My question is will I be eligible at this time to get a secret clearance?
12 years ago I had a felony evading arrest/detention with vehicle. I Deferred adjudication proceeding were dismissed in 2009. Prior to this incident I had no criminal records at all. I also completed a bankruptcy and it was discharged in 2012.
This was the all the result of drug use which I received treatment for. I have been clean for the last 11 years. I don’t know if I should keep trying for clearance jobs which I have had in past or just focus my job search efforts on commercial work. Any advice would be appreciated.
I would tell you what you already know. You don’t have an easy case but you can get cleared. Just answer the questions that are asked completely and honestly. I would continue to pursue commercial work as well because your clearance process could take up to two years once you find a prospective employer.
You are being honest which is over half the battle. Can you check with your court system to see if the felony can be reduced to a misdemeanor and/or dismissed? For example in California 1203.4PC and 17PC let some felonies be reduced and dismissed and you even get gun rights back. Your state may differ. Also background checks usually care about what you did regardless if it was reduced, so be honest to a fault.
I can file for nondisclosure of the Deferred Adjudication dismissal however I still have to report it for the security clearance. I have also been advised that the records would still be “out there” since there are so many third parties selling this information.
In deferred adjudication, you are never actually found guilty of the felony; therefore, you are not a convicted felon so I have gun ownership rights and can serve jury duty ect….
Do it. Take the steps to diminish this as much as possible. I know you have to declare everything that has happened no matter what, but the fact that the court agreed to minimize this will work in your favor.
I have a started to prepare for the filling out my SF-86 as I have found employer was willing to hire me. I finding the whole process of “going back” over all past events very emotionally draining. I know I am not the same person I was back then. I hope that I don’t have to many problems proving that I have done a lot of good things since that time.
Since I learned so much reading these blogs, I will come back and post the results of my efforts to get cleared .