secret clearance (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Blair]

Howdy all,
I was just told today that I might be getting a secret clearance up at work. I was wondering what all goes into it. I will be working as a contracter for the US if that makes any diffrence. What all can I expect to have to show to them? Thanks for the info.

 

[Brian W. Ralston]

Umm.....they'll do a FBI background check for starters.

 

[liana]

for secret, its probably just a NAC backround check.

youll fill out a packet listing references, jobs etc for the last 7 years (i think its 7. been awhile). then, DIS will go out and talk to said refs and each ref will name someone else who knows you and so on.

be honest, they will find out if youre hiding anything.

 

[Philip_G]

funny, I was looking at jobs and a lot of the interesting ones require a SSBI clearence, and I was just wondering if it was possible/not that costly to get myself in order to obtain a better job.

 

[Jason L.]

Do a search. There was a thread on this a couple of months ago.

 

[Mark Romero]

You will probably have to fill out what is called an EPSQ which you will get from your company's security officer. Have available from the past 7 years all your work and home addresses, supervisors' names (including middle name/initial), phone numbers, people who knew you at these addresses, siblings' names/addresses, DOB, mother and father information, in-laws, etc. Not a difficult process unless you don't know the above info. In several cases, I had no idea what my former managers' middle names were or where they lived presently. You can insert UNK (unknown) but you'll have to explain.

 

[Eric Eash]

it'll take between 3 months and 2 years to get it. i got one, took me 6 months. they do alot of background checks including interviews with people you have known in the last few years, not as bad as a top secret. also has to be renewed after 10 years and that is the biggest pain in the ass. also, secret doesn't mean too much. you'll know about certain gov't info, but usually nothing the enemy doesn't know already.

eric

 

[Jay H]

If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore.

Unless the gov. has changed it, a clearence will last you 10 years at which either you or your company will have to renew the clearence. Like mentioned already, the gov will interview references and stuff, I was interviewed from the gov. when a friend of mine was hired by Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin) out of college.

You can also get an interim clearence which is a step towards full clearence...

Jay

 

[John Watson]

If you get it you'll know about all the corrupt stupidity inside, and not be able to tell about it.

Like Eric said, the "enemy" and everyone intelligent already knows.

 

[Sam Posten]

Philip_g: You cant just go and get a clearance on your own, you have to work for an approved company and they have you file the right paperwork. Its a REAL pain in the ass to work that way, trust me. A company will hire a fresh out, wait 6 months (or often a LOT more) for them to get a clearance, and have them work on non cleared stuff while they wait.

Definitly recommend the thread from a few months back, good info there.

Check this recent article on Slashdot, its about a REALLY tough clearance tho, Secret isnt like this:

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=0...tid=158&tid=99

Sam

 

[Philip_G]

that sucks. there are some nice jobs that require a clearence that I'm qualified for otherwise.

 

[Eric Eash]

philip, i'd say to get in contact with them and see. it should be their responsiblity to get you going on the clearance. if i'm not mistaken, you can't take your security clearance with you from job to job, so it would have to be something they start after hiring.

eric

 

[Jason L.]

Just wanted to add some things [If I am incorrect, please let me know]:

1. A secret clearance is good for 10 years - if you work for the same company throughout the 10 year period. If you leave a company with a secret clearance, you will be "Administratively Downgraded"(?) and have it revoked. If you then work for another position within 2 years that requires a secret clearance, then you can simply have your clearance moved over to your new employer and reactivated. However, if the 2-year period expires between jobs you have to go through the whole thing again.

2. Jeff, I hope you have good credit. I am seeing a lot of people get denied/have their applications pending forever because of bad credit, even 20-year ex-military people who had a clearance in the past.

 

[Grant B]

The interviewer told me he catches most people on credit & fiances. He pulls there credit report right before the session and if you don't have those on your form your in doo doo.Lie on one thing, they will look closer at all your answers.
That's worse than bad credit

 

[andrew markworthy]

I've been through a security clearance in the UK and my dad was in a very high security post all his working life, so I'm familiar with the procedures for the UK. I can't believe they're all that different in the USA.

Basically, a security check is for two reasons:

(a) Do you have close friends, relatives, or a belief system that could compromise your work and the security of the job? Basically, this involves checking whether you have any close relatives who are citizens of a hostile power, whether you belong to any dangerous fringe political groups, etc. Most of this will be a matter of checking computer records, and chances are that this was done before you even heard about the job offer.

(b) Do you have any personal characteristics that could threaten security? This basically means ruling out obvious things like potentially dangerous types of mental illness, plus checking on your financial situation (e.g. if you're heavily in debt you could potentially be bribed by hostile agents), and general behaviour (e.g. if chats with your neighbours reveal that you do unspeakable things to goats every full moon, you could be open to blackmail by hostile agents).

However, minor peccadillos are likely to be forgiven (we're only human, after all - indeed, a completely unblemished past is likely to raise more suspicion), and unless you have a spectacularly colourful lifestyle, the chances are that there's nothing to worry about.