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     In this issue, we've provided real world security discussions. These occasions have proven to be good opportunities to clarify understanding of security policies and the reasons we do what we do.
     Preparing for growth involves the FSO not only training and hiring security employees, but accurately calculating classified inventory storage and work performance needs. Meeting legitimate growth is another area where an FSO should be injected into strategic planning. Classified contract opportunities present themselves in many variations.
     Potential security professionals should not only be U.S. citizens with security clearances, but demonstrate competence in the tasks they are asked to do and a desire to perform. They should also have the ability to grasp and teach concepts of security to help keep the security fresh in the corporate culture.
     During the certification training, the new employee can enroll in government provided on-line and residence training, lessons provided by company personnel and directly under their manager's supervision.
       The end of day security checklists play a critical role in protecting classified items as well as personal, proprietary and company sensitive material. The end of day checklist is a procedure required in the NISPOM and other federal agency regulations. However, they could be implemented in any situation where privileged or sensitive items prove vulnerable to theft or espionage.
           "What defines this room as approved for open storage?" I had asked while consulting on a project a few years ago.    I had been in the middle of a deep security application discussion. The whole time I realized that the security employees I consulted understood their responsibilities, but did not know why the security measures were in place or where to find the guidance.

Resources:
How to Get U.S. Government Contracts and Classified Work.
Insider's Guide to Security Clearances
Security Clearance and NISPOM Training

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

Some security training and briefings are very discouraging for the work force. Many times, the training is the exact same video or presentation used year after year. 

So, if you go to my website www.redbikepublishing.com, you might find training and tests that do ask those types of questions. 

This topic is specifically about how to make your security training more effective for your work force. There are two types of training: for security professionals and for the workforce. 

So here are three problems I see with the current security training trend:

1.     Lack of training resources

What is concrete is that there are various training topics required for cleared defense contractor employees, they include:

·       SF 312 Non-Disclosure Agreement briefing

·       Initial Security Awareness training

·       Annual Security Awareness Training

·       Derivative Classifier training

·       Insider Threat Training 

·       other required training events and briefings

2.     One Size Fits all

There are many resources that busy security managers can draw upon to solve the problem of training the workforce. There are downloadable training topics available from vendors and government websites. The problem is, the training never grows up or ever requires growth from members of the cleared workforce. 

3.     Making a nation of Security Professionals

The very resources we use to present to our cleared force comes from security professional targeted websites. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency trains security professionals and their courses are designed for that purposes. Because of problem statements 1 and 2, we are forced to use these canned presentations. In here the workforce is tested on their knowledge of security forms, how to conduct security investigations, and how to challenge classification. In fact they need to understand better that a cover sheet exists, how to recognize and report a violation, and what to do if something is over or under classified.

The solution

1.     Begin with the Contract Security Classification Specification or DD Form 254. 

2.     Incorporate workforce peers, supervisors and program managers.

Links mentioned.
Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/eF1JHRa2U8M
Free Book plus shipping
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/insiders-guide-to-security-clearances-free-plus-shipping/
Free book to first five people
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/contact/
Cleared employee training
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/fsocertification/
https://www.BennettInstitute.com

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

ITAR issues

A few years ago I facilitated a short but very rewarding eight hour seminar on the International Traffic In Arms Regulation (ITAR) Overview. I am grateful to the staff at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the North Alabama Trade Association for both sponsoring the event and allowing me to present. I found the course rewarding as I presented to a mixed audience of 30 professionals ranging from shipping and receiving specialists to executive vice presidents. The mix also consisted of professionals with various degrees of know-how as consultants, attorneys, technology control officers and those brand new to the field shared experiences and learned from one another. As a compliance officer in various disciplines, I have had the privilege of leading security and compliance teams and seminars on multiple topics

Though this was my first of hopefully many export regulations seminars, I noticed the similar need in the compliance field. Regardless of the discipline, compliance works best when driven from the top down. No matter the program a compliance officer intends to build or support, Influence is key when developing it whether security, privacy protection, safety, export, etc. Experience and technical savvy are great to have however, minus influence; the person is just an administrator playing catch-up in a crucial game.
 Let’s test your knowledge of international operations. The following situation is pure fiction, but is based on issues facing businesses everyday. This situation is tricky enough with unclassified contracts, but the addition of possible classified work may complicate the issue. Try to answer the following question:

As the security manager of a classified facility, you have many responsibilities including approving classified visits. Not a problems since most visit requests are handled through agency approved data bases . Besides, you have a very large staff and the process is pretty much routine until….

A program manager enters your office and informs you that her foreign customer wants to send an employee to work onsite on a classified program for six months. The program manager wants you to give her a visit request form that the foreign company can use to submit a visit request. You think about this for a moment and realize that though the situation is unusual, it should be a workable solution. Do you provide the visit request form? Why or why not?

Security Questions

Readers of this newsletter can use the same questions while conducting walk around security or otherwise conducting a security survey. Field these questions to your teams. If they respond correctly give loud and public praise. If they answer incorrectly you have just created a training opportunity. Proceed with diplomacy. Use the data you collect as a foundation to design future training. These responses go a long way in identifying weaknesses in the overall understanding of the National Industrial Security Program. These weaknesses could prove a vulnerability to your security program if not addressed properly.

