Manta_Ray,

First and foremost, I am not a NSA employee, but I am familiar with background investigations conducted by the DoD.

It is my opinion that the DoD / NSA would not contact your spouse AND advise him / her of any admissions you made during the background investigation process. It is my opinion that in most circumstances, this would be a violation of the Privacy Act of 1974.

It is my opinion that generally an extramarital relationship in and of itself would not disqualify you from a position within the DoD. Now, perhaps NSA has more strict guidelines, but no DoD component is immune to having employees who have cheated on their spouse. When a person's case is adjudicated, any mitigating factors are explored. How many times has one had an extramarital relationship? When did such relationships occur? Was any criminal conduct involved? Did the person have such a relationship with a foreign national? Is the spouse aware of the relationship?  Most importantly, is the applicant susceptible to blackmail or coercion as a result of this extramarital relationship?

Now, some might give advice to lie during the background investigation interview when asked about whether or not one had been involved in acts that could cause others to question their morals.  This is bad advice.  Tell the truth.  Will they find out about any extramarital relationships? Maybe...maybe not.  Investigators will interview a wide variety of references: Current and former co-workers; Current and former neighbors; Personal references that you listed on your forms; Personal references that you did not list; Education references; etc. 

By lying about any such conduct or omitting it during your interviews, you have proven that you don't want to discuss it...that perhaps you don't want others to know about it.  I'm going to assume that you have been involved in an extramarital relationship and you are worried that your spouse will find out.  Otherwise, you would not be concerned about the DoD / NSA contacting your spouse.  I don't think NSA will expect you to go home and tell your spouse, but they do want to know if you are willing to talk about it or will you lie at all costs? If so, then perhaps you could be blackmailed or coerced to act against the US if someone threatened to tell your spouse.  You need to be willing to tell the investigators and say, "Hey, if someone asked me to disclose classified information or they would tell my spouse what I had done...then I would tell them to tell my spouse and I would report the attempt to recruit me to the proper authorities." 

Tell them the truth.  Odds are this will not affect your job / clearance. If you lie or purposely omit the information, then you have just committed a Federal offense...providing false official statements (Title 18, Section 1001, US Code) and you have proven that you ARE a security risk. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

manta_ray wrote on Feb 23^rd, 2004 at 7:51pm:


It's highly unlikely that it would disqualify you (unless perhaps it was with the polygrapher's spouse!), but you would be a fool to mention your infidelity to a polygrapher or background investigator. Your admission will become a matter of government record if you do.

You don't need to volunteer every embarassing indiscretion or sin you've ever committed in your life -- if you feel the need to do that, go talk to a clergyman. Make sure to read The Lie Behind the Lie Detector, available on this site.

Wondering this myself.  NSA Poly coming up.  Did some stupid things (infidelity), but have a great job that I'm already working there, on a poly-waiver (I was military there for 2 years, now contractor).

I am confused on the "tell everything" vs. the "they don't need to know" line of thinking.