A few months ago, I attempted to join an organization that requires its members to have “Law Enforcement” clearance. I had to submit to an FBI background check. As I understand it, on the scale of No Clearance to Super-Duper Clearance, this is one step up from No Clearance.
Since the organization to which I applied has not welcomed me with open arms, and in fact has stopped responding to my emails, I gather that I didn’t meet some requirement for joining. Since the other requirements are ones I pretty clearly possess, I’m beginning to think I failed clearance.
OK, whatever. I’m harmless, but if I can’t get LE Clearance, it’s not going to hurt my career or anything. But I’m curious about what the problem was. I guess I’ll never know, and there’s not a GQ answer for this, but let’s engage in some idle speculation anyway.
The only things that I can even imagine might cause me to fail are:
[ul]
[li]My in-laws are either Indian citizens or attained US citizenship as adults[/li][li]My oldest brother has been in a bit of trouble with the law, mostly drunk driving (although I can’t rule out the possibility that he’s been in more trouble I that don’t know about – he did seem to vacate his last state of residence in a hurry)[/li][li]I was a member of Amnesty International for a number of years (but I have not been active in some time)[/li][/ul]
Unless my brother has been in way more trouble than I realize, I just don’t see any of those things disqualifying me. But, what do I know?
Three things that stop “law enforcement” clearance
Credit/bankruptcy/fiscal judgements
Arrests/convictions
Bad background (personal interview)
Really, none of the things you mentioned would technically enter into it, unless of course your bro used your info in one of his goof ups and you are about to get a visit from a couple men in a sedan.
Hmm. My credit is good. No bankruptcies or anything like that. I think I bounced a check once about 12 years ago, but otherwise I’m OK. I’ve never been arrested. I got a ticket for running a red light once. I probably had to put references down on the application, but to my knowledge, they were not contacted. I can’t think of anyone who’d really badmouth me.
Weird.
ETA: I suppose it’s possible that Dear Brother used my name
My wife is Chinese, and became a U.S. citizen 10 years ago. I also have a misdemeanor conviction on my record (something similar to a DUI, though a lesser charge). I have a DoD Secret clearance. Had no trouble getting it.
I am somewhat surprised at the first one. I’ve known AT least one person with a DOD Secret level security clearance that had a bankruptcy. I am would not be surprised that some others I knew with that level clearance had poor credit. And still some others with fiscal judgements against them would not surprise me either.
Did you just mean that such things are a consideration rather than an absolute disqualifier?
Checked it a year or two ago, and it was fine. I’ll take another look. My brother’s problems are mostly of the self-destructive variety, and honestly I’m not sure he has enough left upstairs to organize credit fraud. But I’ll check my rating.
They want to know why you had a bankruptcy or credit problems. If you’re a terrible money manager who refuses to live within your own means, then you may be willing to hear out someone who offers you cash for information. If you had a perfect storm of financial problems - lost job, child in hospital after insurance cancelled, house burned down - which led to a bankruptcy, but you’re otherwise fiscally responsible, they’ll probably give you a thumbs up.
Bayard, I guess you’re probably being discreet for a reason, but what’s the organization you tried to join? The govt. doesn’t just give out security clearances to anyone who wants one - you’ve got to have an actual job that requires it.
I’ve been waffling over whether I need to be discreet. Maybe I’m being too cautious. Um… ::flips coin:: I’m an IT security guy at a hospital. The organization I was trying to join is InfraGard, which is an FBI program where the FBI and security folks from the private sector share information and analysis. The FBI wants to keep open communication with people in security (IT and physical) at important infrastructure points (hospitals, railroads, etc.). The FBI approached my hospital to participate. I had never heard of it until they asked me to join.
By the way, there is this wacky article floating around saying how InfraGard is some weird martial law thing, and members have shoot-to-kill rights. While that would be cool, really it’s just security geeks sitting around and talking about whether they saw an uptick in port scans from Belarus or something.
Is it possible that they’ve simply decided that they don’t need you, and as such you’ve not been granted the clearance? Rather than you failing the clearance and so not getting the membership.
Yeah, I thought of that. I’m sure the FBI guys are busy. They just seemed so interested in having us join at first. They sent three agents here to pitch the program to us, they told me I could come to a meeting before my application was completed, and they just seemed like they were motivated to get us on board. But, maybe they’ve been working on other issues, or maybe the process just takes longer than I expected. I think I’ve sent two emails in the past two months asking if my application was accepted, and I got no reply. If they’d said, “We’re busy, leave us alone,” that would have been perfectly understandable. I started thinking I’d been rejected since they did not respond. I guess it is also possible that my contact there has been reassigned.
But, really, deep down, I kind of want to believe that I failed a background test. That sounds so much more mysterious and interesting than the FBI is too busy to respond to me.
How long has it actually been? Do you know for sure you weren’t cleared? I had to get a background check for my nursing license and it took almost 4 months–there was no communication–my new license just showed up in the mail.
I once had a DOD secret clearance. A guy was transferring whose job required a top secret, and they gave me his job, with an interim TS clearance until the in-depth FBI check was completed. I did the the job for over 18 months until I transfered, still without the final TS. I imagine the FBI is even busier now.
I don’t know anyone who has failed a clearance, but I’m very sure they would notify you if you did. As others have said, it is more likely that the organization decided they don’t need you, or things are still in process and they got tired of answering your emails.
FWIW, whether you are granted the clearance or not, you may FOIA the materials that were reviewed during the clearance process. You can then see if your neighbor said you were a violent freak, or whatever.
I’m sure you would be notified if you did not pass the background check. Did a background investigator interview you prior to starting their investigation? If so, I would give them a call rather than trying to contact them by email (much easier to ignore an email).
FWIW, the FBI is very busy with background checks right now–they got a lot of money from the stimulus bill and are in the process of hiring several thousand new employees, all of whom require extensive background checks. As I’ve heard of them taking several months to complete background checks for their own hires, it is not surprising it may take that long to complete one for someone outside.
What kind of organization is it? Is it a social organization? A business organization? Fraternal?
My sister was an FBI agent and when she applied, they did tons of snooping, on what probably was the most unoffensive person in the world. They interveiwed EVERY single household in a six block radius. And of course my mother was fielding calls by people who had never heard of us asking “What did you’re daughter do? The FBI was checking on her?”
Frankly it could be nothing more than a neighbor who thinks you play your music too loud and the investgators called upon him/her and she gave you a bad reference, either intentionally or not.
Sometimes places will require you get 100% positive (the old “one black ball” and you’re out businesss).
The reason I asked it sometime orgainzations will use things like this for discrimination, but of course that’s not the “real reason.” But it gives them a sound reason not to hire or to accept people.
Markxxx, please dont think I am doubting you, (I dont know anything about the procedure for hiring an FBI agent) but “EVERY single household in a 6 block radius”??? The man-hours and logistics on that must have been staggering…
There are many areas where people dont know their next door neighbors, let alone someone 6 blocks away. I dont know how this would be possible, or effective in the least.
Any more details you could share about what she told you?