Hello all, new user here. 2 years ago I was denied a clearance by the CIA. Their reasoning was of course vague, but I think I have an idea why I was denied due to some things I said on the God awful polygraph, and have mitigated those factors.
Just recently I was offered a position with a company that requires me to get a clearance (it works with military, so a secret level DOD clearance). How much will the CIA denial come back to haunt me? How hard will it be to get the new clearance? What should I talk about on my SF-86?
Were you actually denied a clearance by the CIA? Or, did you receive a suitability denial? If it’s the second, you do not have to report that you were denied. I’m not even sure that you have to report that you were investigated.
What you need to do on the SF86 for your secret is answer the questions ask and do not try to hide anything. Do not LOOK like you are trying to hide anything.
We can’t help much with whatever you said on your poly . . . Is whatever you discussed reportable?
Not sure about suitability denial (I was handed a letter about the denial a few weeks after the polygraph, I know none of the investigators contacted anyone I know, if that helps.) I think a big reason was some things I said about my mental heath at the time, which has since been resolved
As the other poster mentioned, if it was a suitability denial (and it sounds like it was), then you do not have to report that you were denied a clearance.
Read the SF-86 questions carefully; I think the mental health questions have changed and they are less concerned about past episodes and more interested in your current situation.
I don’t think the CIA experience will have any impact. Hopefully you still have that denial letter your received so you can figure out for certain if you were denied for suitability. And as a final point, it is extremely unlikely you’ll have to do a poly for a DoD secret.
You had an SOR? If that’s the case, then you did NOT have a suitability denial. You were denied a clearance and you will have to report that on any future security applications.
Just about every position with the CIA requires some level of clearance just to access their facilities. If a polygraph was required then most certainly it was a cleared position since nonsensitive and public trust positions do not need a polygraph. Mention of an SOR is another indicator. Even so, after one year you are eligible to apply for another clearance.
You may not have to report that you were denied a clearance, but you will have to report that an investigation was conducted. It’s an Ever question, and has no limiting criteria. What will be difficult is your response when the investigator for your next clearance asks you what the status of that prior investigation is or details of the resulting (non) clearance. In my view, if you filled out a questionnaire, then you must answer yes to the “Has the U.S. Gov’t Ever investigated you…?” question.
@agagaero can I ask what sort of topics they cover for mental health? I’m due to get my poly and I’ve had some mental health issues in the past. Nothing that has ever been a flag on my SF-86. No in patient treatment, court ordered, anything like that. Just some minor depression in college and some anxiety throughout my adult years.
Nothing that would impact my work or make me susceptible to blackmail, etc. I just don’t want to say something the wrong way and tube my chances.
n my actual experience, YES! I was told, after not being selected for their summer intern program, that I was “welcome” to apply again.
Even more surprisingly, I was also subsequently approached by agency recruiters a few years later (not the other way around) and encouraged to meet with them. This “invitation” came about three years after the Office of Security had apparently already determined that my background had been “contaminated” by virtue of my rejection for the intern program.
All this occurred way back in ancient times, when a TS approval/disapproval for Agency employment could actually be arrived at in a matter of a few months!
No, there was NO real second chance. Two months after I met with those recruiters, who were talking in terms of a likely “offer of employment” for me, the application process dead ended abruptly. The rejection letter implied that the rejection was background related, hence related to my application for their intern program a couple of years prior.
Just another glaring example of Personnel not knowing what Security was doing. Very annoying and frustrating!
I submit my SF86 for secret clearance Now today my FSO call me that VRO send my SF86 Application to DOHA as reapplication because in 2016 I was Denied my secret clearance by DOHA reason of Denial was foreign influence and my wife was foreign property both issues was mitigated and I was fired from job in 2010 and 2012 but they are looking for last 10 years employment history no any other issues in my life.
What will be next in my case and how long will be take?
Please advise me what I can do to get my secret clearance.
Thank you