Keeping a Security Clearance?????

[pdx]

Having applied for positions with private industry defense contractors, security clearances can be a huge deal. Check out Lockheed's website - there are a number of positions that require a certain level of clearance to apply. No clearance, no application. No matter how stellar your degree is or what experience you have, the door is closed. Other jobs merely require the "ability to acquire" a clearance. This means they will sponsor your clearance, but they reserve the right to can you if you are denied.

As far as "who is more competitive," it all depends on the specific needs of the job, and the private sector is much more flexible about it. They have to weigh the costs and benefits for themselves. Clearances are expensive, training is expensive, etc. Also, certain positions don't require lots of leadership skills. As long as you are technically proficient and can work on a team, that is exactly what they want.

 

[Pugs]

clearance stuff

The Federal govt currently has a freeze granting/investigating (I'm not sure which) clearances for contractors.

That freeze was due to lack of funds to conduct the investigations and was resolved very quickly . The actual period was something like three weeks and it's back to it's standard constipated flow now.

For Steve,

Yes, in the business of the Intelligence Community a TS is much more valuable than an S and a TS/SCI more so and a TS/SCI Lifestyle poly more yet. If a person has basic skills required for the task I can generally bring them up to speed on the task in FAR less time than it will take them to get a TS. Even to just lifestyle poly them will often require six months between getting them scheduled, polyed (and passing the poly commonly takes folks more than once here) then adjuticating it, getting them on the CPRL and on the task. In the meantime they often burn company overhead dollars.

The unemployment rate for folks with just a TS (no SCI and no poly) in the DC area is about .03%. Generally, if you don't have a job you don't want one or should not have one. FWIW I've made the choice between an four year CT and an eight year LT both with the same clearance and picked the CT for one task based on what we needed and I picked LT's based on what we needed. I've also picked former USAF guys over Navy but I try to drink to forget those times.

 

[Goober]

So they only employ certain types of people, depending on where you live?

In my current world...yes. Others will be thanked for applying and wished well.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

A TS/SCI is NOT the end all be all to finding a job.

You're the only person in this thread who said it was...

 

[HH-60H]

That freeze was due to lack of funds to conduct the investigations and was resolved very quickly . The actual period was something like three weeks and it's back to it's standard constipated flow now.

Learn something new everyday. I defer to your knowledges on the outside actually dealing with this stuff. I am still on the inside (inside the Navy and working at a govt agency), I just heard that when I went to a career conference. In any case it is still a very slow process.

But the rest of your post is exactly what I have heard everywhere around DC.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

You're the only person in this thread who said it was...

I challenge you to find where I said that it was, in this thread or anywhere else on this forum for that matter.

 

[CS3bitz]

You know, I use to have a security clearance, but our security manager on base said that now my security clearance is NOT/NON DETERMINABLE?! Does that mean I lost my clearance? <--is that bad?

Any insights?

 

[BigIron]

....Even to just lifestyle poly them will often require six months between getting them scheduled, polyed (and passing the poly commonly takes folks more than once here) then adjuticating it, getting them on the CPRL and on the task....

What is a lifestyle poly and why are people not passing it?

 

[A4sForever]

What is a lifestyle poly and why are people not passing it?

POLY .................. graph ???

IF that's it .... I had one/passed one for THREE airlines .... (interviews) .... they're "tougher" when there is no state board to regulate 'em ... don't know about the FEDS ... they asked me on one if I'd ever had sex with children or animals ....

I answered ... "well, my wife's a dog ..... does that count "??? (just messin' with 'em)

*edit* my wife at the time was the daughter of Satan ... not the present/and/or final Trophy Wife ...

 

[e6bflyer]

You know, I use to have a security clearance, but our security manager on base said that now my security clearance is NOT/NON DETERMINABLE?! Does that mean I lost my clearance? <--is that bad?

Any insights?

If it has been over 5 years, then it requires a re-investigation to be granted a permanent clearance again. Unless you have had previous issues (ie revoked clearance) then getting an interim should be a breeze.

 

[e6bflyer]

POLY .................. graph ???

IF that's it .... I had one/passed one for THREE airlines .... (interviews) .... they're "tougher" when there is no state board to regulate 'em ... don't know about the FEDS ... they asked me on one if I'd ever had sex with children or animals ....

I answered ... "well, my wife's a dog ..... does that count "??? (just messin' with 'em)

*edit* my wife at the time was the daughter of Satan ... not the present/and/or final Trophy Wife ...

Just curious, A4s, what kind of stuff are they looking for on an airline poly? Do I need to go see a hypnotist to erase those memories?

 

[A4sForever]

Just curious, A4s, what kind of stuff are they looking for on an airline poly? Do I need to go see a hypnotist to erase those memories?

Drug use, flight time accuracy .... i.e., did you "fat finger" some/a lot of your time, the aforementioned "lifestyle" habits .... you CAN beat 'em you know ... I did one one of the poly's ... .... and stealing from a previous employer. Those were the biggie's .... the sex with children and small animals was probably just for personal use.

One of the poly's I took was administered by a former Navy Chief.... tattoo's all over the place, etc., etc., ..... when he saw on the data sheet that I was a Navy LT .... he began sneeringly calling me ... "Loooo-tenant" ....

He said ... "Navy ... huh?? Well ... with the exception of your PREVIOUS employer (Navy) .... have you ever stolen from an employer ... ???"

The Chief knew the score, I guess ....

 

[Pugs]

POLY .................. graph ???

[/I]

Correct, polygraph. Required for at least two of the major intelligence agencies for access to SCI data. Lots of reasons people don't pass but for the most part it's nerves or thinking about the questions too much. For the lifestyle one it can be four hours of sitting in a chair getting ask the same series of questions again and again while your vitals are monitored and it can be difficult for some to focus that long and maintain concentration. I suspect most of the folks here that have wings can actually control themselves long enough to pass without an issue.

Of course there's always those that DID go to the PI back in the day So Mr Aviator when did you stop sleeping with farm animals?

 

[greysword]

Of course there's always those that DID go to the PI back in the day So Mr Aviator when did you stop sleeping with farm animals?

Is this considered a "leading question"? :tongue2_1

 

[phrogpilot73]

For those of you in the clearance "know" - I've got a question... I currently have a TS/SCI, but I never had an interview (I was on deployment at the time). Well, I went on deployment again and thought I had one of my bills on automatic draft from my checking account (it wasn't) and sure enough hit the magical 180 days overdue... I plan on explaining it on my SF-86, but am I toast? I paid it in full as soon as I got home, if that helps. Also, will I have a chance to explain in my investigation interview when I move to the civilian world? If it was revoked, would it be just the TS/SCI, or the Secret as well?