I recently received an email from Regina Webb stating we have an opportunity to express ways that the Army/AW2 can serve veterans better.

Here's my recommendation:

    Veterans being discharged/medically retired, due to line-of-duty injuries that result in disabilities, that hold a TS (or higher) clearance and that are using the Chapter 31 Vocation Rehabilitation benefits through the Veterans Administration in order to get their degree in a new discipline are at a serious disadvantage. As a generalization, the veterans working toward their 4-year degree are more than likely going to lose their clearance and and go beyond the 2-yea inactive status and as a result are not as likely to be hired by the majority of agencies and contractors in the metro area. To compound this they are competing with other veterans just getting out who still hold their clearance.
 

My recommendation is that either the agency responsible for granting clearances extend the veteran's security clearances contingent upon certain requirements:

(1) the discharged/retired veteran sign a waiver/agreement stating that when they complete their degree they will be applying for employment with a government agency or a contract company that services the government in some capacity that requires a security clearance.

This waiver/agreement will either allow the veteran to hold their clearance for the agreed period of time (but not have access to any sensitive material based on "need to know") or extend the "inactive" period to which would normally allow a hiring agency/contractor to have a clearance "re-instated" to active without the need for a full background investigation. 

(2) Put a time limit on the extension of the clearance based on the time the veteran is expected to complete their degree.

Special circumstances that prohibit the veteran from taking a "full-time" course load (death in the family, birth of a child, physical disabilities/complications) would allow the veteran the opportunity to apply for an additional extension to the previously agreed  upon period.

(3) If the set goals are not met the security clearance will then enter the 5-year status of which a clearance can be re-activated at the discretion of the employer/customer agency.

OR

   Pass legislation through congress that would essentially do the same thing, but would be protected by a law rather than by the agency that controls/maintains security clearances which may decide to change this policy at their discretion.