How long does my security clearance last after i get out the army?

Question

i was a 13 fox in the army and was given a security clearance because of all the maps i used.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Security clearance's last one year from the date of last use.

IE: If you separated from the military with an active Top Secret Security clearance, then it will remain inactive for one year after you ETS.

They will just have to update it for the time your clearance was inactive.

Your clearance goes inactive, as soon you you do not use it.

People confuse that with the time a clearance last before you have to have your back ground check updated.

Clearances must be updated at specific intervals, even if they are active clearances.

Top Secret - every 5 years
Secret - every 10 years
Confidential - every 15 years.

Even on active duty, you can have a clearance go inactive, if your present duty position does not require a security clearance.

IE: Recruiter, DI, etc

If that position last more than a year, they do a partial background check again before you can regain your clearance.

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Asker's Comment:

Thanks for the info

Answer 2

Your security clearance is deactivated when you ETS. However, it can be easily activated if you get a job in the Federal government if the secret clearance is needed.

Answer 3

It's good up to the gate. After your butt hits the civilian street, your clearance doesn't exist. It can be re-instated if you are required to have one in a government job.

Answer 4

A secret clearance lasts for ten years after it is granted unless it is revoked sooner for any reason (such as getting UCMJ or your credit going to crap). It is deactivated after you ETS but you can get it reactivated within 24 months if your background investigation is still good.

Source(s):

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalin…

Answer 5

The question is how long and how expensive will it be for someone else to do the checking to reinstate your clearance.

Answer 6

A Secret security clearance lasts for 10 years from the day your clearance was instated.

A Top Secret security clearance only lasts for 5.

If you plan on getting a state or federal job that requires a security clearance, make sure your future employer knows what type of security clearance you have and when it was initiated.

Source(s):

US Army SSG

Answer 7

Your clearance is pulled as soon as you ETS. If you get a Gov. job and need a clearance you will have to have another background check, fill out the whole stack of paperwork like before and then have to wait for months till it comes back. I just went through this when I retired and got a gov job. To top that off, different organizations use different background checks and if you have been issued a temporary (interim) clearance while there doing your back ground check and you change jobs and they have you fill out another clearance packet it will kill the first investigation and you will be back at the start again. I don't know what the process is for a contractor (civilian working for the military under a contract) that has to have a security clearance but this is what I went through. By the way, anything that you "know" you cant talk about it till 85 years after you get out, yep we can still be prosecuted for that stuff.

Source(s):

US Army Retired now Gov. employee with clearance.

Answer 8

Some got close.
It is not your 'clearance' that lasts. It is the investigation.
An INVESTIGATION for a TS is good for 5 years. An INVESTIGATION for a Secret is good for 10 years.

As soon as you ETS, your ACCESS is taken away. It takes 30 days or so to process the paperwork. If you transfer to a Government or civilian job requiring a clearance access can be reinstated within 72 hours with a memo. That is like there was never a gap.

Within 24 months, if it is still in the 10 year investigation window, your clearance can be reinstated without resubmitting the background investigation paperwork. They do an abbreviated check to make sure nothing new has happened.

This 1 year, then you need a new investigation is BS. The only 1 year requirement is if you send a VISIT REQUEST to a command (send your clearance). VISIT REQUESTS can be good for up to 1 year.

Example: I work as a Navy civilian and sometimes have to visit an Army base in another city. My Navy security office sends my visit request as a "permanent certification - perm cert" and the Army recognizes that I have a clearance for a full year.

Source(s):

Army officer
former Navy civilian
former Government contractor - Facility Security Officer
former Brigade Security Manager