I was recently informed by my recruiter that I am not eligible to join the U.S. Space Force because my father is not a U.S. citizen and that most of the jobs within the USSF required a TS.
For some background, I was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States at a young age. I became a U.S. citizen through derivative citizenship based on my mother’s naturalization.
A few additional details about my family situation: My parents were never married, and my father is Taiwanese. He left before I was born, and my mother has raised me by herself my entire life. We have had no contact with my father for over 23 years, and we do not know his current whereabouts or even whether he is still alive.
My recruiter explained that, because I have no information about my father and he is not a U.S. citizen, I am not eligible for the Space Force. He said the concern is that, since my father’s background cannot be verified, there is a possibility he could pose a security risk, such as having ties to a foreign intelligence service.
My goal is to join either Space Force or Air Force and work with cyber/intel which all required a TS or equivalents level. So my main concern, is there no way to obtain a TS due to my circumstances?
I can’t speak to Space Force. Each agency has their own requirements. As for the clearance, as long as you are US citizens, it doesn’t matter if your parents are. The issue with the parents is really just the time and effort needed to contact/interview them if needed.
It could also just be that the recruiter doesn’t want to wait that long for your clearance. Applicants with foreign background and contacts tend to take a lot longer than ones without. Try a different recruiter.
I see because the recruiter kept emphasizing that as long as one of my parents is not a US Citizen, I won’t be able to qualified for TS meaning I can’t join the USSF. Also, you mention the issue is that they need time and effort for interview with my parents. Is the main problem since we don’t have contact with my dad for a long time they will have an issue contacting him?
I would go find another recruiter who knows what they are talking about. Having foreign relatives with whom you have had no contact with will not be an issue that will keep you from getting a clearance. Recruiters are not clearance adjudicators and do not know the process.
Find a different recruiter. Having a foreign national parent, with whom you have had no contact in 23 years does not prohibit you from obtaining a T/S.