What disqualifies one from getting TS clearance?

[Anonymous]

"It can also be an issue if character witnesses say you tend to get drunk and pick up random women at bars, etc, because pretty women are basically a centuries old tactic for getting secrets out of men. "

Samson and Delilah.

[Anonymous]

Question -
How long ago was the heavy drug use? [more or less than 7 years ago]

How old are you that you choose 2 years ago to smoke pot? This can be a flag that you really have not come clean and understand that this is breaking federal law

Is there any enforcement part of the direct organization that you are hiring into?


There are people who work for me who did not get public trust b/c the smoked in Amsterdam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question -
How long ago was the heavy drug use? [more or less than 7 years ago]

How old are you that you choose 2 years ago to smoke pot? This can be a flag that you really have not come clean and understand that this is breaking federal law

Is there any enforcement part of the direct organization that you are hiring into?


There are people who work for me who did not get public trust b/c the smoked in Amsterdam.

Heavy drug use ended for the most part 10 years ago. I continued to smoke pot regularly until I was 25 or 26, then on rare occasion (like once a year) until 2 years ago. I used cocaine once or twice in my early post-college years in DC, that would have been 7-8 years ago. I'm in my early 30s.

I made some bad choices along the way, but I think any of my friends they will or would interview would not say I'm a drug addict or anything like that. I'm responsible, have held down jobs and made rent and for the most part lived a normal single 20-something-in-the-city life, but I liked to party. A lot changed when I met my DH, now I live in the burbs and have a kid. I don't know what this all means for me getting a clearance, which is scary. I'm feeling pretty low since it's a good job opportunity and now I'm dwelling on stupid shit I did in the past.

[Anonymous]

I think if you are honest about a) this is what happened and everyone in my life already knows about it and b) you are a completely different person now because x, y, and z prompted you to change your lifestyle, you should be fine since it was so long ago. The key is that you make good judgements now and you can't be blackmailed about your past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And to the PP who says it is easier than passing a piss test at Best Buy- you have no idea what you're talking about. People I know have been denied for drinking on the weekends.

And why would I lie?

I work in a creative field and am free to live my life as I please with no questioning.

I also have friends who live their life as they please, while holding high level clearances. Will this hold up forever for them? Maybe it will catch up to them at some point. I don't know. I know for DAMN sure that not nearly everyone who holds a high level clearance abstains from alcohol, or even comes close to abstaining. That is an absolute ridiculous notion.

They do not physically test for drug or alcohol use at any point. They just don't. Someone can question me and all of my contemporaries about my drug and alcohol use until the cows come home, but that really means very little.

I've taken my role as a character witness seriously when I've been called upon to be one. But I've only ever seen one person out of many in DC denied for a clearance.

You know the best way to get any information out of me? To say that my kid is hurt, in danger, or otherwise being detained. Should they not give anyone with a family a clearance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm being recruited as a direct hire for a gov agency, and the job will require top secret clearance with polygraph. Can anyone tell me what kind of activities would disqualify me from getting the clearance? I partied a lot in college and while I haven't used any illicit drugs recently, it's only been about two years since I smoked pot. I did use heavier drugs in college but that has been several years. Am I SOL?

I have never heard of an uncleared person being recruited into a position requiring TS/SCI.
How does the timing work? Will you be a contingent hire until your clearance is final? Is the polygraph administered after the BI is completed, or before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm being recruited as a direct hire for a gov agency, and the job will require top secret clearance with polygraph. Can anyone tell me what kind of activities would disqualify me from getting the clearance? I partied a lot in college and while I haven't used any illicit drugs recently, it's only been about two years since I smoked pot. I did use heavier drugs in college but that has been several years. Am I SOL?

I have never heard of an uncleared person being recruited into a position requiring TS/SCI.
How does the timing work? Will you be a contingent hire until your clearance is final? Is the polygraph administered after the BI is completed, or before?

