I have a friend who is trying to get a security clearance and now I have to meet w/ an investigator?

[Anonymous]

Fed here - never heard of visits to people's homes. The most invasive I've ever heard is phone calls to references and an interview with the person in question. How new is all this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fed here - never heard of visits to people's homes. The most invasive I've ever heard is phone calls to references and an interview with the person in question. How new is all this?

It depends on the clearance level. A TS clearance takes alot more work. Probably also depends on the department.

[Anonymous]

This is not new at all. It is part of a top secret clearance with many of the federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. It is pretty common to go to someone's house for the interview-but investigators are open to other places as well. It's really not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

We've had to do this twice. It's no big deal. The last time the investigator was really excited to meet our cat, who is nosey and was strolling all over her paperwork. Not scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fed here - never heard of visits to people's homes. The most invasive I've ever heard is phone calls to references and an interview with the person in question. How new is all this?

It depends on the clearance level. A TS clearance takes alot more work. Probably also depends on the department.

It isn't new at all. As a pp said, for a TS clearance this is run of the mill. They ask about ALL of your business. They asked one friend about my finances...they asked my mom if she thought I was a hacker...

[Anonymous]

This is the Single Scope Background Investigation, which is required for a TS (or higher).

They will ask questions about things like connections with foreigners, foreign trips, unexplained affluence, drug/alcohol use, etc.

For neighbors that you don't know well, you have seen enough to know if they have loud parties, if the police have been called, if they drive expensive cars, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fed here - never heard of visits to people's homes. The most invasive I've ever heard is phone calls to references and an interview with the person in question. How new is all this?

They came to my house in 1996, and again recently so it has been typical for quite some time. But OP if it makes you so nervous, just decline.

[Anonymous]

OP - Why does it matter that you are a teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of the thread where some poor guy asked the OP's niece to be a reference and the OP and her sister advised the niece to block the guy and reject the investigator. I remember saying I hope karma bites the niece in the ass when she actually needs other people as references.

All in all this just reminds me to choose better people as references.

I remember that. The OP thought it was "totally inappropriate." In background investigations, you need people to basically vouch for your mental stability. The niece would be in that position because she worked on a long-term project with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your friend asked the wrong person to be a reference.

+1

You are paranoid, OP. Your friend should be alerted and another reference should be used. You better not blow it for your friend, that's all.

How old are you? Plenty of jobs in this geographical area require a clearance. Do you over react like this to everything? You really are a terrible choice.

OP here. Jesus Christ. Calm down. I've never done this before, that's all. I've know my friend for 32 years so I don't think I'll "blow it" for her. It was a bit weird that they wanted to come to my home.

Calm down, OP. I did this for a friend, it took 15 minutes, they came to my office and it was no big deal. Jeez.

[Anonymous]

Had this done a few times, some at work and at home. I remember one investigator who came to the house in the evening and she was pretty hot. We spoke briefly about my friend but most of the time was just shooting the breeze. Nothing happened but DW wasn't home and I sometimes wonder....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had this done a few times, some at work and at home. I remember one investigator who came to the house in the evening and she was pretty hot. We spoke briefly about my friend but most of the time was just shooting the breeze. Nothing happened but DW wasn't home and I sometimes wonder....

Very important that she was hot

[Anonymous]

As your friend, I would not be happy at all that you and an investigator were discussing my personal life in a STARBUCKS. If you were my friend I would expect you to meet the investigator somewhere much more discreet than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As your friend, I would not be happy at all that you and an investigator were discussing my personal life in a STARBUCKS. If you were my friend I would expect you to meet the investigator somewhere much more discreet than that.

Too bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's normal. The investigator should show you an ID that shows they are with the federal government (OPM I think), and they'll ask you a bunch of questions. Just answer honestly, even when it seems they are invasive questions. It will make your friends processing much easier if you do.

Depends on who is issuing the clearance, but I think it's usually FBI. For some DOE clearances, they use their own investigators who are DOE employees.

OPM just checks references.