General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I'm waiting a bit before forming a solid opinion on this NSA mess. [View all]MineralMan
(146,287 posts)And yes, they do those investigations. It may be that for lower level security clearances, information from non-government organizations might be adequate, with a basic background check. I can't answer that question. However Top Secret clearances and above always involve individual investigations.
Security clearances already obtained tend to be checked less thoroughly. For example, if a person who had a high-level security clearance from a government organization or the military took a job with a private contractor, it would probably continue to be accepted, with only a minor review. It is the initial clearance that takes the most time at Top Secret and above.
During my time in the USAF, my clearance was upgraded several times, as my work changed. Those upgrades never took more than a week or two to come through, but each upgrade involved a review.