Returning Scholars
If you are selected as an AFRL Scholar and have an active security clearance, your clearance will be held by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) for the duration of your internship
In order for your clearance to be held by USRA, you will be required to complete and submit information requested by USRA’s Facility Security Officer (FSO) within the communicated deadlines. You will also be asked to provide an update (when applicable) to your initial investigation in compliance with reporting requirements. Please see below for details.
Cleared Employee Reporting Requirements
Any individual who has been granted a personnel security clearance (PCL) by the U.S. Government is required to report the following issues to Security for investigation, resolution, and reporting to the appropriate government agency.
1. Adverse Information
You must report the following types of information about yourself or other employees:
- arrests or convictions for criminal offenses including drunk driving;
- financial difficulties, including bankruptcy, excessive indebtedness, and wage garnishments;
- bizarre or notorious behavior;
- alcoholism, use of illegal drugs, or abuse of legal drugs;
- emotional or psychological problems requiring treatment or hospitalization;
- affluence (wealth, acquisitions, investments) beyond known sources of income.
2. Change in Personal Status
If you have a collateral CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET, or TOP SECRET clearance, you must report:
- a change in name;
- a change in marital status (i.e., marriage or divorce);
- a change in citizenship;
- when access to classified information is no longer required due to a change in job assignments.
3. Representative of a Foreign Interest (RFI)
You must report when you begin to act as a representative of or consultant to any foreign entity, including a government, a government agency, a commercial business, or a person.
4. Security Violations/Vulnerabilities
Security violations/vulnerabilities include:
- the careless or unintentional failure to comply with security requirements for safeguarding classified information;
- the intentional disregard of security requirements;
- any failure to comply with security requirements, regardless of intent, that has resulted in the loss, compromise, or suspected compromise of classified information;
- the unauthorized receipt of classified material;
- significant vulnerabilities discovered in equipment or systems designed to protect classified information.
5. Espionage, Sabotage, Subversive Activities
You must immediately report any situation related to actual, probable, or possible espionage, sabotage, or subversive activities directed at the United States.
6. Suspicious Contacts
You must report:
- any efforts by any individual, regardless of nationality, to obtain illegal or unauthorized access to classified information or to compromise any cleared employee;
- any contact by a cleared employee with known or suspected intelligence officers from any country;
- any contact which suggests you or another employee may be the target of an attempted exploitation by the intelligence services of another country.
The Defense Hotline
The DoD maintains an anonymous hotline for employees to report, without fear of reprisal, known or suspected instances of serious security irregularities concerning government contracts, programs, or projects. The Defense Hotline numbers are (800) 424-9098 or (703) 693-5080. In most instances, however, reports of suspected incidents of espionage/sabotage or serious security violations should be made to USRA’s FSO.
