The Defense Department plans to reform its personnel vetting system once it assumes control of background investigations for DoD employees and contractors from the Office of Personnel Management, DoD News reported Thursday.
Garry Reid, DoD director for defense intelligence and security, said the current system faces a huge backlog that has resulted in a shortage of cleared defense contractors and a loss of potential new hires with “highly desired” technical skills.
He added that 93,000 DoD cases are currently waiting in line for top-secret investigation.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 directed DoD to develop plans for taking over background investigations from OPM.
Defense Secretary James Mattis approved the plan in August, with a goal to complete the transition in three years.
Reid noted that the plan will involve a “full resetting of process and procedures” that require modernization and system reform.
