Who has failed or barely passed a security clearance?

[Anonymous]

What level of clearance were you trying for and what caused you to fail?

Alternatively, who has been granted a security clearance despite some factors that you thought would be more of a big deal than they actually were?

[Anonymous]

My last name isn’t Kushner . . . or Trump.

[Anonymous]

All you find out is whether you pass or fail. They don't tell you that you "barely passed."

[Anonymous]

I help new team members navigate the security process. I have team members who smoked pot within the last year in a state where it is "legal" who get public trust denied.
Team members with bankruptcy denied
Team members who have dual citizenship denied

Individuals with a company bankruptcy - took a really long time to make a decision but eventually got public trust.

Individuals who did a lot of international travel in Eastern European - took a very long time but eventually got public trust.

Individuals who did not register for selective service - denied.
Individual who had decided not to take a breathalyzer and hired a lawyer to get his record cleared - denied.

[Anonymous]

Had a friend who had his clearance revoked (or not renewed, forget which, but either way he was out of a job) because he decided to get dual American-Irish citizenship. Ooops!

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who was born in Taiwan, is a naturalized US citizen, and has many Chinese relatives who live on the mainland or who live in the USA and often travel to Taiwan and the PRC. He still has a clearance. This sorta surprises me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had a friend who had his clearance revoked (or not renewed, forget which, but either way he was out of a job) because he decided to get dual American-Irish citizenship. Ooops!

He knew this would happen so where is the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had a friend who had his clearance revoked (or not renewed, forget which, but either way he was out of a job) because he decided to get dual American-Irish citizenship. Ooops!

He knew this would happen so where is the issue.

I don't think he did, at least based on his surprise when he told me about it. He was all "Ireland is a harmless friendly country, what's the big deal?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who was born in Taiwan, is a naturalized US citizen, and has many Chinese relatives who live on the mainland or who live in the USA and often travel to Taiwan and the PRC. He still has a clearance. This sorta surprises me.

He is a US citizen. He is allowed to travel if he gets permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Had a friend who had his clearance revoked (or not renewed, forget which, but either way he was out of a job) because he decided to get dual American-Irish citizenship. Ooops!

He knew this would happen so where is the issue.

I don't think he did, at least based on his surprise when he told me about it. He was all "Ireland is a harmless friendly country, what's the big deal?"

He knew. Get a clearance is not a simple process you are provided with a lot of information. And, if he didn't, he's an idiot who shouldn't have a clearance. He knew, took the risk and lost.

[Anonymous]

DH had to take the polygraph 2x for TS/SCI. He got flustered about the pot question even though the last time he smoked was in college (35 years ago.) He admitted to it, but they thought he was hiding something, He wasn't. He took it again and passed. That was 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what agency, I think. I am a dual citizen of a ME country, took a while but got my clearance. They were more invasive of my divorce than my dual citizenship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH had to take the polygraph 2x for TS/SCI. He got flustered about the pot question even though the last time he smoked was in college (35 years ago.) He admitted to it, but they thought he was hiding something, He wasn't. He took it again and passed. That was 10 years ago.

OP here. Yeah, the pot stuff is ridiculous. Their only way of catching you on that is the polygraph?

At what level do they even not do polygraph? Secret and below?

My (completely uninformed) guess is that for a low level clearance, you are ok saying you haven't done any in the last year because they have no other way of finding out. You could probably say you did it a few years ago without getting in too much trouble?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you find out is whether you pass or fail. They don't tell you that you "barely passed."

Right, I meant you had some major things that you were worried about but passed anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH had to take the polygraph 2x for TS/SCI. He got flustered about the pot question even though the last time he smoked was in college (35 years ago.) He admitted to it, but they thought he was hiding something, He wasn't. He took it again and passed. That was 10 years ago.

OP here. Yeah, the pot stuff is ridiculous. Their only way of catching you on that is the polygraph?

At what level do they even not do polygraph? Secret and below?

My (completely uninformed) guess is that for a low level clearance, you are ok saying you haven't done any in the last year because they have no other way of finding out. You could probably say you did it a few years ago without getting in too much trouble?

Most clearances - even TS’ don’t require polys. It more common in the Intel sector but not so much in the DoD or Civilian agencies. Not worth the costs.