A question about Security Clearance procedures.

Originally posted by Animatrix

Originally posted by davespanners
Just wondering, but isn't one of the conditions of being offered a "secret" job that you don't talk about the job to people, you know like on a large public web site?

I know that on the MI5 web site in the UK it says if you apply for work there you shouldn't talk to anyone about your application other then close family

Well, i havent heard or read that and it wasnt on the form Sf-86, so.. maybe i just screwed myself or maybe you heard wrong

Ah yes, this if for very top secret jobs, not IT contractor work in a medical field on your basic military base.

Years ago, I discovered a letter in my boyfriend's mail had CIA letterhead. Yes I held it up to the light - and saw the letterhead - opps! I thought he had another gal with all the furitive behavior. . . turned out it was the secretive job application process and not another woman. I said to him whats up with this you got a letter from the CIA!?! I wrecked his chances with my discovery. Or at least they had to clear me too, as he had to report this to them. The cover on this is they tell them to tell people they are applying to the State Department. So that was what I was to tell people too.

When he had the first of many job interviews for this we had to go to a big Hotel in Boston, they told him to bring me - and instructed him on what I was supposed to do - I had to sit with my back to one area. I was NOT to look at his contact. He said, OK - there they are - don't turn around. I said are you sure? He said OH YES, don't look I am going to leave now. I had to sit and wait a couple of hours in this big Hotel Lobby it was pretty nerve wracking. True story. They flew him down to DC for a big polygraph after that. He told me he wasn't hired and ended up going to flight school. This was almost 20 years ago and we broke up many years ago. I discovered he now lives just outside DC, so I wonder if he ever got that job with the State Department? cough-cough

reply to post by TheBirdisDone


Some people revel in that type of work (i guess) but for me, no job is worth all that trouble

To the OP. Plain and simple, tell the truth.
If you liked to sniff glue when you were 15, tell the truth.
If you went to Vegas and had a wild time with a prostitute, tell the truth.
Whether it is a simple background check, secret or top secret, they are looking at your truthfulness.
They also want to make sure that you don't have bad credit, huge debt, as that makes you a likely target to steal info.
They will check what foreign countries you have gone to.

As for sending people out? That is based on the agency, more or less.
A top secret clearance for a military member is less likely to generate a visit to your 5th grade teacher, then if you are applying to the FBI or CIA.

Hope this helps.
PS, tell the truth.

reply to post by Animatrix


Info that is sensitive and covered by federal laws governing personal information and the privacy act which includes access to health records (part of health system data base), will require security clearance screening. The extent of the investigation is based on the level of access you will need to do your job. If the clearance level requirement is high enough they will exhume and question dead relatives if they deem it necessiary (just joking about dead relatives). But, yes friends, neighbors, teachers,relatives, confessors (priests), girl-friends / boy friends.
They can tap your phone and monitor conversations if they deem it necessiary, check your credit, and federal tax status (un- paid federal taxes or periods where you didnt file taxes.. a big no go!)

reply to post by jbmitch


I already warned my X-wife that they may be talking to her in the next few weeks/months.
I told her to be nice about it, else i would send our teenage daughter back to her

I am a Recruiter and have knowledge about the clearance process from the military side. Security managers for a secret clearance run your fingerprints and credit check first. If anything comes back then your case will be sent to an investigator who will first of all contact you for an interview to ask about any legal incidents and financial issues you may have had. Then going back seven years investigators will contact friends, relatives, coworkers, etc and simply ask them about you. As long as you were honest on your SF86 questionaire you should have nothing to worry about. Anything that would have been a disqualifier would have been adressed before you even submitted your fingerprints.
Now if you have a clean record of finances and no history of criminal charges or arrests then only about 20% go to investigation for quality assurance. Secret clearances are not a big deal. Top Secret clearances however are a different story.
As far as your internet activity and posting on forums like this one don't even sweat that stuff. They don't care about that. After you are cleared though be carefull what you say or post publicly.

Note to add: For the doubters in the above post who need verification of other's credentials Send me a message and I will provide you with the means to verify that I am indeed what I say I am!

