We need to talk.

I cannot lie. It is always a little scary when your Defense Security Service Representative reaches out for a “conversation”. I mean, they are there to support FSOs but it is not like they are going to call out of the blue and say, “Hey – I have been sitting here thinking about all the amazing things you are doing and I just wanted to let you know!” (Wouldn’t that be nice though?!)

However, as part of the DiT (see last month’s term reference if you already forgot what that stands for), DSS Representatives are emailing and calling more than ever at the moment.

If you have not received a call or email yet, here is how mine went down: “I am concerned about the lack of Suspicious Contact Reports from your company.”
There was a lot more dialogue than that and it ended on a good note, but I have heard that DSS will be making more of these calls to FSOs so I wanted to share a “FSO Success Story” with you…

From Zero to HERO on Suspicious Contact Reporting!

The jist of our conversation was IF cleared defense contractors are not reporting anything suspicious, then the FSO “was not training them properly.”
Fair or not fair, that was the conclusion. So, we implemented a plan with our cleared personnel and went from zero SCRs to a record amount for the company!

Here is how we did it
(cue Rocky-montage music!).

• First – We prepared our SCR Awareness – DSS.mil has all
  sorts of tools to train you to train your cleared personnel
  on how to identify SCRs. Ask this guy for my favorite resource!
• Second – We provided some SCR samples to the cleared
  personnel!
  Some of you may be able to provide samples of previous
  SCRs to your cleared personnel so they know what to look
  for and report. If not, here are just a few real-life SCR
  samples from the FSO PRO team:

This should be a great exercise. It will either tell you that you are doing fantastic or identify areas where you want to “take it up a notch” in 2018. If it stresses you out, enjoy some holiday chocolate while completing it and use that sugar buzz to plan for next year! Have you …

We’re going to need a montage!

We’re still in the montage!

1. Real life SCR: A foreign collector attempted to gain access
   through employment. The HR Director noticed that the jobseeker
   had held various jobs all over the world for less than 2
   months each. This was reported to DSS through the employee
   and the FSO and was determined to be a collector.
2. Real life SCR: A traveler came back to the hotel and his
   work folders had been tampered with. He changed hotels and
   reported it upon return.
3. Real life SCR: A man approached a cleared contractor at a
   “Government Contracting” event show with a business card
   and expressed his desire to get into “defense contracting”.
   After review, the “office” address on the business card did not
   exist and the phone number – from New Jersey – rerouted
   overseas
4. Real life SCR: A green car was seen parked across the street
   from a cleared contractor’s building for several days. The
   guards reported and noted the length of time, make/model of
   the vehicle and license plate. After a week or so, the car approached
   the building and made an attempt to access it by
   vaguely describing one of the employees and making it sound
   as though they had an appointment. This was reported to
   Defense Security Service and no attempt was made again.
5. Real life SCR: An IT Systems professional went onto Craig’s
   list seeking some equipment for a lower price. His inquiry
   was routed to a Russian-based escort service. He reported it
   to his FSO, but the site was clearly set up for a potential
   “bond of affection” with an IT professional that may have a
   military background.

• Third – We went the distance and interviewed our cleared personnel.
  This took the longest. However, using that Self-Inspection Training from CDSE combined with questions in the Self-Inspection Handbook helped us have real dialogue with our cleared personnel and obtain several SCRs immediately!
• Fourth – We brought in a Big Gun!
  All FSOs have access to a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent (CISA) who is willing to brief your team on suspicious contacts and other threat awareness information. It is free (love that price!!) and boy do they have SCR samples!
• Fifth – We hyped it up!
  People like to be a part of something great and thwarting the enemy is pretty great. We shared with the leadership and the team what we were trying to do. We began letting everyone know how many SCRs we had received. We reported at staff meetings and in newsletters. This kept everyone aware AND reporting.

This is to represent your own personal Ivan Drago. We all have an Ivan Drago. For some, it may be Suspicious Contact Reports. For others, it may be a giant Russian boxer on steroids. Whatever your personal Ivan Drago is, FSO PRO is there to help.

As a result, the company went from zero to a record number of SCRs in no
time! Yo Adrian – we did it!

We realize that there were a lot of Rocky references this time. But it just went so well with everything.

Most importantly, we helped protect our great nation by reporting these suspicious contacts to the US Government.

Oh – and one more thing ….

If you are going to report an SCR – make sure you do it right!

DSS is asking that FSOs do a better job reporting suspicious
contacts by:

• Obtaining the name/contact information of your Counter-Intelligence Special Agent (CISA) from your DSS Rep. It is as easy as “Hey Eileen – who is my CISA?” (but in a nice, professional way.)
• When sending suspicious contact reports (e.g., foreign national resumes, spam/spear phishing, odd requests for information, social media requests from foreign nationals, etc.), foreign national names for vetting, etc., please ensure you send the reports to your assigned CISA with a copy to your DSS Rep. Put Eileen on the CC line!
• Ensure you include your CAGE Code and company name in the subject line (e.g., 12DF4 ABC Company, Inc. –
  Suspicious contact or 12DF4 ABC Company, Inc. – Foreign National visitor(s)). Eileen has 90 companies to track and the CISA has even more– help ‘em out!
• When sending emails that are suspicious, ensure you obtain the expanded headers (instructions for most can be
  found here otherwise, your CISA agent cannot do much with the email. If the email has an attachment, you can submit via Apiary – ask this guy for a copy of that! If the email does not have an attachment, utilize the expanded header instructions to send to your CISA.

FSO PR
PO BOX 70095
Fort Bragg, NC 28307

PLEASE
PLACE
STAMP
HERE

Need more explanation or assistance with any items mentioned this month?
Contact FSO PRO!

Terms This Month:

DiT: (yes, I am providing it again – I am a pushover like that) DSS in Transition.

SCR: Suspicious Contact Report

CISA: Counter Intelligence Special Agent

CDSE: Center for Development of Security Excellence

STEPP: Security Training, Education and Professionalization Portal

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.