Hello all, I just wanted to get some feedback and vent. I had an unsuccessful first polygraph at the NSA and trying to figure out next steps. For starters I slept horribly and had to be up at 5:30 am which to my body felt like 3:30 am (flew in from MST), the breakfast was literally a box of cereal. Even before the “control” test we began the examiner asked if I was hiding something. I did say that I tried marijuana a few times in college (never bought or sold, all of them were in a party setting which some random drunk person would just hand me) to which I was given a lengthy monologue about deliberately hiding info on my SF86. Dumb on my part not to list it but also dumb from my perspective that it’s “illegal” but perfectly legal in a bunch of states including the one where it occurred. The examiner kept pressing me about other “crimes” or relevant issues and I was just chucking stuff out there because I was already on edge. The examiner kept saying that as long as she knew everything, it’d be cool and I’d be fine. But I can’t help but think that by talking about a bunch of embarrassing and sensitive stuff prior to that it would have heightened my emotion and physiology coupled with the lack of sleep/breakfast was a disaster waiting to happen. Low and behold I was unsuccessful to which I was told it would “go on my record” and was followed by another round of accusations that I was hiding stuff. Besides marijuana from years ago, I have no criminal issues, no mental health issues, no financial concerns, and disclosed foreign contacts but by the end felt like I was going to be put in cuffs. This was a dream job and I think I’ll be given an opportunity to go back but I don’t know if I even want to go through that experience again. It does make me feel better reading previous posts on here that others had similar experiences…thanks for reading.
Sounds exactly like my experience. And yeah that breakfast at the hotel is a joke. Gimme a real breakfast lol. In all seriousness, I bet you will get scheduled back again. One thing to note, if you don’t hear anything in a couple weeks, email the scheduling team and let them know you haven’t received an email to reschedule.
I did that after not hearing anything for a couple weeks, and they responded in like 5 minutes with the link to schedule. Even though no appointments are available currently, but I’m told this coming week August dates should be opened up.
Dont overthink it, this is part of their process. Before I started mine, my examiner told me lots of people pass on the first attempt. He was full of ■■■■, most of the folks I was around were rescheduled for another round. Best of luck!
Also, nice username, we could be twins haha.
I have my third one coming up for the same agency. Seems pretty normal.
Well. Lying about drug use is not putting your best foot forward. It is always the denial and cover-up that is the issue. If you wantonly lie about MJ use what other rule on classified would you lie about? Use isnt the issue. Lying is. Ommission. You may not be dead in the water. Yet. Might get a call back. Lay it on the line, hoping that is consistent with answers given on poly. If not…the cleared life is not for you.