The Foreign Service Journal, September 2010

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 23 depression. “Diplomatic Security immediately pulled the guy’s clearance despite the years of discussion and re- ported agreement that they would not do this,” the psy- chiatrist said. Yun says such cases simply don’t exist, barring an inci- dent at post. “None of us can remember a case when an individual lost his/her security clearance because he or she received mental health treatment” in the normal security clearance review process. Yun acknowledges that there have been cases “of employees losing a security clearance because their dangerous/unstable behavior led to an in- vestigation and mental health evaluation. But it was the former that led to the latter, not the other way around — it wasn’t the mental health treatment/evaluation that trig- gered the event.” Yun also disputes the charge that MED acts harshly to- ward people with mental health problems in their back- ground. “We get two complaints,” he says. “We get patients complaining, ‘You guys aren’t letting me go to this post. I know I can go.’ On the other hand, we get com- plaints from the front office, the management at post say- ing, ‘Why are you guys sending us these kind of people who end up having problems and have to be curtailed?’ We try to strike a balance.” Yun says that MED takes a flexible stance toward offi- cers who’ve sought mental health treatment. If they can demonstrate that the condition is stable, they can still hold a Class 1 medical clearance. He also maintains that the perception that MED is quick to recommend that security clearances be taken away is vastly exaggerated. Of more than 1,100 cases of officers reporting mental health treat- ment on security clearance renewal forms over the last two years, not one lost his or her clearance for medical reasons, according to MED’s records. It should also be noted that, in line with changes made by the Defense Department, State has stopped asking Foreign Service personnel renewing their secu- rity clearances whether they have had any mental health counseling related to their service in a war zone. The department also no longer inquires about whether em- F O C U S CHANGE OF ADDRESS Moving? Take AFSA With You! Change your address online at: www.afsa.org/comment.cfm — Or — Send change of address to: AFSA Membership Department 2101 E Street NW Washington, DC 20037