Cleared talent retention: A national security imperative

Discussions about national security often begin with technology, budgets and emerging threats.  One of the most significant and frequently overlooked risks to mission success is not related to systems or funding – it is people. Specifically, our ability to retain experienced, cleared professionals in the workforce.

There are 4.2 million active security clearance holders in the United States, according to a 2023 report, with active job requisitions for cleared roles increasing by 37% in the last year and a half. Cleared talent isn’t interchangeable. These are individuals who carry years of institutional knowledge, context and trust. When they walk out the door, it’s not just a headcount problem. It’s a disruption that can slow programs, strain teams, and quietly increase risk in ways that don’t always show up on a dashboard.

A clearance isn’t just a box you check

We often talk about clearances as hiring requirements, but anyone who has worked in this space knows that’s an oversimplification. A clearance represents a long-term investment, by the individual and by the government. It reflects judgment, reliability, and an ongoing responsibility to operate in high-trust environments.

Replacing a cleared professional is rarely quick or easy. Even when funding is available, the time it takes to recruit, process, onboard, and fully integrate someone new can be significant.  Studies show it costs significantly more money and takes longer to hire a cleared employee. During that time, teams stretch, continuity suffers, and institutional memory starts to thin.

Experience can’t be backfilled overnight

What cleared professionals build over time, including mission familiarity, stakeholder relationships and an understanding of how things get done, doesn’t live neatly in documentation. It lives in people.

Almost 80% of government contractors and federal agencies say the struggle to fill security clearance roles is severe, compared to 67% in 2013, according to a recent study from the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA). When experienced staff leave, even well-managed transitions can’t fully replace what’s lost. Over time, repeated turnover can erode effectiveness, increase costs, and weaken the trust that government missions depend on. Retention, in that sense, becomes a form of risk management.

Stability supports readiness

National security work depends on steady hands. Whether the mission involves cyber operations, engineering, intelligence support or modernization efforts, continuity matters. Teams that stay together longer tend to operate more efficiently, communicate better, and anticipate problems before they escalate.

High turnover forces organizations into a constant state of reaction, focused on filling seats instead of moving missions forward. That’s not a sustainable posture in an environment where readiness is critical.

People stay for leadership, not just pay

Compensation will always be part of the conversation, but it’s rarely the deciding factor for cleared professionals who are motivated by service and purpose. What keeps people is leadership they trust, expectations that are clear, and cultures where ethics aren’t negotiable. In an October 2025 study, nearly half (47%) of employees surveyed who quit in the last year said they loved their job, but couldn’t tolerate their manager.

In my experience, people stay where they feel respected, supported, and aligned with the mission. Organizations that invest in development, communicate honestly, and hold themselves accountable are far more likely to retain talent than those relying on incentives alone.

This is bigger than any one company

Cleared talent retention isn’t just an internal human resources concern. It’s a shared responsibility across government and industry. Everyone benefits when experienced professionals are able, and willing, to stay engaged in the work for the long run.

If we treat cleared professionals as interchangeable resources, we shouldn’t be surprised when continuity suffers. If we treat them as strategic assets, the entire defense ecosystem is stronger for it.

The bottom line

As missions grow more complex and interconnected, the demand for experienced cleared professionals will only increase. Retention needs to be viewed for what it is: a strategic issue with direct implications for national security.

Technology matters. Funding matters. But none of it works without people who choose to stay, contribute, and carry the mission forward year after year. Keeping cleared talent in the fight isn’t just good workforce practice; it’s essential to sustaining our national security.

Julie Lofreddo is human resources director at Greystones Group.

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