Too many posters in this forum tell a woeful story about getting a SOR or such because of an “old” issue that popped up. The issue was old, expunged from the court, a sealed record, or “forgotten”.
Often, the real issue was the omission, downplay, or lie about the original issue. You can be a rat b@stard and have a clearance - you just need to be an honest one.
The omission, downplay, or lie tells the process that not only did you not follow the reporting requirements, but even you think you are vulnerable to “blackmail, coercion, or duress”. Simple issues are compounded into serious issues through omission, downplay, or lying.
Your Subject interview is normally the last chance you get to come clean. A large number of Subject interviews are triggered interviews, meaning the process found something about you.
You really don’t want to hear the words, “well, during the course of the investigation, the following information was developed…”. By this time, the investigator has already given you leading questions to allow you the opportunity to volunteer the information. Granted, some Subjects are truly surprised by the information, but normally, they are not surprised.
Subjects need to read the questionnaire carefully, answer the questions literally, honestly, and where needed, provide concise information in the comments section.
Unfortunately, by the time most people join this forum, they have already completed their security clearance application (SCA) aka eQip, already had a Subject interview, and/or had a LOI or SOR.
The SOR is really late in the process to develop a sense of honesty and open cooperation.