What are my chances of being cleared? My TS/SSBI investigation was at DoDCAF, but now it is back in investigation again!
Summary—19 months or 570 days of SSBI investigation time:
SSBI opened 3 January 2017.
(Congressmen expedited my clearance Feb 2018)
First PRSI Interview: 16 March 2018.
(Afterwards, I was told that I was in Adjudication but at an unknown time)
2nd PRSI Interview: last Thursday 19 July 2018.
2nd Interview discussion points are below:
Intro: my Investigator from OPM NBIB received my returned investigations info from DoDCAF last week. He said that my clearance was kicked back to him by DoDCAF Adjudicators because I had foreign born parents but did not list foreigner relatives. I was very forward saying I have no relationship with them and I cut them out of my life since Aug 2012 onward.
n R&R on a Dod Contract in the Gulf). I did indeed report on the SF-86 that I was in Egypt that day and that my step dad was foreign born (now a nat US citizen) BUT I did not originally cover the fact that I met 2 foreigners who were step cousins by my mom’s marriage. I gave the Investigator their name and age and that was it. He said I needed to be more transparent. I mentioned all this first, he already knew this, but he wanted to see what I would say. I was as forward and transparent as possible as memory allowed me. Then these came up by me:
-BI found out, but I confirmed first, after BI asked me if I knew anymore foreign or dual citizens: I only knew a few FOREIGNers in DC for 1 year in DC 6 months in 2011. I honestly forgot to write them down in the SF-86. I told the investigator in the second interview that it was an honest mistake, forgot to memorialize it and that I was not trying to hide anything. The nature of us know each other then was that I would attend ramadan dinners and these 2 people were always present then. I did not know them.
The problem seems to be the number of things that you “forgot”. The intel community, justifiably, is concerned about even one day meetings in countries like Egypt and with casual contacts in a city like D.C.
If you were going DoD, I would say that you can get cleared but it might require a hearing. Going into intel, you have a harder time. It may come down to how much they need your talents.
It seems you had to amend your answers on several occasions. That is rarely a good thing. The big picture they may be seeing is…was it deliberate? Maybe not. But you gave them a common thread to follow, not in your best interest. As Ed said above the seriousness depends on how bad they need your services. This will likely take longer than others and may require further discussion with the investigator or even a Poly. Good luck, and keep us informed.
Thanks for this. Yeah I’m not one to deceive I’m just trying to remember all the people that come into my life and I never meant to be dishonest this sucks.
Im sad I should have just spent more time thinking it through and really writing down all the people I ever met but then i think about it again and I do not think I would have been able to write down everyone I ever met and know whether or not they were dual citizen or totally American
The standard as I understand it: “real, known, and continuing.” If you meet a person who appears Armenian you have no obligation to suss out if they are American, naturalized, green card or non legal. Or dual citizen. Once the relationship becomes a friendship…such as regularly barbecuing, going out for movies, playing football, whatever…that is when it should be reported. But simply knowing an Hispanic man named Juan…doesn’t mean they are not American. You have no responsibility to ask them either. However as relationships develop over time if it becomes known to you, then you would report it. I think the issue here is that they developed an understanding you were aware of numerous foreign nationals. And they had to repeatedly ask if there were still more. And you remembered more, etc. I don’t think this is an issue of you knowing foreign born people, but the appearance you tried to not reveal that information. They need determine if that was intentional or not. If one lives in a very diverse, multi-cultural environment, and constantly come across people of all nations…there will be a lot of contact. The vast majority are casual and not reportable. If you suddenly recall more you did not report…they now question the motive of not remembering.
I just dont have any motive to deceive or hide anything. I’m an open book and just want to help in any way possible. This is so frustrating because I am a good decent person and up front about everything. I hate the private sector it is so fake and boring too
One of the tripping points I had was "continuing’…what does that mean? If I haven’t spoken to the person in 2+ years is that continuing? Most of the people I work with were under the notion that Facebook contact didn’t count and we only needed to let someone know when/if we started dating a foreign national.
Dating clearly isn’t a requirement needed to make a contact reportable. “Continuing” isn’t a complicated term. Do or did you have regular contact? For someone from two years ago, the question is, did you have regular contact two years ago?
If you were out drinking every weekend with a Russian national, up until two years ago, you need to report it even if you stopped.
You have to understand something of what they are looking for . . . Do they care if you sat in the same room with a foreign national? Clearly not . . . If they did, every time you went to dinner or a movie, they would want to know who served you and who you sat near.
No, they are interested in who may have influenced you in the past or may in the future. Can you be convinced to turn against the U.S. by a girlfriend? Sure, it happens all of the time. Can it happen with a pen pal? Yes, again. Can it happen on Facebook? I think that is pretty self explanatory.
I understand being friends on Facebook and casually liking/responding to posts being considered as continuing contact. Though I was always confused by the “In the past 7 years, DID you have continuing contact… etc.” I met with my investigator yesterday and explained I used to be in group with a foreign exchange student in school over a year ago, to which the investigator told me I did not have to report this unless the contact was ongoing. Out of all the questions on the form, I think this one maybe could be reworded for clarity.