Security Background Check

[SoonToBeSEAL]

Reading one of the posts down below got me to thinking. There is absolutely nothing in my history that would preclude me from obtaining a SECRET clearance - i.e., no drug use, no misdemeanor/felony convictions, no arrests, no alcohol abuse, NOTHING - except BAD CREDIT! Years ago I ran into a personal situation that really screwed up my financial status. It makes me sick to think of busting my ass for years to get to the program and then being dropped for this reason only!

What are the investigators looking for on security clearance background checks?

Thx

[Mike]

if your wife is Russian or Iraq or Iran or Libya or an Alien.

your financial history - make sure you check all three credit service reports (Equinax, etc) since all three may not have the same information

Lie polygraph is only done at CIA; DIA; and NSA if you flunked at one of the agencies, then you flunked your clearance even if the agency you want to go into don't do polygraph

[Doctor Evil]

Your messed up credit will be "good again" seven years from the day you messed it up. If it was messed up in August 1999 it will be good again in August 2006. That is, providing you dont keep messing it up from here on out. My advice would be to keep your financial situation squared away from now on. Dont pay your bills late. If you have a credit card cut it up NOW. If you dont have a credit card dont get one.

The people who do these security clearances are a bunch of anal retentive nerds anyway. If they dont give you a clearance there aint nothing you can do. A lot of the people who do security clearances are of the CPA "beancounter" mentality rather than of a SEAL warrior mentality. Dont believe anything your local recruiter tells you about your credit and getting into SEALs either. Chances are your recruiter's credit is all messed up too as most recruiters are dirtbags the fleet does not want.
So the fleet sends them to recruiter duty to get rid of them in a nice way.

If you have detailed questions of when your credit will be good again...and how to keep it good, go to your local civilian credit bureau in your hometown. They wont bs you. Many people view a person's credit history as indicative of the person's personal integrity, trustworthiness, etc. Good credit is important.

[Mike]

The DSS (http://www.dss.mil) got a huge backlog of 50,000 requests to be process. I work for a defense contractor and there are still a few people waiting to be clear (after 1 year). Good thing I stand outside the bathroom door rather than inside. The problem with the DSS is that they eliminated training for new investigator. It is like getting rid of BUD/S for new SEAL.

[virus]

The DSS will take into consideration everything in your background and yes this will include your bad credit. Credit is a huge issue when it comes to security clearances and how they are processed, because if you have money problems you MAY BE more apt to sell secrets for money and things like that. For a SECRET clearance I wouldn't be too worried but if you have to upgrade in the future you might have some explaining to do when they do your interview. Any more questions drop me a line.

[Mike]

Many people buy too much when they have no cash thus they used 3-4 credit cards without realizing how they will paid for it. Better try to not buy or save it than try to impress your family and friends. There are many free things to do - parks, malls, etc

DSS is supposed to re-check everyone security clearances every 5 years but they don't. And the CIA after the Ames mess-up, are actually re-checking everyone financial records. A friend who saved too much money was under investigation but he managed to explained to the friendly PS investigator.

[Mike]

Many people buy too much when they have no cash thus they used 3-4 credit cards without realizing how they will paid for it. Better try to not buy or save it than try to impress your family and friends. There are many free things to do - parks, malls, etc

DSS is supposed to re-check everyone security clearances every 5 years but they don't. And the CIA after the Ames mess-up, are actually re-checking everyone financial records. A friend who saved too much money was under investigation but he managed to explained to the friendly PS investigator.

[MIKE E]

what happens if someone was arrested before they were 18, and the arrest record was expunged(cleared). Will they get the Security clearance

[Daredevil]

Arrests before 18 are sealed and they won't open them.

As for the financial problems question, they are looking for current financial problems. The reasoning is that if a person is in huge debt then they could become a target for a foreign power to try to "buy them off" to get them out of debt through the selling of secrets. If your finance problems are in the past and you don't have any now it probably won't be an issue. I work as a civilian contractor with Department of the Navy now. I know government workers who were born in places like Tehran and Beijing who have security clearances.

You can also still get clearances with misdemeanor arrests also. I think felonies are the only things that can cause real problems.

[MIKE E]

Hey Daredevil I was just wondering are you a SEAL? If so I have a question. It's about the PT Test to get into BUD/S. It says 42 Push-ups, 8 Pull-ups, 500 Meter Swim, and a Mile and a half Run. The 500 Meter swim must be completed in 12:30 right? In order to get into BUD/S do you have to kill all these times or do you have to simply pass?

[Daredevil]

I'm currently applying for an OCS commission and subsequent assignement to BUD/S. I've taken the combat diver physical they give to SEAL applicants and I've taken the PFT quite a few times but I'm still not a SEAL yet.

Whenever I take the PFT I take it at Little Creek. The SEALs there giving the test told me that if you want to be a SEAL officer you really have to kill those times. One Cheif told me that you have to bring do the swim in 8-9 min. Do between 80-100 push-ups and sit-ups. Do 16-20 pull-ups, and then do the run in 9:00 or less. It's just a lot more competitive for officer positions.

It's not nearly as competitive for enlisted positions. Everytime I took the test, around half the sailors taking it with me didn't pass it. They did say that just barely passing the swim time wasn't good enough but I think if you could do the rest of things in the time required that was good enough. In fact, they said they had to lower the minimum amount of pullups from 8 to 6 because too many guys were failing at that spot.

So in short, if you're applying as an officer you need to kill it. Otherwise passing it and showing them you're putting out and doing your best is probably good enough.

[MIKE E]

Thanks DAREDEVIL. Your info is greatly appreciated!!

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MIKE E.

[This message has been edited by MIKE E (edited 04-29-2000).]

[pn]

They lowered the standards because people weren't passing?

BTDTs, say it ain't so!

I hope all the talk I've been hearing over the last year is more than just hot air.

-pn

[Daredevil]

Hey, that's what they told us. Of course, they did it while yelling at us and calling us pathetic so who knows?

It went something like:

"Hey, didn't the minimum pullups use to be 8?"

"Yeah"

"Why did it get lowered?"

"Cause not enough of you weaklings could pass it when it was eight. You think I don't see you guys up there? Most of you are struggling just to make six! That's pathetic!"

Myself, I put out 12. I saw one poor kid who couldn't do 1. Most guys that don't pass make it to the run and don't bring it in on time but I did see one kid not make it past the pullups. I felt bad for him too. He joined the navy specifically to be a SEAL.

[Nissan]

Well if he had joined specifically to be a SEAL he obviously slacked off during his physical training and didn't want it enough to train ahead of time...