drug use

[metro]

I am in the same boat as Icarus, basically, without the "alleged" drug use. I have been straightedge my whole life, no drugs, no alcohol, nothing...not once. I'm 22 at the moment.

My Dad is very similiar, it sounds, and because of him, I moved out at 16, and lived on my own. I have quite a bit of debt from those 2-3 years, that is still with me today...less than $5000, but it's there, nonetheless. I defaulted on 3 credit cards, $500, $500, and $1000, which I used primarily to buy groceries and pay my rent. So hopefully if I can explain that, it will mean something...who knows.

Good luck to you and I, Icarus.

 

[Flash]

I think a lot of people are missing the big picture when it comes to the security clearance and the investigations. They are looking at whether or not you are a security risk, if you can be trusted with official secrets.

There are certain things that make someone vunerable to explotation. Two of the big ones are indebtness and substance abuse. There have been numerous instances in the past where this has played a role in someone betraying the secrets that they had been entrusted with. They are looking for people who have problems with debt and who have declared bankruptcy, have major credit card debt (like in the mid to high 5 figures or higher), are alocoholics or did drugs more than experimentation. These are good indicators that the person probably should not have the launch codes to nukes or know the identity of a spy in Beijing.

They also look at mental fitness or serious social problems. If little Timmy like burning live squirrels when he came home from school, that might raise a red flag. Or sweet ol' Kim had all night parties every weekend at her house when she was a freshman in high school and the cops got called there all the time and locked Kim up for public drunkeness 11 times, that could cause problems.

The military is full of people who have had colorful pasts, and the DSS guys have seen it all. I got to talk to one at length after my interview for my periodic review and he told me some interesting stories about stuff he had found out. They are human too and are usually experienced enough to know what is a problem and what is not. Smoking pot once is not that high on the list.

Believe me, you are not alone and will not be if you are in the Navy.

 

[squeeze]

so.... do you have Kim's phone number?

 

[VetteMuscle427]

Tell your recruiter exactly what you just told us. He will help you fill out the form. No need to worry about it if thats really how it went down. You know what I always say, honesty is the best policy!

I didn't fill out a form for my use.... am I missing something?

 

[icarus]

don't know, but this form is has "nuclear program" in the title, so...

 

[usnmerritt]

Guess they just assume all aviators have done it and move on about their business.

 

[turtle_sc]

If you want to know more about clearances and what they look for do a search for DONCAF (dept of navy central adjudication facility) and DSS (defense security service) they are the ones who grant and investigate respectivly. The form you actually fill out is an SF-86. In case anyone wanted to know...

 

[GTIGirlVR6]

When they talk to your friends (and everyone else that you have ever known in your entire life) do they tell them who they are and why they are interested?

 

[usnmerritt]

I'm actually not sure how they do it. From what I gather about my investigation, they spoke to numerous sources back in my hometown and at my high school. However, it seems like they told those people that they spoke to not to say anything about the investigation, because my mom went snooping around afterwards and no one would say a thing to her about it. But, I know for a fact that certain people were contacted because they would have been the only ones to provide DSS with certain information.

So, I really don't know how they do it, but I would imagine that its not too terribly publicized and announced. I'm sure they tell who they're talking to who they are and what they're doing this for, but they also probably aren't giving anymore information than that...especially as far as our designators go. They may tell them that they're interviewing someone for the Navy, but not that they're going into Naval Aviation and need a TS clearance.

I'd actually like to hear if anyone knows more about this. I find this stuff pretty interesting.

 

[bch]

I have been used for a few investigations. There was no cloak and dagger stuff, they told you who they were, who they were interested in and why they were interested about them. Granted, I had the vocab for most of the stuff, whereas joe-blow civy may not. It was just an interview man, don't sweat it.

