Security Clearance Interview

[jakejake527]

Met with an interviewer today. 2.5 hours long. Found some discrepancies regarding employment history. Provided all information (verify-able).

To the best of my knowledge I filled out my sf86 with all honesty. But when interviewer and I went over the forms, I told her some things were outdated. I could have sworn I added my latest employer there.

Are discrepancies enough to not pass a security clearance?

 

[LET73]

On their own, I doubt it. That's the whole point of having the interview--confirming and clarifying the info on the form. As long as you're honest and not actively trying to hide things, most of the interviewers are actual humans and understand that you might make mistakes on paperwork. If there are discrepancies on the form, and issues with your history, and you've tried to conceal anything, that's bad. Missing something on a form that you later bring up in the interview? Less bad.

 

[jakejake527]

what are usual reasons people cannot obtain a security clearance?

I have nothing to hide....but now worried about the discrepancy

 

[LET73]

Bad credit and bad financial decisions (with no effort to pay the debt), unexplained foreign contacts/travel, excessive drug use--basically anything that would make a reasonable person think you could be vulnerable or susceptible to a foreign agent. Someone with excessive debt might end up accepting money from a foreign government; someone with a drinking problem might get drunk and spill secrets to everyone at the bar; someone with a lot of foreign friends or family members might end up discussing more than they should--basically, things like that. Committing explainable errors on paperwork really isn't something that, on its own, is going to disqualify anyone. It's obviously important to take the process seriously, which every investigator I've ever talked to does, but making a mistake on your SF-86 also isn't a red flag that screams you're not to be trusted. Basically, the investigator cares that a) you did your best to fill out the form correctly and b) if you did make a mistake, you tell them about it. If you forgot something in the initial interview, you can always contact them afterwards. (I called the guy who did my initial investigation because I'd forgotten to tell him about the time I drove through Canada for a couple days with my family, five years previously. He didn't sound too worried, and I got my clearance.)

 

[LFCFan]

You'll be fine. Especially if there wasn't a problem with the last employer. People forget stuff all the time. They are looking for honest people, not perfect people.

 

[jander12]

On my SF-86, somehow I forgot to include my grandparents as foreign contacts. The investigator asked about foreign contacts, I said none... then corrected myself. He asked why I didn't put them on the form. My response: "It must have been the wording of the question." They're probably more interested in how you respond to your mistakes:

...As long as you're honest and not actively trying to hide things...

I also couldn't explain a few hundred dollars that apparently went to collections in my name - I'm 100% sure that wasn't correct, but he still asked and I couldn't explain it.

 

[speedroller]

How critical is your credit history? I want to say I might have a unpaid hospital balance from 2010 of 300 bucks. And also decent ammount in school loans, plus mine and my wifes car. Never missed any payments.

 

[BackOrdered]

How critical is your credit history? I want to say I might have a unpaid hospital balance from 2010 of 300 bucks. And also decent ammount in school loans, plus mine and my wifes car. Never missed any payments.

Having debt isn't the issue, the issue is your ability to pay it off. If you are making payments in a timely manner, you are fine. Defaulting, Bankruptcy, having your debt sent to collections and flat out irresponsibility is a problem.

 

[speedroller]

Ill have to check into that hospital bill.

 

[jakejake527]

On my SF-86, somehow I forgot to include my grandparents as foreign contacts. The investigator asked about foreign contacts, I said none... then corrected myself. He asked why I didn't put them on the form. My response: "It must have been the wording of the question." They're probably more interested in how you respond to your mistakes:

I also couldn't explain a few hundred dollars that apparently went to collections in my name - I'm 100% sure that wasn't correct, but he still asked and I couldn't explain it.

did you get your clearance? and how long did it take

 

[jander12]

did you get your clearance? and how long did it take

I did (SECRET). I don't remember the exact time frame, but within a month of the interview my current job picked up the clearance. I never received a phone call from Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or any notice like that though. I had also previously been SECRET cleared, so I would guess that helped... some... maybe.

 

[Mr Spenz]

You basically have to be an idiot to not get a secret.

 

[jakejake527]

You basically have to be an idiot to not get a secret.

does anyone know or heard of someone who was denied and the reason???

 

[Mr Spenz]

does anyone know or heard of someone who was denied and the reason???

Man you need to calm down. Unless you have done a lot of illegal crap and got caught or you flat out dont pay your bills. Secret only requires a computer background check.

 

[LFCFan]

I don't blame jakejake, there is so much bad gouge out there on the internet about clearances that make it sound more akin to passing a flight physical - one little problem and you're done. It isn't like that. A lot of people that put out said gouge have never left the country, had foreign contacts, or done anything even slightly illegal and think that you have to be like them to get a clearance - you don't. And a lot of the people don't talk about their clearance problems that they caused (dumb stuff they did, mental health, credit issues) because they can be embarrassing or stigmatized.