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The Defense Security Service (DSS) is a Department of Defense (DoD) agency. The
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence provides authority,
direction and control over DSS. Defense Security Service headquarters is
located in Alexandria, Va., with field offices throughout the United
States... More
About DSS
Facility Security Clearance
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What is DSS?
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What is the mission of the
Defense Security Service?
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How does DSS contribute to
national security?
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When was DSS established?
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What is DSS's budget?
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Where is DSS located?
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Who is the director of DSS?
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Who does DSS report to?
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What kinds of information can I
find on the DSS website?
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Is DSS impacted by BRAC?
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What kinds of jobs are
available at DSS?
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How do I apply for a job at
DSS?
1. What is DSS?
The Defense Security Service (DSS) is an
agency of the Department of Defense (DoD) located in
Alexandria, Virginia with field offices throughout
the United States. The Under Secretary of Defense
for Intelligence provides authority, direction and
control over DSS. DSS provides the military
services, Defense Agencies, 23 federal agencies and
approximately 12,000 cleared contractor facilities
with security support services.
2. What is the mission of DSS?
DSS supports national security and the
warfighter, secures the nation's technological base,
and oversees the protection of U.S. and foreign
classified information in the hands of industry.
DSS accomplishes this mission by clearing
industrial facilities, accrediting information
systems, facilitating the personnel security
clearance process, delivering security education and
training, and providing information technology
services that support the industrial and personnel
security missions of DoD and its partner agencies.
3. How does DSS contribute to national
security?
DSS contributes to national security by
serving as an interface between the government and
cleared industry. DSS administers and implements the
defense portion of the National Industrial Security
Program pursuant to Executive Order 12829.
Approximately 300 Industrial Security
Representatives provide oversight and assistance to
cleared contractor facilities and assist management
and Facility Security Officers in ensuring the
protection of U.S. and foreign classified
information. DSS also facilitates classified
shipments between the United States and 60 foreign
countries and implements foreign ownership, control
and influence countermeasures.
The DSS Academy is located in Linthicum, Md., and
provides security education and training to DoD
security professionals through formal classroom and
distributed learning methodologies (i.e.,
computer-based, web-based and tele-training).
The Personnel Security Clearance Office (PSC)
consists of the Defense Industrial Security
Clearance Office (DISCO), the Clearance Liaison
Office (CLO) and the Polygraph Office. DISCO,
located in Columbus, Ohio, processes requests for
industrial personnel security investigations and
provides eligibility or clearance determinations for
cleared industry personnel under the NISP.
The CLO is the DoD focal point to the Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) on personnel security
investigations. The Polygraph Office conducts
polygraphs, and provides awareness training
requested by central adjudication facilities.
DSS provides information technology services in
support of DoD and partner agency industrial and
personnel security missions.
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4. When was DSS established?
DSS, formerly known as the Defense
Investigative Service or DIS, was established on
Jan. 1, 1972, to consolidate DoD personnel security
investigations in one organization. On Oct. 2, 1980,
the Defense Industrial Security Program was
transferred to DIS from the Defense Logistics Agency
and DIS began to train personnel through the Defense
Industrial Security Institute. The Personnel
Security Investigations (PSI) Program was
transferred to the Office of Personnel Management on
Feb. 20, 2005.
5. What is DSS s budget?
DSS is authorized 582 civilian personnel
and has a fiscal year 2007 budget of $372 million.
6. Where is DSS located?
DSS Headquarters are located at 1340
Braddock Place, Alexandria, Va.
The Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office
(DISCO) is located in Columbus, Ohio, and the
Security Education Training and Awareness (SETA)
Directorate, which includes the DSS Academy, is
located in Linthicum, Md.
DSS also has Industrial Security Representatives
located across the United States in 71 field
locations spread across four geographic regions.
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7. Who is the director of DSS?
Ms. Kathleen Watson was named director of
DSS on Feb. 18, 2007.
Read Ms. Watson's biography.
8. Who does DSS report to?
DSS is an agency of the Department of
Defense, which reports to the Under Secretary of
Defense for Intelligence (USD[I]).
9. What kinds of information can I find
on the DSS website?
The DSS internet site seeks to provide the
public with information about DSS, its mission,
news, points of contact within the agency, press
releases, and upcoming events and conferences. It is
also a tool for cleared contractors to stay current
on DSS initiatives and programs.
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10. Is DSS impacted by BRAC?
DSS is impacted by BRAC Recommendation
H&SA-0108R, which calls for relocation of the
Military Department Investigative Agencies (MDIA),
DSS, and the Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA)
to Marine Base Quantico, Virginia. The
recommendation is to be implemented by the fall of
2011. BRAC Recommendation H&SA-0099 calls for the
relocation of all Military Department and DoD
security clearance and adjudication and appeals
activities to Fort George G. Meade, Md. As a result,
the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office
(DISCO) will relocate from Columbus, Ohio, to
Maryland.
11. What kinds of jobs are available at
DSS?
DSS offers interesting and challenging work
for people with an interest in contributing to the
security of the United States. The majority of DSS s
workforce consists of Industrial Security
Representatives who interact with Defense
contractors to advise, assist, and ensure that
classified information is protected appropriately.
DSS also has jobs in support roles in such fields as
automation technology, security, financial
management, public affairs, and administration.
12. How do I apply for a job at DSS?
DSS Job Opportunity Announcements may be
obtained at the following sites: Human Resource
Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services (https://storm.psd.whs.mil/cgi-bin/apply.pl)
or the Office of Personnel Management s USAJOBs site
(http://www.usajobs.opm.gov.)
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