Links mentioned.
Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/eF1JHRa2U8M
Free Book plus shipping
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/insiders-guide-to-security-clearances-free-plus-shipping/
Free book to first five people
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/contact/
Cleared employee training
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/fsocertification/

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

I am currently preparing to publish my new book, "How to Win U.S. Government Contracts and Classified Work", it's basically a total revision of "DoD Security Clearance and Contracts Guidebook". Chapter Five reviews the Executive Orders and regulations relating to Classification Markings and there is some good information from all sources. 

I believe this is fundamental to the profession of anyone working on classified contracts. Understanding why and how information is classified is vital to knowing exactly what to protect and how. There are a few hard and fast rules for classifying information.

It is a fantastic idea to maintain a data set of security breaches, violations, reports of compromise or suspected compromise. However, this data rarely leaves their office. Because of the sensitive nature, it is held closely either for fear of retribution or fear of embarrassment. In truth, there is no retribution for security violation reports and information contained could be very valuable for security awareness. The security manager will probably have information detailing the frequency of violations, the persons committing the violations, resolutions and training to correct the behavior. This security manager could use the information to specifically train the business unit to inform them of the infraction, as well as provide details for the annual security awareness training.

See our website for downloadable training slides for your company. Our training includes Derivative Classifier, Insider Threat and Required Annual Security Awareness topics.

Security through walking around requires a plan. Without the plan you are just milling about engaging in conversation and basically, wasting everyone’s time. A plan will keep you focused as well as prevent the temptations to have conversations and activities that can cause you to lose credibility. The plan doesn’t have to be complicated or lengthy.

Links mentioned.
Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/eF1JHRa2U8M
Free Book plus shipping
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/insiders-guide-to-security-clearances-free-plus-shipping/
Free book to first five people
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/contact/
Cleared employee training
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/fsocertification/
https://www.BennettInstitute.com

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

Once a company wins a bid on classified work, they will then prepare their organization to perform classified work according to the contract. Some great planning resources are the DD Form 254, Statement of Work, and Security Classification Guide. This podcast teaches how to use the references to set up your program.

As part of a classified contract, Cleared Defense Contractors (CDC) may receive  or transmit classified information. Part of the receipt task is the critical inspection of the package throughout the unwrapping process. The inspector is searching for evidence of tampering or to otherwise to inspect that there has been no compromise of classified material since leaving the sender’s organization.

Once all the checks and verifications are complete, the receiver can then sign a copy of the receipt and return to the sender, thus closing the loop on the sender’s accounting responsibilities. The copies of receipts are filed away and the classified information is put into a database and the items are stored according to the classification.

Those wrapping classified information should only do so after receiving extensive training on the classification system.

The National Industrial Security Program charges cleared contractors with protecting classified information. This protection extends through all phases of contracts and throughout the duration of the classification. Protection also includes the reception, storage, dissemination, and destruction of the information.

Dissemination is a critical part of protecting classified information as the classified information leaves the control of the cleared organization. Whether couriered, mailed, or otherwise delivered, it is removed from a cleared facility and must be prepared in a way to protect the information from unauthorized disclosure.

Prior to sending out classified information the FSO should ensure that it is double wrapped with opaque paper to preclude casual observation of the classification markings and contents.

Always store and protect classified information properly. The information provided below can prove helpful as a checklist for transmitting classified information:

Links mentioned.

Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/eF1JHRa2U8M

DoD Security Clearances and Contracts Guidebook
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/dodsecurityclearancesandcontracts/

Insider's Guide to Security Clearances
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/insidersguide/

Free Book plus shipping
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/insiders-guide-to-security-clearances-free-plus-shipping/

Free book to first five people
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/contact/

Cleared employee training
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/fsocertification/
https://www.BennettInstitute.com

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

An FSO can train and write NIPSOM based policy and training, but without the enterprise’s full cooperation, will find it difficult to enforce.

The coordination will allow the FSO to be proactive and better support the company's performance on classified contracts. Having a security program integrated into all aspects of the company produces award winning situations and dramatically reduces security violations.

Prior to travel, a cleared employee should have a good understanding of their responsibilities to protect national security. Though usually snuggled into Security Awareness Training, A Defensive Security Briefing should also be "stand along" and for those who travel overseas and possibly vulnerable to foreign entity recruiting methods. This training should be constructed to make the cleared traveler aware of their responsibilities to protect employees, product, customers and those with which they do business. Topics of the defense security briefing should include threat recognition, how to assess and how to respond when approached for recruitment

Here are a few common security clearance misconceptions:
 I have a bad past
 Everyone will see my personal secrets
 Security clearances cost a lot of money

Websites and mentions:
 https://www.redbikepublishing.com security clearance and classified work books and training
https://www.bennettinstitute.com security clearance and performing on classified work consulting and training
https://amzn.to/39iYPVL How to Win Government Contracts and Classified Workhttps://www.redbikepublishing.com/fso...
https://amzn.to/2CVmyz6
Watch this on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/48mGX03udtw

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

This blog continues the series describing what happens after the government grants you a security clearance. After receiving a job with a company or agency performing classified work, you’ll receive your onboarding training, which may have included the SF 312 Non-Disclosure Agreement, Initial Security Awareness, Derivative Classifier and other required training events and briefings. Even though the Facility Security Officer (FSO) brought you into the system, awarded your security clearance, and performed the required high-level training, there is still much more work to do to ensure you understand how to perform on classified contracts.

