FSO Success
What great FSO’s read!
12 Lords a Leaping?? It’s a Festivus Miracle!
(Also, I am pictured above. Hint: I am the one with the fanciest poet shirt.)
On the first day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me…
There is only one month until 2020 and I say let’s wrap up this challenging (they changed EVERYTHING!) year in a strong way!Here is your own “Twelve Days of a FSO’s Christmas” (or, whatever holiday you prefer. We are going with the classic song here, not mandating your holiday preference) Countdown Calendar to conclude your 2019 FSO Year in a way that improves the security posture of your organization.
December 2019
What should FSO’s be doing this month?
- Clean up your Security Records.
- Audit your personnel training files.
- Send courtesy remind- ers for any pending training.
- Log into JPAS, DISS, NISS, SWFT and any other timed data base so you don’t get locked out.
- Remove any personnel who should not be in JPAS by out-processing or contract ending.
- Check on your open investigations to ensure things are moving smoothly.
- Get your 2020 Annual Calendar together (don’t worry – we are going to help with that!).
- Update your passport.
- Do at least ONE of the 12 Days of Christmas Action Items! Your pro- gram will thank you for it!
On the first day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… a completed self-inspection!
Make sure your formal self-inspection is done and uploaded to NISS. Most DCSA Reps prefer a “self-certification” memo to the entire Self-Inspection Handbook going into NISS.
Make sure your formal self-inspection is done and uploaded to NISS. Most DCSA Reps prefer a “self-certification” memo to the entire Self-Inspection Handbook going into NISS.
On the second day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Annual Refreshers! Make sure your records reflect that everyone has completed the Annual Security Refresher – including Insider Threat Training. This can be a sign-in sheet at an annual meeting or an Acknowledgement sheet. Don’t let 2019 go by without it! On the third day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Extra Security Briefings! Do any of your contracts have a NATO Requirement? You and other personnel have to complete a re-briefing (or debriefing if the contract is over) annually. Does your personnel do derivative work? If so, that briefing is required every two years. Some contracts have an annual Anti-terrorism training. Make sure you are aware of, and completing, your extra training requirements.
(*Slurping noise*)
Baby Yoda can relax and enjoy his Frappuccino because his contracts have no NATO requirements.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… current personnel records! Run a personnel report and confirm with HR – know who is still working on active contracts, who needs a PR and who is 1099 personnel! Make sure they have the correct information (date of birth, NDAs) in your systems and in your records. On the fifth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… ALL active accounts!
There are a lot of accounts to maintain for FSOs these days. There is JPAS and DISS – where all KMPs need to have US Access at the same level as the organization and both need back-up account managers. FSOs need to have NCAISS logins and an active NISS account. It is recommended that you have a SWFT account if you don’t use an electronic fingerprint vendor to help with that. Make sure all your accounts are working correctly and that you are logging in in a timely manner.
There are a lot of accounts to maintain for FSOs these days. There is JPAS and DISS – where all KMPs need to have US Access at the same level as the organization and both need back-up account managers. FSOs need to have NCAISS logins and an active NISS account. It is recommended that you have a SWFT account if you don’t use an electronic fingerprint vendor to help with that. Make sure all your accounts are working correctly and that you are logging in in a timely manner.
This is the FSO PRO recommended way of destroying SF86s.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Clean Security Records! Ensure that you do not have any SF86s for investigations that have been adjudicated. You can offer them to the subjects before destroying them – but make sure they are destroyed. On the seventh day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Strong education! If you are a new FSO, you know to complete all FSO Courses within one-year of beginning FSO Work but CDSE has tons of other great training programs that can enhance what you know and what you bring to the program. Have at least ONE new training done before 2019 ends.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Good communication! When you send out company threat awareness and train- ing, are your company distribution lists updated to make sure new people are added or former personnel are deleted? It makes FSO life much easier when this is updated. Another area of communication is your DCSA Representative and Counter-Intelligence Special Agent (CISA) – do you have their numbers? Do you have their email addresses? Have you communicated with them this year? If not – it is not a bad idea. Make sure you are on their distribution lists if they regularly send out communications, up- dates or newsletters. On the ninth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me … Update all the tracking! FSOs have several things to track each year: Training, Foreign Travel, Personnel Rosters, and DD254 lists. has several samples of tracking spreadsheets for you to use but they do no good if they are not kept current. Go back through your folders, emails and any other resources to make sure you have the latest information on record. DCSA Reps ask for a “Contracts List” during inspections. Get with your contracts manager and make sure you only have ACTIVE DD254s listed. Review the active DD254s for compliance and correctness and update where necessary. There are other good tracking areas… did you provide a random security briefing? Who attended? Are you talking with the personnel about security, even in passing? Make notes of it. Did you present the security goals to the company? Note it! It all counts and points the way to a better program.
Good communication is important, either by email or projecting brain circles whilst riding your seahorse. Check with your IT department on which is better.
Because… Because he went down… In History. I’ll see myself out…
On the tenth day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Update the leadership! DCSA Representatives provide a “Request for Information” and an “Asset List” for almost all Assessments. If you are not part of executive management, it is best to make sure you have the most current information and everything on that list is correct. Obtain and review board meeting minutes or meet with program managers for each DD254 to make sure you understand what is “at risk” (the as- set) with that contract. It is also a good time to share the security metrics for the organization and any security “successes” over the previous year. Provide them with a “report card” for the program so they can see how they can support the security program. Keep your leadership engaged!
On the eleventh Day of Christmas, my FSO gave to me… Updated Inspection Folders! It’s a good feeling to be ready for an inspection, even on short notice. The shortest notice we have ever received was nine days. For that reason, at FSO PRO, we keep the following folders for the organization updated:
Company Information:
- Request for Information, Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Operating Agreement
- Board Minutes, KMP List, Summary of services and critical technologies, DD441 and SF328
Personnel Information
- JPAS Personnel Reports, Ghost Report, Periodic Reinvestigation schedule
Contracts information
- Contracts list, all active classified Contracts (DD254s), subcontracts (issued by your organization) and NISS Validations for subcontractors (run before subDD254 was issued)
NISS Updates
- Self-Inspections & Self-Inspection Memos, annual Personnel Security Investigation projections
Briefings and Trainings
- Training Materials, all training acknowledgement forms, Privacy Statements, Debriefings Policies & Procedures
- Disciplinary Policy, Standard Practices and Procedures, other security-related policies Reports
- Adverse reports, security violations and suspicious contacts
Baby Yoda thinks this is all really good information.
We at FSO PRO are so grateful for you.
Consultant Lists
- Independent Contractor lists/Consultant Certificates
FSO Information
- FSO Training, education and appointment records
Insider Threat
- Insider Threat Program Training, Insider Threat Plan, Working Group meeting notes
NISP Enhancements
- Newsletters, community involvement, NCMS membership, confer- ence attendance, etc.
And on that note…
The FSO PRO Team wants to thank all of you “FSO Superheroes”! In 2019, we over DOUBLED our subscriber list and have appreciated your feedback and recommendations. It may feel like just a compliance program but together, we can save the world! Stay Classy(fied) Superheroes and may you have an amazing and blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year!
I just really like this picture. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. Let’s kick butt in 2020.
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FSO PRO thanks all the FSOs out there for everything you do to keep the warfighter safe. Even the smallest task is designed to keep our nation’s information out of the hands of those who would do harm. We, as FSOs, are doing our part to stay vigilant and determined to protect those who protect us, even in our own small way.
That is why we say how awesome you are. And thank you.
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