Security Awareness – Spring 2025
Self-Reporting – What You Need to Know
By law, individuals with security clearances are obligated to self-report any life events or incidents that might affect their security clearance eligibility.
What to Report
- Changes in Personal Status: Any changes to your marital status, cohabitation status (this doesn’t include non-romantic roommates), and any name changes.
- Foreign Travel: This includes ALL trips and vacations outside of the U.S. that are not for official government business, even day trips to Mexico and Canada. A security briefing is required before any foreign travel and a debriefing is required after foreign travel.
- Foreign Contact: Close, ongoing relationships with individuals of any foreign nationality, whether related to your official duties or not.
- Loss or Compromise of Information: Inadvertent or accidental loss or compromise of classified or other sensitive information. The first priority is to regain control of the classified material.
- Financial Problems: Filing for bankruptcy, garnishment of wages, having a lien placed on your property for failing to pay a creditor, eviction from a residence for failure to pay rent, or inability to meet your financial obligations.
- Arrests: Any arrest, whether charges were filed or not, any legal system involvement like being sued, or any situation where you were sworn under oath.
- Psychological and Emotional Health: Reportable mental health issues include findings of mental incompetence, court-ordered care, in-patient care, and certain diagnoses that may impair judgment or reliability. Though most with mental health conditions pose no security risk, such conditions can affect security clearance eligibility. Treatment and counseling alone don’t revoke clearance; seeking care can positively impact eligibility and continuous evaluation.
- Substance Abuse Counseling: Use TMB’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other available services. Self-initiated counseling does not need to be reported unless recommended for work-related issues. Seeking assistance is considered a proactive approach to problem-solving and does not impact judgment.
DCSA released guidance on the submission of adverse information and the reporting requirements of SEAD 3, “Reporting Requirements for Personnel with Access to Classified Information or Who Hold a Sensitive Position.” The guidance can be found at https://www.dcsa.mil/Portals/91/Documents/CTP/tools/ISL2021-02_SEAD-3.pdf.
Self-reporting is mandatory. If you are uncertain about what needs to be reported, please contact TMB’s Facility Security Officer, Felecia Chinn.