The high-level training and onboarding is enough to get you “authorized” and prepared for the work. The rest of the preparation will come from other sources to include peers, supervisors and program managers. This training is usually provided on the job as you actually begin performing on the classified contract.

This is how it might play out. The Government Contracting Agency (GCA) or program office flows down the classified work in the contract to the Cleared Defense Contractor (CDC). Part of the classified contract is the Contract Security Classification Specification or DD Form 254. According to the information on the DAMI website, the purpose of the DD Form 254 is to “…convey security requirements, classification guidance and provide handling procedures for classified material received and/or generated on a classified contract…” This DD Form 254 provides direct information to complete your training so that you can perform well. Keep in mind that if you will be working on multiple contracts, you should understand the contents for each contract.

The DD Form 254 will explain the classification level that you will be working with. It is important to understand that this level will be at the same level or lower than your security clearance level. Therefore, you would need a Top Secret clearance to work on classified contracts at the Top Secret level or lower. The form may also state any additional classification concerns such as foreign government information, communications security (COMSEC) requirements, and more.

The form also determines where you will perform the classified work. If the CDC facility has a possessing Facility Clearance (FCL), then you might perform work at that location. If the CDC facility has a non-possessing FCL, you will usually performed classified work at another location. For example, a cleared employee may not necessarily perform the classified portion of the work at their location based on guidance in the DD Form 254. As a result, any cleared employees have an office at their headquarters or company property, but perform classified work off-site at a government, research, or other cleared contractor location.

While the FSO will provide the required NISPOM  security training reflecting National Industrial Professional Operating Manual (NISPOM), your supervisor may give you more work specific training as you perform on the classified contract. Your supervisor will teach you how to write documents, assemble subsystems, collect raw data from sensors, or other specific work required by your contract. They will also teach you how to correctly mark, assemble, store and protect the classified work products.

Websites Mentioned:

www.bennettinstitute.com
https://www.redbikepublishing.com/fsocertification/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BM2LY8

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

Richard Liebespach (Founder & CEO). Teaching people to be safe with our without a weapon. Please visit his website at http://selfprotection.co/

The things that differentiate Self Protection Essentials from the rest are an out growth of our philosophy and out core beliefs.

A cornerstone of our core beliefs is that we believe, at the core of our being, that we have been equipped to be able teach and with material to teach, that can save lives and save people from severe bodily harm. As a result, the martial arts and other material we have learned over several decades is the foundation of the physical techniques we teach. The material we teach is not everything we have learned. The material that we teach has been specifically chosen for its ability to be rapidly learned by people with no martial arts background. More than that, it is material that has been chosen because it is effective. And finally, it is material that almost every adult can perform adequately.

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

We are so happy to have with us on our podcast  David Bledsoe David Bledsoe. 

He is the Manager of Industrial Security Compliance at Iron Mountain. In his job, he has oversight of 17 cleared facilities across the country, and provides training, leadership, and education to the local FSOs. We talk about security clearances  background checks and working with customers on classified contract requirements. Iron Mountain is the world’s trusted partner for storage and information systems management and provides security storage, destruction, transportation and more.

An interview with a defense contractor security manager. What people with security clearances do and how security programs are implemented.

Websites relevant to the interview.
www.redbikepublishing.com. security clearances, books, and training.
www.bennettinstitute.com.  security clearance information and education for security managers.
 

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs

Send us Fan Mail

I sat down with Kimber Hill of Virtforce.us to discuss how they help military spouses and veterans.

I really appreciate their mission of:
"We reduce the unemployment rate for Active Duty MilSpouses and Veterans by connecting employers seeking to diversify and distribute their talent network to qualified virtual candidates within the military community."

Links and Resources  

VirtForce Podcast on Apple Podcasts   

VirtForce Podcast on Spotify  

Kimber Hill LinkedIn  

Jeff Bennett LinkedIn   

Support the show

FSO Consulting:
https://thriveanalysis.com

NISPOM Compliance
https://www.nispomcentral.com

https://www.nispom.com

The Trusted Advisor for Technology Protection, FSO and NISPOM consulting. 

After dialing in my craft and many years of honing program protection experiences, I became a trusted advisor. I am currently supporting customers with technology protection and NISPOM compliance topics.

INDUSTRIAL SECURITY TRUSTED ADVISOR

What Trusted Advisor Involves:
I partner with executive leadership to design and operate security programs that meet and exceed NISPOM requirements. 

Results you can measure immediately:

• Prepared commercial organizations for defense contracting and NISPOM compliance
• Designed ready to implement security programs before, during and after facility clearance award
• Rescued high risk security programs with quick turnaround; usually within 30 days
• Achieved Commendable and Superior DCSA review ratings
• Developed compliant FOCI mitigation programs