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The Adjudicative Desk Reference (ADR) is a tool to assist security clearance adjudicators, investigators and security managers in implementing the U.S. Government personnel security program. It has also proven useful to appeals panels and lawyers dealing with security clearance decisions, personnel officers making suitability and trustworthiness decisions, and Employee Assistance Program counselors. This program was developed by the Department of Defense Personnel Security Research Center (PERSEREC) as a service to the security community.
The background information about the adjudicative issue areas is not U.S. Government policy and may not be cited as authority for denial or suspension of access. The Security Executive Agent Advisory Committee approved this program and encouraged its use as a job aid to assist security personnel in making informed judgments to implement policy.
While the program can provide useful background or reference information for evaluating a case or explaining a decision, denial and revocation of eligibility for access to classified information must be based on the specific policy guidance provided by the Adjudicative Guidelines. From a legal perspective, the background information in this program is comparable to background information that might be obtained through library research. Indeed, most of it is based on library research. However, it is not all-inclusive nor necessarily the only legitimate point of view on the topics discussed.
This is ADR version 3.2, dated May 2010. The content of version 3.2 is the same as 3.1 except for the following changes. Approval authority for this product has moved from the Personnel Security Working Group to the Security Executive Agent Advisory Committee. DNI directives and policy guidance have largely replaced previous DCI directives. Congress replaced the Smith Amendment with the Bond Amendment, and this prompted changes in the discussion of disqualifying conditions under Criminal Conduct and Drug Use. DoD's experiences with military and civilian personnel returning from combat areas prompted changes in the discussion of Counseling and Treatment in the Psychological Conditions module of this guide. Many external hyperlinks to reference materials and sources cited in this guide have also been updated.
To facilitate access by persons with disabilities, this program conforms with Level A of the W3C "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0", available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/.
This program can be downloaded from the PERSEREC web site at http://www.dhra.mil/perserec/index.html. At this site, click on Products and then Adjudicative Desk Reference.
The ADR is updated periodically as needed and will have a comprehensive update after revised adjudicative guidelines are approved, which is expected to be early 2011. Updates will be downloadable from the PERSEREC website.
User input is needed to make the ADR as useful as possible and to guide future updates. Individual users, as well as supervisors and managers, are invited to communicate directly and informally concerning suggested additions, deletions, changes, questions or comments regarding this program. Send messages to the project manager and principal author.
The mail address is Richards J. Heuer, Jr., Defense Personnel Security Research Center, 99 Pacific Street, Suite 455E, Monterey, CA 93940. The telephone number is (831) 657-3008, e-mail Richards.Heuer.ctr@osd.pentagon.mil.
The design and technical assistance of Robert C. Moul, and his company RCM Design, is gratefully acknowledged.