information could I possibly be giving the enemy to use against me?” When you sign up for Facebook, as an example, what do you do first? If you’re like most you fill out the personal information section. We’re anticipating communicating with family and friends right? It’s all fun and innocent so we’re not thinking about security at the moment and so we fill out ALL the information:

• Name plus photos of yourself and family maybe even co-workers
• Where you work, job title maybe even salary and clearance info (we all like to boast a little don’t we?)
• You may even give out your schedule and travel itinerary
• If in the military, you might happen to mention mission, mission capabilities and limitations
• Social security number, credit card info and banking info (for auto-fill…you think it’s secure)
• Hobbies, likes, dislikes and on

Any of this sounding familiar? This is your wake up call. THE ENEMY WANTS ALL THIS INFORMATION AS WELL! The Al Qaeda handbook points out that 80% of the information they need is available through open and legal sources. Are you making their job easier? But the enemy will use legal as well as illegal methods.

• Unprotected communications
• Sharing too much information online with strangers
• HUMINT (human intelligence) observations
• They’ll use technology
• They’ll go through your trash
• They’ll use media, email, web pages and social networking sites

There are no geographic boundaries when using Social Networking Sites. You might think your posting something to a friend or co-worker but it’s open access to anyone in the world to view if they want.

When seeking a security clearance you will be required to all the government access to information, posts etc from all your social networks, information from other users and more. “By using Facebook, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States.”

This isn’t to say that there aren’t good and legitimate personal and professional reasons to use Social Networking sites. But be aware that that the bad guys use these sites as well: thieves, stalkers, terrorists, phisher & scammers, hackers, enemy organizations, pedophiles and more. Here a couple excerpts from a Al-Qaeda communique’ in 2009:

“Information on every U.S. Naval unit should be quietly gathered…what state they are from, their family situation, and where their family members live…Do not underestimate the importance of any piece of information, as simple as it my seem…”

To further emphasise the point that Social Sites will impact your security clearance, here is a statement that was signed by the Chief of Security, Pentagon Chief Information Officer, OSD Network Directorate:

“Social sites risk security clearance. If you hold a security clearance or if you want to apply for one, be mindful of your postings and contacts online, particularly on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These sites pose risks to gaining and keeping a security clearance.”

Question 14 of the National Agency Questionnaire (SF-86) asks for names of your relatives and associates. The term “associate” is defined as any foreign national that you or your spouse are bound by affection, obligation, or close and continuing contact.

Do’s and Don’t's for Social Networking Security

Do’s for Social Networking Security:

• Be aware of all of the above especially the fact that bad people are surfing looking for an opportunity to take advantage of someone….maybe YOU!
• Use Anti-virus software from a reliable source
• Set up firewalls to detect viruses and infiltration
• Use STRONG passwords and store these securely OFFLINE!
• Set strong permissions on the various sites that have these settings. Facebook as over 120 security settings! How many have you set? Use HTTPS for secure browsing
• Watch your friends setting as will. You may be secure but what about them? The enemy might find a back door to get to your info.
• Watch what you download. Criminals and terrorists have clever ways of implanting viruses and tracking software through innocuous downloads
• Verify ALL friend requests. Bad guys of all types set up false identities to gain access to your personal information and your friends as well. They’ll use fake pictures copied from the web, build false identities that look real, pay for friends to look established, set up fake websites and more.
• Monitor what your children do on the net. Cyber-bulling has been in the news recently leading to suicide. Stalkers, kidnappers and pedophiles all look for openings on the Internet. There are over 500,000 registered sex offenders in the US alone and 95,000 of them are on MySpace.
• Verify files and links before clicking anything from an unknown source. You could be exposing yourself to viruses, spy-ware, malicious coding, Phishing scams or something more nefarious
• Post and blog with caution. Avoid too much detail or personal information. Don’t say things like, “We’re leaving today for a 2 week vacation. See you all when we get back.” You just gave the thieves the “all clear” to rob you! Know your readers and block or ban suspects.
• Don’t geo-tag your posts or photos. Be careful when you post or upload photos from your cell phone as this could also be giving GPS details to those looking for an opening. These cell geo-tags will give longitude and latitude as well as time of day.
• Assume the your information lasts forever online. That there is no true delete. Keep in mind the www. means the Word Wide Web and your photos, posts, details, everything is available to anyone, anytime, FOREVER!
• For security clearances YOU will be responsible for official as well as personnel social networking

