The intel briefing for cleared tech professionals
No-fluff guides on IT certifications, DoD security clearances, and building wealth in the cleared tech sector.
CompTIA, AWS, RedHat, and every DoD 8570/8140 baseline cert — ranked, sequenced, and explained without the upsell.
Browse certs → 02How investigations really work, what delays adjudication, and how to navigate the tech market with a cleared résumé.
Browse clearances → 03W-2 vs. 1099, TSP allocation, contractor tax strategy — wealth-building guidance written for cleared compensation structures.
Browse finance →Most popular
The guides readers turn to most for cleared pay, certifications, and clearance timelines.
GS and GG use the same grade numbers but different pay systems. Here's how DCIPS, locality supplements, and the TLMS for STEM and cyber roles affect what you actually earn.
Read article → Popular CertificationsIAT Level II explained in plain English: what it means, which certifications satisfy it, why Security+ is common, and how DoD 8140 changed the old 8570 model.
Read article → Popular ClearancesSecurity clearance timelines vary by tier, agency, SF-86 quality, and case complexity. Learn realistic Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI, and interim clearance timelines.
Read article →Latest briefings
Before the CIA: America's First Intelligence Officers
Before the CIA, Washington ran America's first spy network — the Culper Ring. Cover names, invisible ink, and the need-to-know the modern IC still runs on.
↗ CertsRed Hat Certification Changes 2026: Tracks, RHCSA & RHCA
Red Hat's May 2026 cert restructure: five tracks, RHEL 10 RHCSA, EX318 retired, and track-specific RHCA. Here's what cleared IT needs to know.
↗ clearancescareerHow to Get a Security Clearance Sponsor (2026 Guide)
You can't get a security clearance on your own — a cleared employer has to sponsor you. Here's how sponsorship works and how to find employers who will do it.
↗New to cleared tech?
One foundational article from each pillar. Read these first.
DoD 8140 replaced 8570 in 2023 and uses 50+ DCWF work roles across seven workforce elements. Here's how compliance, proficiency levels, and cert requirements work.
Read article → Foundational ClearancesSecret, Top Secret, TS/SCI, and SCI access explained — what separates them, which investigation tier each requires, and why clearances don't always transfer.
Read article → Foundational Pay & BenefitsHow GS grades, steps, and locality pay combine to determine your federal salary — and what actually drives promotions and within-grade increases.
Read article →The brief
Most IT advice is written for the commercial market. ClearedPathway is focused on the narrower reality of DoD 8140, clearance-driven hiring, contractor economics, and security-focused career paths.
No boot camp upsells. No affiliate-padded recommendations. No recycled generic advice. Just practical guidance for people building in cleared tech.
Action over abstraction. What to do, what to prioritize, and what order actually makes sense if you are trying to move forward in this market.
This site is written from inside the path — by someone actively building through certifications, hands-on IT work, and the cleared hiring pipeline.
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