I'm early in the process but they said it would probably take a coulple months at least. I assume they will do BI first then once (if?) that's cleared I would move on to the poly, and brought on board once everything has gone through. That's just what I am assuming though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question -
How long ago was the heavy drug use? [more or less than 7 years ago]

How old are you that you choose 2 years ago to smoke pot? This can be a flag that you really have not come clean and understand that this is breaking federal law

Is there any enforcement part of the direct organization that you are hiring into?


There are people who work for me who did not get public trust b/c the smoked in Amsterdam.

Heavy drug use ended for the most part 10 years ago. I continued to smoke pot regularly until I was 25 or 26, then on rare occasion (like once a year) until 2 years ago. I used cocaine once or twice in my early post-college years in DC, that would have been 7-8 years ago. I'm in my early 30s.

I made some bad choices along the way, but I think any of my friends they will or would interview would not say I'm a drug addict or anything like that. I'm responsible, have held down jobs and made rent and for the most part lived a normal single 20-something-in-the-city life, but I liked to party. A lot changed when I met my DH, now I live in the burbs and have a kid. I don't know what this all means for me getting a clearance, which is scary. I'm feeling pretty low since it's a good job opportunity and now I'm dwelling on stupid shit I did in the past.

Disclose all of that. Just say it like you are telling us. 10 years is generally the cut off for major stuff.

[Anonymous]

The process is: preliminary screen: meaning do they see anything of concern...preliminary offer...SF-86...Investigation...Adjudication...offer.

In my case, the CI poly was on a different schedule.
I am not aware of the schedule for a CI poly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And to the PP who says it is easier than passing a piss test at Best Buy- you have no idea what you're talking about. People I know have been denied for drinking on the weekends.

And why would I lie?

I work in a creative field and am free to live my life as I please with no questioning.

I also have friends who live their life as they please, while holding high level clearances. Will this hold up forever for them? Maybe it will catch up to them at some point. I don't know. I know for DAMN sure that not nearly everyone who holds a high level clearance abstains from alcohol, or even comes close to abstaining. That is an absolute ridiculous notion.

They do not physically test for drug or alcohol use at any point. They just don't. Someone can question me and all of my contemporaries about my drug and alcohol use until the cows come home, but that really means very little.

I've taken my role as a character witness seriously when I've been called upon to be one. But I've only ever seen one person out of many in DC denied for a clearance.

You know the best way to get any information out of me? To say that my kid is hurt, in danger, or otherwise being detained. Should they not give anyone with a family a clearance?

Just not true in regard to drug testing. They test prior to EOD and randomly through the year. I've been tested 3 times this year alone. I know it varies by agency but many do test and test often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The process is: preliminary screen: meaning do they see anything of concern...preliminary offer...SF-86...Investigation...Adjudication...offer.

In my case, the CI poly was on a different schedule.
I am not aware of the schedule for a CI poly

It is after adjudication (which takes many months).

[Anonymous]

anything that can be used to frame you . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From a CIA recruiter- elicit drug use other than pot will get you canned.

If you're a CIA recruiter and you don't know the difference between "illicit" and "elicit", why have you not been canned?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing to understand is there are several tenants:
1) Must be loyal to the US
2) Must not have evidence of bad judgement -- e.g. criminal/active drug or alcohol abuse; etc
3) Must be financially stable -- bad credit that can't be explained can be an issue

Now, with a CI poly, they are going to focus on things you have done: foreign contacts, intentionally violating rules, etc.

Lifestyle: they will determine if you can be blackmailed.
For example, an active affair that the wife does not know about can be a big deal; claiming she knows about it and lying is a huge deal. It is not an issue if the wife (or hubby) knows about it and is ok.

tenets

Tenants are a whole 'nother thing ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The process is: preliminary screen: meaning do they see anything of concern...preliminary offer...SF-86...Investigation...Adjudication...offer.

In my case, the CI poly was on a different schedule.
I am not aware of the schedule for a CI poly

It is after adjudication (which takes many months).

My adjudication only took weeks. Everyone in this thread should caveat with- everyone's situation is different. Every individual person at each different agency. There are many factors that are involved; some factors are in your control, some not.