And The Hits Keep Coming
The US Cyper Command is a shell populated by contractors, and they use a contractor to conduct their security clearances.
CBS reports that the firm that conducted Edward Snowden’s background is under investigation.
The company, USIS, is nationwide and I have talked to one of their investigators about an individual who once lived on my street. That investigator conducted herself in a professional manner, but I noticed that she wasn’t military, which was odd for me.
I’m wondering what anyone could have found that would have denied Mr Snowden a clearance – his belief in the Constitution and the rule of law? Snowden would pass a polygraph with flying colors because he believes he is exposing criminal behavior, not breaking the real law.
That said, everyone needs to keep in mind that these contractors are in business to make the largest profit possible, and will ‘reduce costs’ wherever they can, even if it means a lousy product.
Anyone who has ever had to deal with military contractors will tell you that you always get less than what you paid for. They call the difference their profit.
4 comments
and they use a contractor to conduct their security clearances.
hunh. i didn’t realize it had come to this. that’s just not right.
I know a handful or so of former military who have “gone merc” so to speak, though most of them around here go into civil service jobs. the ones who go to work for contractors (of various stripes) seem to be more prevalent in your area than mine, but whether the difference is an air force thing, or an eglin thing, or just some kind of bias on my part, I can’t really tell.
It’s an Eglin thing because it is the test and development center for all airborne weapons systems. All of the weapons manufacturers have offices here, and other contractors deal with the incidentals – cabling, displays, test equipment, etc. There aren’t that many civil service jobs here outside of contract management. That is a major reason the F-35 was sent here, most of the contractors involved were already here for other projects.
There are probably more civil service people at Hurlburt Field than Eglin main base, since the 33rd Fighter Wing became a training outfit.
There are core services that should never be out-sourced and security is one of them. You just can’t get the control over contractors that you need, and you don’t have the oversight.
“Anyone who has ever had to deal with military contractors will tell you that you always get less than what you paid for. They call the difference their profit.”
I’m stealing this quote (with linkage). Well said, sir!
It’s the voice of experience, Ellroon, not very enjoyable experience.