 

[bennett4362]

we lived overseas for a little over a year before dh applied for the navy; they actually sent some officers (who were stationed in that country) to interview a couple of the people we worked with there. they talked to them for over an hour. we were a little surprised they actually sent people in that country; we thought they'd just call or something.

interestingly, i just got a note on my door this morning from "us investigations." they were looking specifically for a neighbor from one of our previous addresses; it couldn't just be someone we knew while we lived there, it had to be a neighbor. we didn't know any neighbors, so the investigator said he would use me. that seemed a little weird to me (that your spouse could serve as an informant for somewhere you lived) but ok. it does make me a little nervous though

 

[GTIGirlVR6]

I definently did not know any of my neighbors at SEVERAL locations ....and even for those which I even CASUALLY knew I couldn't give you a full name. I lived alone at most of these apartment complexes...with the exception of where I lived with my EX ( he'd love to throw me under the bus!!) What will they do in this circumstance....will I be disqualified?

 

[icarus]

i too an a bit concerned about this background check. can't believe they sent people abroad. guess i should assume they'll be doing the same for me then.

i hear they are talking to employers, friends and collegues. but what about family? like i said, i didn't exactly come from the most ideal family (on my dad's side anyway). most of them haven't seen me for over ten years. most of them are also the kind of people that have visited jail a couple times for stuff like possession or getting in bar fights. none went to college that i know of. plus, my hometown school was like a freaking jerry springer tv show, complete with 13 year old farmers girls getting pregnant and daily after school fights by "The Green Fence"

stuff like this makes me cringe. well, f--- it. i don't think the navy is so narrow to throw me out because of this, and should see that i must be doing something right to have escaped from the pit i was in. but if they are, well then i say that'd radically change my perspective of an organization that i would have once respected and taken pride in serving with. i'm tired of dicking around with this crap. this is who i am, and if that's not good enough for them, so be it. i wouldn't want to associate myself with people of such condescension they feel they have a moral right to judge my character on this garbage.

 

[jrasmussen]

Whoa man, calm down.

<QUOTE> "i'm tired of dicking around with this crap. this is who i am, and if that's not good enough for them, so be it. i wouldn't want to associate myself with people of such condescension they feel they have a moral right to judge my character on this garbage." </QUOTE>

Look, until now I've just been reading this thread for it's comedic content, but I can't sit back and let you badmouth the navy when NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO YOU YET. From what everyone has said, little things like this wont cause you any trouble as long as you are straightforward with them. Tell the truth, don't panic and I'm sure your little "experimentation" with marijuana wont be a big deal. You laundering money to Lebanese terrorists like Hizballah sure, a pathetic attempt at smoking some pot, don't freak out. Just my 2 cents.

 

[zab1001]

i too an a bit concerned about this background check. can't believe they sent people abroad. guess i should assume they'll be doing the same for me then.

i hear they are talking to employers, friends and collegues. but what about family? like i said, i didn't exactly come from the most ideal family (on my dad's side anyway). most of them haven't seen me for over ten years. most of them are also the kind of people that have visited jail a couple times for stuff like possession or getting in bar fights. none went to college that i know of. plus, my hometown school was like a freaking jerry springer tv show, complete with 13 year old farmers girls getting pregnant and daily after school fights by "The Green Fence"

stuff like this makes me cringe. well, f--- it. i don't think the navy is so narrow to throw me out because of this, and should see that i must be doing something right to have escaped from the pit i was in. but if they are, well then i say that'd radically change my perspective of an organization that i would have once respected and taken pride in serving with. i'm tired of dicking around with this crap. this is who i am, and if that's not good enough for them, so be it. i wouldn't want to associate myself with people of such condescension they feel they have a moral right to judge my character on this garbage.

Settle down man. Family members asked will probably be your parents, thats it. Hometown people? Friends of the family and teachers. That's the extent of my experience and the people I know (buddies from the squadron) who have had agents investigate them. Do you honestly think the interviewers are going to track down every scumbag in the trailer park on the edge of town to see if they remember you? (btw I can say that, I lived in a trailer park)

As far as the last paragraph, getting out of an armpit town is great (I'm with you there) but it doesn't say anything about your trustworthiness or ability to keep a secret. In the grand scheme of things your feelings getting hurt isn't as important as the schematics of a reactor.

Stop taking it personally, we all had to do it.