I was a reference for two employees who needed clearance: one at the Border Patrol, one at one of the clandestine agencies. I was asked about their drug use in various ways by the investigator, and about convictions.
Candor is absolutely critical to the process, and the more honest you are the less of a security risk you are. If you lie to your prospective employer about drug use, then you are already compromised. If you tell the truth about it, it can’t be used against you in the future.
Interesting thread. I’ve only had to get a security clearance once. I always looked at it as, it is what it is. Not really anything you can do to influence the outcome. No point in stressing about it or speculating. Apply for the clearance, be honest, and wait for the results.
Well, that’s true to some degree, but how you explain things can make a difference.
For example, I know someone who used marijuana while in what would likely be called a position of trust in the U.S. Government. It was a really, really stupid thing to do, but he did the right thing and declared it. But when it came up during his interview, he was able to describe precisely the circumstances of why he behaved with poor judgment, how he has made changes to his life since those several incidents, how those changes weren’t simply “I swear to God I’m not going to do it again!” but actual signs of maturity, and so on.
My own opinion was that someone simply could have looked at his SF-86 and concluded that this guy had virtually no chance. But he was successful in explaining his behavior, and why his poor judgment will not be repeated, and apparently that was convincing. So it seems there are things you can do to improve upon the answers on the form.
Do they only talk with people given as references?
A friend of mine was contacted by an FBI agent who said she needed 15 minutes of his time to discuss “John”. But my friend, while he once worked with John, hates the guy and the feeling is mutual.
My friend didn’t lie about John, but he did repeatedly ask the agent if she’d like a cup of coffee. Over and over again, even though she declined each time. (I asked him why, and he pointed out, “how many opportunities do you get to fuck with the FBI?”)
No.
No. For one thing, they ask the references for the names and contact information for people who the applicant knows well, or who know the applicant well. They also talk to prior employers and the like.
Both friends specifically listed me because I was (and remain) a non-US-citizen so I would have been a person of particular interest in both cases. They figured they would appear more candid by not trying to hide me. One was my college roommate and was still one of my best friends, and the other was my best friend, so my name was bound to come up.
And they may even talk to any neighbors you have/had, if they have some serious questions about character. For me, they stuck to family and references I gave, and I had a TS. Same for the DIA BC I had for a government contract. I also had a spotless record in all areas, so there was that.
I don’t know about interim versus a fully processed clearance. I can’t imagine these issues would be a problem in a full clearance, AS LONG AS YOU DISCLOSE and as long as the problems aren’t recurring.
If they turned down people for having used MJ in college a few years ago, well, I’m one of the few people in my generation or younger who would be clearable.
The collections amounts are minor enough. They’ll show up on your credit report, as will more recent evidence of living within your means.