I have a question about my chances of obtaining a Security Clearance (top secret or higher). I work with technology… I’m great at what I do (specialized skill set). I’m not an angel and I have made some stupid choices in my youth. Around age eighteen I got in trouble for drinking and driving. No injuries or accidents. That is my only conviction. This was around six years ago. I’ve also done marijuana a couple of times over the years but haven’t it over 2+ years. I’ve outgrown it, found it to make me nervous more than anything. I have been making quantum leaps in my career in terms of pay and scope of work. I have an undying passion to work for the government. I have done some gov contract work in the past, but nothing on the other side of the fence, if you will.
Besides that one conviction, the other thing I have they may be looked at negatively is I have 1 foreign contact… she’s been a long distance girlfriend. Christian, She lives in Georgia (the country). Neither her or her parents work for their respective governments. We met up in Spain for a week, about a year and 3 months ago. We’ve been talking daily for a couple of years. However… things seem to be coming to a standstill, and have been for a while - in that I don’t really see myself marrying her, and that is clearly what she is hoping for. I’m too busy with work and study and not anywhere near ready to settle down. I looked on the forms and it asks if I have any obligations of affection to a foreign contact, obviously i would mention the girl as there were obvious relations… but in no means do I feel obligated to her now or have I ever. Based on these facts… what do my chances seem like?
I’m not currently under investigation, and to be honest, I haven’t even applied to work at any agencies that I feel like I’m more than qualified, technically, to work for. I’m at the point now that I would like some honest feedback, to see if thinking about a career in the IC is feasible now or in the future… and if its not then I need to put these thoughts to bed and move on with my life. I know where my loyalty is, and what I’m capable of and who I am… (I am who I am as they say) but my past is my past and I’m honestly not sure how all of this will affect me.
What you detail here doesn’t seem disqualifying to me. At all. And you seem to recognize key mitigating factors. The relationship with the Georgian seems to have petered out so if you don’t have any intention of rekindled that it will be even more mitigating.
Just a cursious aside. You use key words so it looks like you’ve researched and read up on this subject and took the time to read/post here. But strangely, you also seem to have a ‘take or leave it’ attitude which doesn’t seem to square with the former.
Thank you for your responses. I didn’t mean to come off as take it or leave it-ish, more over, I intend to come off as myself… as this is who i am, and I realize I am not a saint…and I’m simply asking if I’m too far off the beaten path due to past behavior and the foreign contact… to be eligible. It’s just, I have been obsessing over the thought of working for the gov at a high level, and every time I read the standard form I just think “darn… there are people that can look at this and fill it out without a drop or sweat / stress”. So, I suppose it may subconsciously make me project myself in the manner you described but its not my intentions.
Q: I retired from the military in 2012 - I have a bankruptcy on my credit report from 2013. Since then I haven’t working in the military or the government.
I’m think of applying for jobs that require a “Secret” or a “Public Trust BI,”
Should I bother? Since 2013 my credit has recovered and I have bought a home and have stabilized my finances - still have some debt?
You used a legal remedy to address and resolve your debts.Your history before and after filing for bankruptcy will be looked at and as long as there is no pattern of financial responsibility and you are current on all payments you should be fine.
Honest disclosure and you have nothing to worry about. I have plenty of foreign connections from time overseas. I know folks married to foreign nationals with clearances. Keep in mind foreign intelligence can spend years building relations of trust with Americans. Solely for the purpose of eliciting essential elements of friendly information. Or encouraging one to seek a clearance and then the water is muddy.
Think whole person concept. Even a conviction that stands alone doesn’t necessarily eliminate one from clearance eligibility.