Technically, if you know of a reason that someone with a clearance is a security risk -- lots of debt they can't handle is one of them! -- it's your duty to report that to a security officer.
uhm, be careful how you phrase that. Lots of debt is just one "red flag" and that red flag will come out through regular scheduled background checks. That and other factors may lead to a deeper investigation.
If you KNOW of a reason that someone with a clearance is a security risk, then you report a breach. You don't report based on "oh, they have a lot of debt". Although, if you truly suspect and there are multiple red flags, then by all means, report.
Please note I did not say, "Lots of debt." I said, "Lots of debt they can't handle."
If you know they are drowning in debt they are a security risk. If they can handle that debt despite what they said or did that clued you into their problem, that will come out in the security review. If they can't, well, they can't and they *are* a security risk.
Okay, @SwordGuy the "they can't handle" part makes your case for you. I am just concerned that some judgey person is going to look at co-workers and assume they know more about their financial situation than they do.
Here's the obligation to report financial problems (very broad and vague:
Any financial considerations that indicate an inability or an unwillingness to satisfy debts. Examples include:
Not meeting financial obligations, such as a mortgage foreclosure, bankruptcy, debt collections, charge-offs, or failure to pay State and Federal taxes;
Financial problems linked to gambling, drug abuse, alcoholism; or
Other financial issues.
What are the levels, anyway?
Confidential - Secret - Top Secret? Is that it?
They start with public trust, confidential, secret, TS, TS-SCI, Special Access, Yankee White.
Special Access programs come with a codeword designation. I've only been on one of those and I was brought in so quickly that I never had more than a "handshake" as a read-in. These ones can be so secret, that you can't even acknowledge their existence. So rather than saying "I'm not at liberty to discuss that", you have to actively lie about what you're doing or where you're going. That sucks even more than saying "sorry honey, I can't talk about my work". I honestly don't think people realize how draining it is to not be able to tell your loved ones what you do.
Yankee White - I think that's all White House stuff. Not my wheelhouse.
The Department of Energy has (had?) 5 clearance levels. Q, Top Secret, L, Secret, Work Approval ie "0".
The letter clearances correspond to the DOD clearances but add "Restricted Data" ie nuclear weapons info or access to special nuclear materials.
https://fas.org/sgp/classdoe.htmI only had a "0"- read "zero"
When I was assigned to PUREX lab, I entered through the guardshack (razor wire, fully automatic weapons etc, my badge was physically touched).
I sat down at my desk, within 15 minutes, someone who hadn't seen me escorted in asked "are you allowed to be here"? My response was, "well the guards didn't shoot at me when I entered".
Everyone else had a Q, but most were in the process of being given L clearances, as "production" of special nuclear materials had ended.
The reporting requirements list included:
Unofficial contact with a (DOE) Sensitive Country
Arrests, detentions, convictions
Bankruptcy
Traffic Fines over 100 dollars - onsite tickets got close, but rarely over, as security did not want to deal with the fight for a reportable fine.
Foreign Travel, Official and separately, All Other
Name change
Theft or Misuse of Govt. property
Violations and Infractions
Vulnerabilities
All had separate phone #
I kept the 1992 paper that had this info, as it was the only place I've ever seen an emergency action of RUN on a safety brief. This was for the criticality alarm.