I’ve had an interview performed a while back and answered questions for someone else’s interview. At least in the 00s there was really only so much they could do. They talk to people you list and incidental relationships like neighbors. If you either don’t rant to those people or those people aren’t inclined to rat you out, there’s not much risk there.
The questions were surface level and the time for investigation was limited. I think they’re mostly looking for someone to volunteer that the subject seems questionable. Poly was more of a crap shoot (I know some people who had to take it multiple times), but as far as I remember the questions weren’t personalized and weren’t political. Though who knows what sort of loyalty questions they’ve added for the gestapo applicants.
Mind you, all this was done right after college, where I’d talked and posted about politics openly, went to anti Iraq war protests organized by communists (I didn’t actually know that at the time), and had a Rage Against the Machine bumper sticker. Whether they knew much of that, I don’t know, but at least back then the human limitations on how much investigation they could do and how aggressive they could be with rejections were pretty apparent.
Did they interview people? If I’m remembering correctly, I think the interviews only came for TS, and the polys were for special compartments. They didn’t have remotely the personnel to apply the Full Monty for everyone who needed a clearance.
TV makes it seem like clearances are big deals only for the most patriotic special agents, but in reality it’s tons of military personnel and civilian contractors and they take forever and a day to actually happen. And then every year you take training that is so easy it seems designed to make sure no one can fail.
To other readers, don’t get a security clearance if it’s optional, it mostly just sucks.
Basically they did a background check, looking for criminal records and credit report, I had to give references, they contacted one of the three I gave, and I guess they did a background check on the person they contacted, but I never took a polygraph. But being 18, I had no criminal record and essentially no credit at all.
Not law enforcement, but I think it might have even been with DHS. It was a long time ago. Interviews were for higher than secret, and polys were for higher still.
I’m kind of surprised they’re still doing polys actually. They seemed like junk science back then, as evidenced by the people who had to take them multiple times. It’s not like their lives changed when they eventually passed, just the readings/interpretation did.
I’ve had an interview performed a while back and answered questions for someone else’s interview. At least in the 00s there was really only so much they could do. They talk to people you list and incidental relationships like neighbors. If you either don’t rant to those people or those people aren’t inclined to rat you out, there’s not much risk there.
The questions were surface level and the time for investigation was limited. I think they’re mostly looking for someone to volunteer that the subject seems questionable. Poly was more of a crap shoot (I know some people who had to take it multiple times), but as far as I remember the questions weren’t personalized and weren’t political. Though who knows what sort of loyalty questions they’ve added for the gestapo applicants.
Mind you, all this was done right after college, where I’d talked and posted about politics openly, went to anti Iraq war protests organized by communists (I didn’t actually know that at the time), and had a Rage Against the Machine bumper sticker. Whether they knew much of that, I don’t know, but at least back then the human limitations on how much investigation they could do and how aggressive they could be with rejections were pretty apparent.
I had a secret clearance in my army days, 02-08. There was no polygraph at all.
Did they interview people? If I’m remembering correctly, I think the interviews only came for TS, and the polys were for special compartments. They didn’t have remotely the personnel to apply the Full Monty for everyone who needed a clearance.
TV makes it seem like clearances are big deals only for the most patriotic special agents, but in reality it’s tons of military personnel and civilian contractors and they take forever and a day to actually happen. And then every year you take training that is so easy it seems designed to make sure no one can fail.
To other readers, don’t get a security clearance if it’s optional, it mostly just sucks.
Basically they did a background check, looking for criminal records and credit report, I had to give references, they contacted one of the three I gave, and I guess they did a background check on the person they contacted, but I never took a polygraph. But being 18, I had no criminal record and essentially no credit at all.
Were you interviewing for a federal law enforcement agency or a local? Were you going to receive secret clearance?
Things have changed all the same.
Not law enforcement, but I think it might have even been with DHS. It was a long time ago. Interviews were for higher than secret, and polys were for higher still.
I’m kind of surprised they’re still doing polys actually. They seemed like junk science back then, as evidenced by the people who had to take them multiple times. It’s not like their lives changed when they eventually passed, just the readings/interpretation did.