Questions regarding my secret clearance timeline

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

I received a tentative job offer with the FAA December of 2017, requiring a secret clearance. I found out that i was denied an interim clearance April 2018 due to:

  1. DUI in college in 2013.
  2. Termination from a past employer.

I finally had an investigator from the NBIB interview me April, 2019. I’m relatively confident that i was able to mitigate the concerns raised satisfactorily. I am unable to begin working in this position until the full clearance is obtained.

I’ve perused this site a decent amount, and was hoping i could get some answers from more knowledgeable folk in here. What i’m wondering:

  1. I know times obviously vary for processing, but seeing as how i was only interviewed in April of this year, how much longer am i realistically looking at waiting for this? This is secret, not TS, no SCI.
  2. I consistently see people referencing their status as far as investigation/adjudication goes, is there a hotline or contact or something that i am missing that I could periodically check on the status of this?
  3. Is it unusual for me to have waited that long just to have my interview?

It’s been 18 months since my job offer, getting a little discouraging. Happy to answer any questions people may have. Appreciate the feedback.

2

Hopefully the offer is not ‘tentative’, only ‘contingent’. Also, I am surprised that you know why you were denied an interim. I’ve never heard of people being given official reasons for interim denials, but FSOs will often speculate.

Things usually move pretty quickly after interview. If there is no other steps to investigate, then they still will internally review the investigation for a week or two before sending it off to adjudication. I’m not sure who adjudicates clearances for the FAA, so I can’t attest to that. Adjudication took 4 weeks for me with DoD.

You could contact your FSO, which is whoever helped you set up the eQIP, to find your status. They will be able to tell you if you are still being investigated or if you are in adjudication.

18 months is a long time for a secret. Most people take less than 9 months.

3

Thanks for your reply.

To clarify, I wasn’t given any official reasons, my security POC from OPM told me over the phone back in April 2018 that she had denied the interim for those reasons stated. I actually found a declassified document from 2005 that seems to indicate mandatory interim denial for these reasons, i’m unsure if it’s relevant due to being dated in 2005. I’m relatively confident the end result of full clearance will adjudicate in my favor however.

When I asked my NBIB interviewer on remaining time length, he stated “It could be 4 weeks, it could be a year, i’d count on waiting at least another 4-6 months”. None of my listed contacts, (of which there ended up being many) have been contacted thus far by anyone. Not sure if that’s a good sign, or if it means they haven’t gotten to it yet.

4

I called to inquire on the status of my adjudication this morning and to my surprise was transferred to the adjudicator for my case. She told me she works the cases in the order received, but that my case was received “a couple months ago” and that i would hear from her via letter or phone “soon”.

This is not a positive sign right? Applicants are typically only contacted in this manner if they are receiving an SOR, or if additional information is needed? Or do granted security clearance also get delivered in this manner?

5

Hi Vector,

You said ‘I called to inquire…’ in your last post, I wonder what number you used? Mind to share, you you can send to ‘ybi10@yahoo.com’. Thanks!

6

Hey pbsd,

I called the listed HR number that is on my tentative offer letter for the department i’m applying too (FAA).

7

I received a Statement of Reasons (SOR) in the mail this afternoon. If there are experienced and qualified legal representatives that peruse this post, i would greatly appreciate you sending me a message.

8

Hey Vector,

I’m sorry to hear the unfortunate news. It must be discouraging to have waited 18 months just to receive an SOR. What are the mitigating issues listed in the SOR?

Thanks for your time

9

Why did they end up rejecting you? Do they list the reasons on the SOR?

I am waiting to hear back from my recruiter (interim clearance). Hopefully I get it, since I do not have such a clean record.

10

I’m a little confused now if this is “officially” an SOR or if this is something different… this is titled “letter of proposal” from the FAA, and states i have 30 days to respond to the issues listed which "may be considered a basis for finding an applicant unsuitable.

The issues include the two I stated in my initial post, and one more… they are listed as follows:

  1. DWAI in 2013 shows a potential pattern of excessive use of intoxicants. ( I am unclear how this shows a pattern this was a one time event).
  2. Termination from a past employer, with events which included playing chess during work hours, and missing a day of training. ( I fully volunteered this information from the get-go, and I acknowledge this was a mistake. I was let go in 2017 and immediately found a replacement position).
  3. In March of 2004, I was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property. Combined with being let go from my job in May of 2017, this shows a pattern of dishonesty and questionable judgment. ( I am most confused about this piece. I was 14 years old in 2004. The charge was dismissed and expunged from my record. I was never questioned about these incidents during my interview, only those relating to the last 10 years).

Does this seem out of the ordinary? Can anyone comment on whether this is “officially” an SOR or if it’s something else? Am i still potentially in okay shape?

11

I honestly think it’s because you did not mention your arrest when you were younger. I believe you must disclose every single event on your record whether it was expunged or not. Most of these questions begin with, “Have you EVER…?”

As for the letter, I am not familiar with those.

12

I don’t think it would be, it asked for anything in the last 10 years and this was 15 years ago. I certainly didn’t try to obfuscate or hide any information.

13

Some questions ask “ever” - the requirement to provide information about the old arrest would depend upon the reason for the arrest.

Another urban myth is that only information from the last ten years are reviewed for adjudication. Your expunged record alone might have not been a disqualifying issue. Added with the alcohol and employment termination - the pattern caused an adjudicator concern.

14

[quote=“PandoraPost, post:11, topic:7343”]
I believe you must disclose every single event on your record whether it was expunged or not.[/quote]

The volume of half-a**ed advice on this forum is astounding and sounds like it comes from people who have never read or completed an SF-86.

An applicant is required to list, for the last seven years, all arrests, citations, charges or convictions of any and all crimes other than traffic of $300 or less.

An applicant is also required to list for his or her entire life (“have you ever…”) all charges that were a felony or charges that involved firearms, explosives, alcohol or drugs. In addition, all convictions (not charges) involving domestic violence in an applicant’s entire life must be listed.

That leaves a lot that is not required to be listed. If an applicant is charged with misdemeanor receiving of stolen property in 2004, and the incident did not involve firearms, explosives, alcohol or drugs, then it does not need to be listed.

That does not mean, however, that the 2004 incident is not of adjudicative significance. “Is [incident] required to be listed?” and “can they [incident] this when making a determination?” are two entirely different questions.

If someone were arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting (not involving firearms, explosives, alcohol or drugs) five times from 2004 to 2008 none of those arrests would need to be listed. But they show a course of conduct and are - in my opinion - of adjudicative significance.

An arrest for receiving stolen property at age 14, another arrest for drunken driving at 23, fired for workplace misconduct at 27. Not a great look.

You posted looking for “experienced and qualified legal representatives.” You’re looking for a lawyer on an anonymous internet message board? LOL. If you’re serious about this process, set up an initial consultation with one of the many security clearance attorneys you can find via google. Barring that, try to go five years as an adult without getting fired or arrested.

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