Jim is a (retired) Special Agent with the U.S. Government, who was employed as a Federal Background Investigator for 25 years until he retired in Aug 2008. Jim was an agent with the Department of Defense (DIS & DSS) until they were merged with the Office of Personnel Management, Federal Investigation Services Division (OPM-FISD) in Feb 2005.

The levels of Security Clearance include Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret.  Additionally Jim has conducted Public Trust investigations (low, moderate and high).

Jim’s case work included complex and sensitive Background Investigations, to include allegations of criminal conduct, drug & alcohol use, finances, mental health treatment, foreign connections, foreign preference, foreign travel and allegiance, employment issues and many other potential suitability & security issues that may affect one obtaining a Security Clearance.

Jim is proud to note that in 25 years of working in the field with the public as a Special Agent and in conducting thousands of interviews, obtaining related records and documenting his reports he has never had a member of the public file a complaint.

As a Federal Background Investigator Jim always believed he was first and foremost a Public Servant and as such always remembered to treat every person with respect and dignity. This was also his philosophy when he was mentoring new and younger agents.

He believed that then and believes it now as a retired Public Servant.

One of the first things Jim would tell Subjects (the person undergoing the Investigation) at the beginning of their Subject Interview was that “there are no saints sitting on either side of this table”, that there are “no perfect people”.

Jim explained that the Background Investigation process was not a lot of fun and could be intrusive or intimidating, but was necessary. He explained that a Security Clearance is not a right, it is a privilege. Thank you. Feel free to email me (Jim) with any questions you have.