# Getting a security clearance **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573 "2003-07-19T14:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/21 "2003-07-21T00:57:36Z")
I’ve never heard of a person being able to order a clearance dossier under the FOIA. How does one go about doing that? ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/22 "2003-07-21T03:54:55Z")
From talking to a guy who did a good bit of work with security clearances, I learned that the primary concern of the investigation is not ‘are you a good guy’ but ‘are there any hooks for blackmail or bribery’. If you’re constantly getting into debt and having trouble digging back out, then it would be very easy for someone to offer you money for the top secret materials. If you smoked pot in college but have tried to keep it secret for years, then someone could threaten to reveal your secret to get you to slip some information. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/23 "2003-07-21T06:06:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eva Luna \* > \*\*Yeah, I ordered a copy of mine under FOIA too, for the sheer amusement value. They interviewed people I used to babysit for, of all things, as well as everyone ever connected with my various study-abroad programs. It was some damn hilarious reading. \*\* One reason it takes so long and costs so much is that a lot of wasteful interviewing is done. An investigator went to my home town in Iowa where I hadn’t lived for over 25 years during one clearance renewal. The answers they mostly got was in the form of the question, “Who?” A high school classmate’s answer, as related to me, was along the lines of, “Well, he was OK the last time I saw him which was when he was 17 years old.” ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/24 "2003-07-21T11:41:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robby \* > \*\*I’ve never heard of a person being able to order a clearance dossier under the FOIA. How does one go about doing that? \*\* Find out which agency did the clearance, and talk to their FOIA office. Usually they’ll do it based on a simple letter requesting it (although you usually have to include your SS# and date of birth) but sometimes they’ll want you to fill out a form too. Simple procedure, but you usually have to wait forever for it. ---
**Author:** ![awarinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@awarinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awarinner)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/25 "2003-07-21T14:43:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > **It took about six months for me to get my Secret clearance. The investigating agency was the Defense Investigative Service.** I got my clearance from the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office (DISCO). No, they didn’t wear white polyester suits with platform shoes. Andrew Warinner ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573/26 "2003-07-21T21:15:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*When and where was Bush busted for cocaine? (I assume you mean the current President). \*\* I don’t want to steer this thread too OT, it’s just something that was brought up during his campaign & not spoken of much since. Can’t remember where I originally heard it so I did a google search. YMMV & all that! [My google results](http://www.google.com/search?num=20&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=bush+jr+cocaine&spell=1) > [@](#): > > Yeah, I ordered a copy of mine under FOIA too, for the sheer amusement value. It’s a guilty narcissistic pleasure, isn’t it? Reading what all these people who have known you since highschool _really_ thought about you. When I got mine there was this girl in college who volunteered half a page’s interview about me. Even some psychoanalysis. After I read her name I was, 😕 To this day I have NO IDEA who that girl is, but I must have left an impression. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-security-clearance/189573.md?page=1)