What disqualifies one from getting TS clearance?

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

I would certainly advise being totally forthcoming about everything. If you try to conceal something and they find out then you really will be SOL.

[Anonymous]

Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Financial issues are the big thing that disqualifies a lot of people. Check this website: http://www.dod.gov/dodgc/doha/industrial/2014.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

I disagree on foreign relatives. As long as you are forthcoming about the nature of your relationship with them, what they do for a living and if you ever financially supported them, you should be OK. While I am born in the U.S., my parents are from Croatia and a whole bunch of my aunts and uncles still live there. We never financially supported them, they don't work for any government agency, etc. And I go to visit them every 3-4 years. Never been an issue, I always fully disclosed everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disqualifiere are things like current drug use, foreign ties (family and property), outstanding high debts or unpaid debts, tax issues, etc.

I disagree on foreign relatives. As long as you are forthcoming about the nature of your relationship with them, what they do for a living and if you ever financially supported them, you should be OK. While I am born in the U.S., my parents are from Croatia and a whole bunch of my aunts and uncles still live there. We never financially supported them, they don't work for any government agency, etc. And I go to visit them every 3-4 years. Never been an issue, I always fully disclosed everything.

Depends on the country. I've had employees not make it through because of strong family ties to Iran. They appealed with DOHA and it didn't matter. The country and it's relation to the US is a factor.

[Anonymous]

I know people who got dinged for too much social drinking on weekends. The process seems fairly arbitrary.

[Anonymous]

I've worked in that environment and I have found that when someone is denied a clearance, they are probably going to lie to you about why. They will tell you it's social drinking or debt, but it's likely something more serious such as alcoholism, major drug use or a criminal record.

[Anonymous]

My DH had no trouble getting a TS clearance with a college history of pretty heavy pot use. He disclosed everything, answered lots of absurdly detailed questions, and got the clearance. He was not currently using.

[Anonymous]

Anything that would make you a target for blackmail/extortion. Gambling history, bad debts, family ties in certain countries, outstanding child supports and marital issues, drug uses, etc.

[Anonymous]

Just be honest and up front about everything. I knew a guy who got his TS despite admitting having regularly done coke as recently as 2 years before his interview. It did, however, take FOREVER.

[Anonymous]

What about having received counseling for anxiety or depression in the past?

[Anonymous]

chinese national

[Anonymous]

From what I've read, the scary things that you think will cause you to not pass are not the things that make you not pass. Lying about those scary things is what makes you not pass.
You might not get it for past stuff you did, but you definitely won't get it if you lie.