--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an intelligence officer, if you don't…" description: "\"As an intelligence officer, if you don't have a security clearance, you really don't have a job. My military position was, and has been, frozen, for fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/paula-broadwell-12073_clearance_as-an-intelligence-officer-if-you-don-t_1025408.jpg" --- # As an intelligence officer, if you don't have a security… ![“As an intelligence officer, if you don't have a security clearance, you really don't have a job. My military position was, and has been, frozen, for four years.” quote by Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/paula-broadwell-12073_clearance_as-an-intelligence-officer-if-you-don-t_1025408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/paula-broadwell-12073_clearance_as-an-intelligence-officer-if-you-don-t_1025408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a2/paula-broadwell-12073_clearance_as-an-intelligence-officer-if-you-don-t_1025408.jpg) > “As an intelligence officer, if you don't have a security clearance, you really don't have a job. My military position was, and has been, frozen, for four years.” [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Security clearance is essential for intelligence work; without it, the role is meaningless. **In simple terms:** Clearance is required to work in intelligence. Key Takeaway Secure necessary clearances before pursuing such roles. Themes security career military bureaucracy Mood critical pragmatic Type advice realistic When to use this quote - government jobs - military service - career planning Key Concepts policy employment law Questions to Reflect On - How can one navigate clearance delays? - What alternatives exist without clearance? A Different Perspective Clearance processes can be opaque and politicized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearance/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Intelligence officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-officers/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Officers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officers/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) ## Related quotes > [ She \[Hillary Clinton\] was extremely careless with handling national security information.If she were just an ordinary person, she would be denied a top security… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/she-hillary-clinton-was-extremely-careless-with-handling-national/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I got a top-secret security clearance and served in the CIA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/i-got-a-top-secret-security-clearance-and-served-in-the-cia/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [I held top-secret security clearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ossoff/i-held-top-secret-security-clearance/) [Jon Ossoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ossoff/) > [When I was in the military, I had a TS-SCI and Q security clearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/when-i-was-in-the-military-i-had-a-ts-sci-and-q-security-clearance/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [Under the old rules, Steve Bannon could never get a security clearance. But there could be a new rule, the Trump Rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/under-the-old-rules-steve-bannon-could-never-get-a-security-clearance/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [The Daily Beast reports today that if Steve Bannon is denied a security clearance, the President could simply overrule that denial and order that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-daily-beast-reports-today-that-if-steve-bannon-is-denied-a/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [We ask the military to be in a position that, if we ask them to do a task, they are absolutely able to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/we-ask-the-military-to-be-in-a-position-that-if-we-ask-them-to-do-a/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [So it's not a matter of the military lying to the press, but it's the job of the military to deny the press any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hackworth/so-it-s-not-a-matter-of-the-military-lying-to-the-press-but-it-s-the/) [David Hackworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hackworth/) > [It's not the job of the U.S. military to do nation-building or produce democratic utopias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/it-s-not-the-job-of-the-u-s-military-to-do-nation-building-or-produce/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [I wrote 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' at the age of 30 under intense, unshared personal stress and in extreme privacy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-wrote-the-spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold-at-the-age-of-30-under/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [I love my career. I thought, if I was lucky, I would retire as a senior intelligence officer, still working on the issues of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-love-my-career-i-thought-if-i-was-lucky-i-would-retire-as-a-senior/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The senior director at the NSC for the Middle East is retired Col. Derek Harvey, an Arabic-speaking intelligence officer with a Ph.D. who served…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/the-senior-director-at-the-nsc-for-the-middle-east-is-retired-col/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I never threatened him and no Syrian intelligence officer has ever pointed a gun to his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-hariri/i-never-threatened-him-and-no-syrian-intelligence-officer-has-ever/) [Rafik Hariri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafik-hariri/) > [“Bloody Machiavellian English Intelligence Officer playing God”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/bloody-machiavellian-english-intelligence-officer-playing-god/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [I was an intelligence officer, not a policy-maker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cofer-black/i-was-an-intelligence-officer-not-a-policy-maker/) [Cofer Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cofer-black/) ## More by Paula Broadwell > [I think the public doesn't understand that one of the reasons I haven't stood up for myself is because in order to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-the-public-doesn-t-understand-that-one-of-the-reasons-i-haven/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I had been working on a second book with \[David\] Petraeus called Relentless. Obviously that book and the income that it would have generated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-had-been-working-on-a-second-book-with-david-petraeus-called/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I want to serve. I love my country. I love service above self and I don't want my talents to go to waste. