For 21 years, I’ve worked in the cleared defense industrial base supporting NISPOM compliance, industrial security operations, and insider-threat obligations. Like many of you, I’ve carried the responsibility to act when compliance gaps create risk to classified information, CUI, and government programs. I’m now facing significant legal and professional challenges as a direct result of raising those concerns. Those of us in cleared roles understand the tension between doing what’s required and the pressure to stay quiet. This situation exists because I chose compliance and integrity over convenience.

I’ve started a GoFundMe to help cover legal and professional defense costs so I can protect my clearance-based career, reputation, and record of service. If you’ve served as an FSO, ISSM, PSO, or security manager, you know how quickly the ground can shift when issues escalate. If you believe the cleared workforce depends on professionals being able to speak up without being destroyed for it, your support — or even sharing — genuinely matters.

Thank you to those who still take compliance seriously. — Darryl