I am currently a student in my second year of college. I am very involved on campus, have a high GPA and am a very active community member. I recently got an internship offer from a defense agency, and the position requires a secret clearance. I do not know much about clearances and how all of this works honestly, but the recruiter told me that there would be an investigation done. My concern is that about two months ago, I was caught using a fake ID. I was charged with a misdemeanor, but the prosecutor dropped the charges against me. All that shows on my record is that I was charged, and never convicted. Besides this, I have no other history and am a very clean student, but I was wondering if there is a possibility that this inhibits my ability to continue with this job, and how to best address it with the recruiter.
Fully disclose the issue and explain why you did it and if there is any chance of reoccurrence. DO NOT, DO NOT try to hide it and don’t let a recruiter tell you otherwise. The Investigator will find it. You’ll be asked about it and be totally honest and upfront and admit the wrongdoing. If you do that, things are in your favor.
If the recruiter won’t let you proceed, that is their prerogative, but recruiters do not speak for the investigative process. When you fill out that SF 86, disclose it!
There are more experienced people in this forum that can answer your question. As previously mentioned do not hide your misdemeanor in your SF86 or during the interview. Even though you were charged and not convicted it still will show in public records. You will not be the first or last college student that will have transgression with the law due to immaturity and lack of common sense.
Always be honest. However, since the offense was two months ago maybe the DoD agency may not want to hire you when there other candidates with clean records. It all depends on whom would vouch for you and if you have the skills that they need. An internship is such a short time by the time the FSO and management accept the risk to hire you the time is up and you have not even started the job yet.
But that doesn’t mean you will not be hired in the future. Just keep yourself out of trouble with the law or don’t do anything that you may have to disclose in future DoD background investigation hinterviews like smoking marijuana, speeding tickets over $300 dollars or DUI. Maintain the high GPA and continue with the community service. If you have the skills and qualifications You’ll have a high probability to be hired by a DoD agency or a Federal contractor like Raytheon , Lockheed Martin, Boeing etc.
If you are not familiar with the kind of questions or scrutiny you’ll go through during a security clearance process, recommend you download a SF-86 form and read through all the security questions.
To be transparent, it is a possession of a false ID charge. I got caught with my fake ID buying a vaping product and the only charge against me was possession of an ID.I know it shows on my record so I was not going to try to hide it. Does this change anything, make it better/worse?
You will disclose it, Investigator will pull the Police Record, you’ll probably discuss it with the Investigator and resolve the issue. Young person dumb decision and no charges no prosecution. It probably will not be an issue at all in adjudication. The only issue would’ve probably been if you didn’t disclose it…
As others have said, do not try to hide it. They pull an FBI report that has every arrest you’ve ever had, regardless of the outcome. For reference, they tried to “confront” me on “arrests” that weren’t even arrests.
My question is why you used a fake ID at this age. Seems like a immature thing to do for a person who is seeking a “security” clearance that is trying to show integrity. Where there is smoke there is fire? I would wonder what else you do or have done that hasn’t gotten caught. Do you have moral fortitude to not get around rules for your own gain? It is a form of cheating. With that said, tell the truth and see where all lands.
You’re not going to get the internship. You may get another in the future and you certainly may clear in the future.
Two months ago, you handed (I’m guessing) a bar employee or police officer a falsified federal or state document. You were arrested and charged with the offense. This shows that in your current state of mind, you have a problem with authority or with following the rules. Neither looks good.
I’m not making judgements. I’m telling what it looks like from the outside.