Dude, just straight up, stay away from the polygraph then. That is falsifying an official document at MEPPs. You are double f'd if you don't list it on your polygraph application, then admit it during the interview which is another falsification. That's how they get you. If you want to try it, ensure that what you put on the application is exactly what you tell then during the interview and let them call you a liar all they want but, keep your mouth shut. I initially went into the interview keeping certain things to myself. When I decided to open up and come clean, I was obviously saying something different than what I listed on the application, which is, you guessed it, a falsification. I've had many military buddies that fudged info to their recruiters to get in and they've made great leaders and had long lasting careers (much respect). I've witnessed friends do a complete 180 from a rough life to a guy I'd have in the trenches with me. The polygraph is not a good judge of character and it ruins good people's lives (including mine). 

Bottom line, if you can't go in there with a clean conscience, don't go in there at all because that incident in the back of your mind will fester during the interview if you let it. At least, you can preserve your career with a TS/SCI no poly.

that guys a guest yet he"s acting like he's apart of the         anti-polygraph community. If the lie is drug related and it was before military use and u have not used it since, tell them. The CIA may not be able to read your mind via polygraph but they can sure as hell uncover everything about ur past

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"Tell us?'" Do you have a mouse in your pocket? You sound like a polygraph examiner attempting to extract a confession. Maybe it's you who should be telling "us" who you really are.

Depending on what the lie was, you may be able to come up with a cover story.  In short, lying to get a clearance is BAD!  I know people who have fudged their drug use numbers before, but they never really got "caught" because if anything it was so long ago they could just say they miscounted.  Even former CIA NOC Lindsay Moran said she lied about her drug use in her book "Blowing My Cover", but they didn't fire her.  But even with that, if you used drugs 50 times and you say you only did it 10 times, that's worse than saying you did it 5 times when it was really 6.  

Or if you say you never committed a crime when a thorough background check with your friends will reveal that you guys robbed a guy at gunpoint years ago and were never caught.  

Please tell us, what exactly was the lie?  So we can better help you.

Hi, I had a question I was hoping you guys might know.

I'm a guy with a special operations background as well as a college degree who was thinking about applying to the CIA.  The thing is when I entered the military I lied at meps about a few things and I am afraid this will come up in the polygraph in the form of "Have you ever lied on official documents" or something like that.  I had a pretty good military career and was (and am) on good terms with all the guys I've worked with, never been written up for any bullshit.  If I confessed to lying at MEPS could the Agency  tell the military and like mess with my benefits or make it so I was discharged dishonorably or something like that?  Oh yeah I also had to lie to get my clearance too (sorry can't say what level don't wanna narrow it down, i can't imagine there are too many people that are qualified to apply for the paramilitary position)


Thanks~