I’d greatly appreciate input from investigators with background suitability for myself with this specific issue.
In reference to police record, I do not have one (as in never charged, arrested or contacted by police). BUT in 2015, I was named as an offender in a police report for simple assault (non domestic). Per the report, it was suspended within 3 days due to no evidence and the victim not being cooperative (thus why I didn’t know about this). I was unaware of this until 2018 during a background investigation with the same agency as the report generated. The investigator asked me about it and I was truthfully unable to give my whereabouts from that specific date. In return, they accepted the report as written and disqualified me as an applicant.
I will disclose this to my investigator. That’s not a problem. With this being said, will I have an issue with a TS clearance?
If this is the only thing negative thing in your background, you will not have any problems . We look at the whole person and not just isolated incidents.
Ok, former background investigator here. Your criminal incident doesn’t seem that serious and your solicitation here for advice shows that you are a conscientious person.
I will give you very practical, doable advice.
During your interview with your background investigator be sure to both articulate your regret for the incident and the circumstances which lead to it. Be sure to articulate your intention to never repeat the action in question, and further, to not engage is any behavior, or involve yourself in any circumstances, which lead to the action.
Now, this is probably the most important thing. Boil these points down to very simple talking points. I.e., make it understandable to a 10-year old. Use very concrete language and trim it to one or two simple sentences with small words. Also, avoid any self-incriminating or self-deprecating language (e.g., “I don’t know how I could’ve made such stupid decision?!”). Such candor gets you nowhere in a background investigation. Save it for the confessional.
Investigators are happy to receive mitigating statements from Subjects but stream-of-consciousness mea cuplas get totally lost in both translation and transcription. Less is more. Simpler is more.
Most BI’s aren’t editors and stenographers. When your answers are long and winding and vague the investigator will simply scribble down the gist of it. Don’t leave this to chance that they will record the salient point(s). Provide them with nice, neat, short sentences. Just a couple/few of them and say them nice and slow.