What’s going on guys. My actually posting this question about a friend of mine who’s going through her first TS background investigation.
Little background on her: She’s an American citizen living in Germany, working for a contractor within DOD, received her masters at a German university, and does not currently hold a security clearance.
Since she’s lived/worked/went to school in Germany for 3-4 years, I’m wondering how much investigating will be done. I’m not entirely sure of the bandwidth of background investigators overseas. Should she expect for all of her residences, employments, foreign contacts, and even education to be investigated as long as they fall within the time period for each section of the SF86?
Thanks in advance for any answers or insight that can be provided.
Thought I’d toss my limited experience with such matters here: I do not think US background investigators are able to conduct any kind of investigation overseas. US military personnel used to conduct subject interviews on US people working on military bases overseas, don’t know if that is still done. The Regional Security Officer at a US diplomatic facility (embassy, consulate, etc) may be asked to provide input, which may be limited to requesting a records check from their host nation contacts.
What’s interesting is that this person is currently overseas herself! SOMEBODY will have to do the subject interview, assuming one is required (and that’s my assumption). Whoever does that interview will no doubt want to make sure they all addresses for residences and schools as well as the usual names for references and “people who know you well” even if none of them are ever contacted.
And just as a point of reference, most of the major IC agencies have a statement on their job listings to the effect of, if you are currently overseas, please wait until you return home to proceed with your application.
There is a DCSA (and before DCSA, NBIB) presence overseas. The field work is limited (funny thing and SOFA) and in this case might not give the adjudicator enough information to make a decision.
Your overseas friend needs to list US citizen friends and verifiers now stateside for her education and employment activities. This will help the investigation.