I’m currently being investigated for a security clearance for my current job. I was prior military and I was discharged from the Air Force about 13 years ago. I was discharged with a general discharge due to some alcohol incidents during my time in the military. When I was in the military I had a underage drinking incident my first few years in and about 2 years later I had two more alcohol offenses which were I showed up late to work after a night of drinking. I was in and out of the adapt alcohol program while I was in the military and was at one time sent to a rehab facility after the alcohol offenses. After returning from the rehab I had a dui which ended up in my discharge from the military. But from the time that I had the dui I had been clean and haven’t had any type of alcohol offenses and other than a driving on a suspended licenses offense months after I left the military. I went through the required program to get my drivers license back and I haven’t had any type of problems with law enforcement since then. I had met with the security investigator for an in person interview and they hammered hard on the alcohol offenses when I was enlisted. This was about a month ago and now I received a phone call for additional questions for my investigation. I’m worried about not receiving my clearance due to my behavior in the military and I’ve read that if I was classified as alcohol depended that I might not receive my clearance. Since it’s been 13 years most of this information is forgotten by myself and I cannot remember if I was diagnosed as alcohol dependent. What would be the proper step for me to take at this time and would I need to consider contacting a security clearance lawyer at this time. Thank you
I would say that you have a decent chance of receiving a clearance, particularly given the time since your last offense and that most of it happened while you were young. Obviously, your chances of receiving a higher clearance (e.g. TS/SCI) are less than your chances of receiving a lower clearance if you have some problems.
I’m not surprised that they ‘hammered’ on the alcohol-related questions, particularly if there wasn’t anything else colorful on your SF-86. The offenses you list indicate a serious drinking problem, and they want to make sure that you are really past it.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary with your investigation right now. They should talk about relevant issues in the interview, and getting a call later for follow-up questions is pretty common.
If you receive a Statement of Reasons (SoR, which lists the reasons that you have been declined a clearance), then you should consider contacting a clearance lawyer. Otherwise, just continue to wait.
Are you still drinking? Did they ask? I agree with danorou that TIME is in your favor.
The lawyer call is up to you.
They did ask if I still was drinking which I told them that I only drink 1-2 on the weekends. I did inform them that I had lost a job about 8 years ago after I had fallen asleep at work due to going out the night before. But I need to somehow explain that I was promoting a night club and wasn’t drinking heavily at the time
Investigator just forgot questions that should have been asked! It’s probably in the review stages. Don’t worry!
Go look at the industrial security clearance decisions:
http://ogc.osd.mil/doha/industrial/
There is one thing I notice: if you’re classified alcohol dependent, you’re not supposed to drink (not sure if you are or not). Get a new alcohol assessment and then follow whatever recommendations they direct. But as someone told me, “hard to have a drinking problem if you don’t drink.”