The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is an agency of the Department of Defense (DoD) located in Quantico, Virginia with field offices throughout the United States. The OUSD(I&S) provides authority, direction and control over DCSA. DCSA is now the largest counterintelligence and security agency in the federal government. DCSA is the nation's bulwark against active and persistent attack by our nation's adversaries against our federal workforce, technology, and information.
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is a strategic asset to the Nation and our allies – continuously assuring a high-trusted government and contractor workforce and enabling advanced uncompromised capabilities by leveraging advanced technologies and innovation. We uniquely blend critical technology protection, trusted workforce vetting, counterintelligence, and professional education and certification to advance and preserve America’s strategic edge.
In 2017, the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) directed the Department of Defense to conduct a study and submit a report on the feasibility of moving the background investigative mission from the National Background Investigation Bureau (NBIB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the Department of Defense—specifically DSS.
The following year, the FY18 NDAA gave the Secretary of Defense the authority to conduct background investigations for DoD personnel (roughly 70 to 80 percent of the inventory). That June, the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) expressed the administration’s preference for consolidating the investigative mission within one central location and keeping the personnel vetting process aligned to maintain efficiencies and effectiveness.
On April 24, the President signed Executive Order 13869, shifting primary responsibility for federal government background investigations from OPM to DoD, to be completed by October 1, 2019. This Executive Order reflects the administration’s commitment to reforming the personnel vetting enterprise to ensure a trusted federal workforce and achieve an efficient, effective, and secure personnel vetting operation that meets government-wide needs for background investigations.
On June 24, 2019, the agency was renamed the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency.
For more on the legacy organizations that form DCSA, visit our history page: https://www.dcsa.mil/about/history/
DCSA Headquarters are located at 27130 Telegraph Rd, Quantico, Va. 22134. DCSA also has field offices located across the United States
Mr. William K. Lietzau was named the director of DCSA effective March 30,2020. Read Mr. Lietzau biography: https://www.dcsa.mil/About-Us/Leadership/Bio-Display/Article/1822359/william-k-lietzau/
DCSA offers interesting and challenging work for people with an interest in contributing to the security of the United States. The workforce consists of Personnel Security Investigators who conduct interviews and background investigations on personnel; Adjudicators who determine an individual’s eligibility for access to sensitive or classified information; Industrial Security Representatives who interact with cleared contractors to advise, assist, and ensure that classified information is protected appropriately; information technology (IT) professionals who certify and accredit IT systems in industry which process classified information; and, counterintelligence (CI) specialists and analysts who provide CI support to cleared facilities. DCSA also has jobs in support roles in such fields as information technology, security, financial management, public affairs, and administration.
See our Careers at Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency or view Job Opportunity Announcements.