Originally posted by Animatrix

Originally posted by davespanners
Just wondering, but isn't one of the conditions of being offered a "secret" job that you don't talk about the job to people, you know like on a large public web site?

I know that on the MI5 web site in the UK it says if you apply for work there you shouldn't talk to anyone about your application other then close family

Well, i havent heard or read that and it wasnt on the form Sf-86, so.. maybe i just screwed myself or maybe you heard wrong

I f that particular condition wasn't printed on your form,then don't worry about it,and the above responder is right Mi5 do state that you shouldn't discuss your application as stated,but in your case it will be because you are possibly going to be handling information of a classified nature(and virtually all information relating to the personal details of military personnel is classifed to one degree or another) So don't sweat it and good luck,hope you get the job and that it goes well for you.

Originally posted by Animatrix
reply to post by jbmitch

 

I already warned my X-wife that they may be talking to her in the next few weeks/months.
I told her to be nice about it, else i would send our teenage daughter back to her

If you have a poor post divorce relationship with your ex- list her on the part that ask if there are any persons who would speak ill of you/or wish to do you harm. (Not physical but complecate the process is what they mean.)

Then the investigator will have to weigh that declaration against the information disclosed for veracity and impact and use his judgement as to investigate further or dismiss what she says. When I did investigations I took what ex's said with a grain of salt unless it was verified by another source.

Also, the recruiter guy is basically correct; the one who said they can tap your phones is full of crap. That requires a warrant and probable cause not a security clearance investigation. After you a cleared, they can listen to your phone calls from work of course and monitor your computer use while there but to tap or monitor your personal phones or home computer they need probable cause just like with anyone else.

Unless I suppose it’s for some covert "James Bond" crap but you are not asking for that type investigation and anyway in that case you would know how to circumvent eaves dropping measures as you will have been trained.

If you've ever read anything about how to defeat lie detector tests, then it could cause problems for higher clearances, as that is one of the first questions they tend to ask.

reply to post by Animatrix


Can't comment on how it's one in the US, but my wife is a contractor working for the Department of Defense and she had to go through the clearance process. The level depends on the security clearance required, it gets more in depth the higher you go.

When my wife went through it they contact by phone many, many, many references. She had to fill out extremely detailed forms about her entire history. Quite an eye opening experience.

Originally posted by StlSteve
reply to post by TheHistorian

 

And your expertise in this is?

I have held a secret security clearance and I have been referenced on others security clearances.

Actually, I just found out from the Security Officer that HR was wrong and i will only be required to fill out the
SF-85P form and not the more detailed SF-86 form, which means that my security requirement is also lowered.
Thats ok with me too, I just wanna work on computers

reply to post by Golf66


No phone tapping .. shows what you dont know... it is entirly dependent on the job as to the level of security access and who you are working for... as you apply for these jobs you sign documents that allow them a large amount of leeway in their investigative techniques that include monitoring land lines and cell phones. If you dont know that you are either un-informed or acting as a dis-information agent. All they want to hear from the x-wife is that you never threatened her or physically abused her. They will also confirm that you dont owe any back alimony or child support.
They may or may not ask about your personal conduct while you were married and if you were faithful or a big cheat.. homosexually isnt as big as issue as it used to be.

reply to post by Animatrix

Lastly,
If you have nothing to hide and qualify for the job its normally a good deal if your arent concerned about people going through your trash and laundry. It Is difficult to find finanically stable people and dependable employees. So if you get hired and can deal with DoD, DoS work standards/ethics/ office politics.. you normally have a job till you find a better one. good luck.. I'm glad I went through it.. I have made a good living for many a year and dont regret doing it. I though you deserved a straight answer .. and didnt want you to get blind shotted or suffer sticker shock at what might be involved for asking a legitamate question. good luck and take the job and keep the kid.. it will pay off in the future.

reply to post by jbmitch


Thanks for that, I appreciate it.

I dont really have anything to hide but I am a private person but in any case, the forms have been submitted and the fingerprint cards mailed, they asked for everything except a blood sample, but i did give urine