Don’ts for Social Networking Security

• Don’t use the same password for everything. Seems obvious but many do it for convenience remembering password info for multiple accounts but this is a dangerous practice.
• Use STRONG passwords. Password or password1 is NOT strong. There are programs you can use to create and save very strong pass-codes.
• Even though Social sites have security settings, don’t trust them. In many cases you’ll actually see disclaimers on these sites reading “We are not responsible for third party circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures.”
• Don’t grant the same access to everyone. Create separate groups for family, close friends, acquaintances etc and set the security and permissions at increasing levels.
• Think before you post! If you wouldn’t give them information you are about to post to a bad guy like a thief, scammer, pedophile, enemy then don’t post it! Always assume your information will be made public.

For more direct details about getting your security clearance and how Social Networking could impact it contact the law firm of Alan Edmunds. At Security Clearance Denial, you’ll find professionals that have honed their knowledge on helping you acquire or protect your security clearance over years of helping clients across the country with their security clearance issues. Contact us today!

A security clearance is a determination by the federal government that a person or company can be trusted with classified information. Any company or individual seeking to do business with federal agencies that deal with sensitive national information, such as the Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency or State Department, requires national security clearance. Without the proper security clearance, your company and its employees will be left out of the chance to bid on millions of dollars of federal contracts.

It is vital to avoid mistakes. Gaining facilities clearance is a complicated process, and there is no appeal from facilities clearance denial. That is why it is critical for companies, especially those with no experience in security clearance procedures, to enlist the assistance of a competent and experienced security clearance attorney from the start.

But suppose you are an individual needing security clearance? Getting national security clearance help from a qualified attorney is particularly vital in that regard. There are currently more than a half-million background investigations pending national security clearance approval. It can take up to a year for a determination to be made. This means that if a person comes to a company with a security clearance in hand, he or she can begin working on sensitive projects right away – while others cannot. The company also takes the risk that those without security clearance will be denied, which may trigger the time and expense of a petition before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). For that reason, experts project that having security clearance can increase an applicant’s salary anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000.

 If you are one of the more than 200,000 military personnel transitioning out of the service each year, it is critical to keep your security clearance current. People with security clearance are in great demand in commercial defense-related fields, as well as in other areas where information needs to be guarded, such as medicine, telecommunications, education and finance. “Confidential” security level clearances must be reinvestigated every 15 years; “Secret” security level clearances, every 10 years, and Top Secret clearances every 5 years. Letting your security clearance lapse can be a costly mistake. Once your clearance expires, you cannot simply request a reinvestigation in order to enhance your career prospects.

There are numerous ways a national security clearance attorney can help companies and individuals get the security clearance they need, such as:

• Offering advice about completing the security clearance application and questionnaires;
• Helping individuals deal with personal and legal issues such as alcohol charges, drug use and mental health counseling which may negatively impact their application;
• Preparing DOHA cases;
• Assisting with the Facility Security Clearance Process for businesses; and
• Representing companies and employees who face administrative sanctions, including the revocation of security clearances.

We have represented more clients in the are of security clearance than any other law firm in the country and we would be honored to assist you. Just fill out the convenient contact form and you can be assured someone will respond promptly. We look forward to serving you!

Often applicants or individuals who hold Security Clearances inadvertently visit content on newsgroups or receive email content which raises security concerns.

If you have questions regarding this or any Security Clearance matter, please do not hesitate to contact our law firm at: 1.800.481.2526