unknown100 wrote on Feb 14^th, 2005 at 10:50pm:


Who has asked you to participate in an information session and under what context?

Could someone describe what exactly happens during an information session? Are questions asked of you and is an interview performed? Or is it purely an "information session" for one's benefit?

I doubt  the fact that you filed a Privacy Act request for your FBI file would be used against you, but I wouldn't dismiss the possibility out of hand, either. I do think you were wise to file the request. It's important that you know what admissions have been attributed to you. AntiPolygraph.org has received reports of fabricated admissions by FBI polygraphers. Bureau polygraphers may have an incentive to embellish, as their performance evaluations were in the past (and may well still be) based on their admission/confession rates. The Bureau's practice of not recording polygraph examinations minimizes the risk to the polygrapher of embellishing or fabricating admissions.

Since the matter of your FBI polygraph experience is inevitably going to come up in the future (when you sit for a polygraph examination with this intelligence agency, you will be asked about any past polygraphs), I think there would be little harm (and possibly some benefit) in broaching the issue with your recruiter now.

As for using countermeasures, I think in your situation it might be more prudent to use the "complete honesty" approach suggested in Chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (with all its attendant risks). Your polygrapher is going to expect you to have researched polygraphy after your experience with the FBI and probably won't believe you if you say you haven't.

I was recently contacted for an interview with an intelligence agency, and need advice.
I took a polygraph with the FBI in 2003 and failed. I failed because I told them about some previous drug history. When I explained it, the polygrapher told me to answer "No" to questions concerning this on the polygraph. I did as I was told, and still failed. I filled out a explanation and appealed, but no second polygraph was afforded me.
Now, I am applying with this othe agency. I have a few questions. 
Should I tell my recruiter now about the previous poly? I intend to be truthful in the next polygraph session (if I ever get to that phase), but should I tell them now to seem honest?
Also, I recently requested my FBI file by FOIA. Assuming it gets here in the next century, will that hurt or help my chances in a subsequent poly? Will it prejudice me that I used the FOIA?
Also, the question I flunked on beat me because I'm a person with an overdeveloped conscience, not because I actually did anything wrong. Should I use CMs? I mean, I know that I'm telling the truth, but the polygraph doesnt. So will CMs protect me?
I need advice about this.
Thanks.

It means an agency search program found some words in your application that the agency is looking for and they want you to complete additional forms for a human to review.  If you get contacted again, after that, than its a good sign they have more than a passing interest in you.

If one is contacted by CIA soon after an online application and then sent an application packet, what exactly does this mean? 

Does it matter that it is relating to a clandestine service application?