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-want-to-serve-i-love-my-country-i-love-service-above-self-and-i-don/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [A few months into my research, General Petraeus, who was then leading Central Command, invited me to go for a run with him and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/a-few-months-into-my-research-general-petraeus-who-was-then-leading/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ I was incredulous as the bias of the media in terms of the candidates \[for presidency\]. I was incredulous at the fake news. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-was-incredulous-as-the-bias-of-the-media-in-terms-of-the-candidates/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [You can reclaim your own narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/you-can-reclaim-your-own-narrative/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I also feel like I've done plenty of wrong things. I'm not innocent here, and I'm certainly not going to be righteous about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-also-feel-like-i-ve-done-plenty-of-wrong-things-i-m-not-innocent/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [When I get this kind of support, I feel validated in my decision to stand up for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/when-i-get-this-kind-of-support-i-feel-validated-in-my-decision-to/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [I think it is important for working moms to recognize that family is the most important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-it-is-important-for-working-moms-to-recognize-that-family-is/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [If I'm strong, I'm not going to apologize for being strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/if-i-m-strong-i-m-not-going-to-apologize-for-being-strong/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [My local paper, The New York Times, Yahoo News, CBS, and The Washington Post, all agreed to stop using the word 'mistress.' The big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/my-local-paper-the-new-york-times-yahoo-news-cbs-and-the-washington/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [Having a bunch of medals and badges doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve achieved anything, you’ve got to do something beyond yourself to make a difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/having-a-bunch-of-medals-and-badges-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-you-ve/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [We have to raise our young boys to respect women and our young girls to demand respect and to get their values from something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/we-have-to-raise-our-young-boys-to-respect-women-and-our-young-girls/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [ It's reducing my entire professional career and background to this one word \[mistress\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/it-s-reducing-my-entire-professional-career-and-background-to-this/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) [Explore all 56 Paula Broadwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) ## More Clearance quotes > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [ Unless you've also had some experience dragging around a boat trailer, \[topping off the gas tank\] may not sound important. But trailer driver's know:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/unless-you-ve-also-had-some-experience-dragging-around-a-boat-trailer/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [Yeah, I had top-secret clearance and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/yeah-i-had-top-secret-clearance-and-everything/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [“Not merely in the realm of commerce but in the world of ideas as well our age is organizing a regular clearance sale. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/not-merely-in-the-realm-of-commerce-but-in-the-world-of-ideas-as-well/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [I'm not the president, so the president, has top secret clearance immediately. I don't. It takes time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/i-m-not-the-president-so-the-president-has-top-secret-clearance/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [No deliberation made by a single person will be successful; the nature of the work which a sovereign has to do is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/no-deliberation-made-by-a-single-person-will-be-successful-the-nature/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [FDA clearance is an important step on the path towards getting genetic information integrated with routine medical care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wojcicki/fda-clearance-is-an-important-step-on-the-path-towards-getting/) [Anne Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wojcicki/) > [The biggest challenge is self-financing 100% of everything. Recording costs, studio time, engineer fees, travel costs are all a part of the creation process.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/the-biggest-challenge-is-self-financing-100-of-everything-recording/) [Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/) > [I got a top-secret security clearance and served in the CIA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/i-got-a-top-secret-security-clearance-and-served-in-the-cia/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [I held top-secret security clearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ossoff/i-held-top-secret-security-clearance/) [Jon Ossoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ossoff/) > [For most of us, the classic test of willpower is resisting temptation, whether the temptress is a doughnut, a cigarette, a clearance sale, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-mcgonigal/for-most-of-us-the-classic-test-of-willpower-is-resisting-temptation/) [Kelly McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-mcgonigal/) > [I'm not in those top secret meetings, nor would it be appropriate - the president can't tell me what's hap - what's being said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/i-m-not-in-those-top-secret-meetings-nor-would-it-be-appropriate-the/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [Having viewed slum clearance projects in most major cities of the world may I state that you have conceived and created in the Johannesburg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/having-viewed-slum-clearance-projects-in-most-major-cities-of-the/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [When I was in the military, I had a TS-SCI and Q security clearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mast/when-i-was-in-the-military-i-had-a-ts-sci-and-q-security-clearance/) [Brian Mast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mast/) > [I haven't got a heart: only the former site of one, with a monument there to say that it has been removed and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/i-haven-t-got-a-heart-only-the-former-site-of-one-with-a-monument/) [T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/) [Browse all 32 Clearance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As an intelligence officer, if you don't have a security clearance, you really don't have a job. 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