I'd like some insights from those of you on the board who have actually been BG Investigators.  This is a fairly long post.

I am currently 30 and working on my degree.   I have been looking at depts. but my own self perception of my background is that I need to put some time between my application and some of the decisions I have made and finishing my degree does this very well.   

However, it seems that everytime I meet with BG investigators or officers at Depts. on informal basis, and telling them some of the things I am worried about they are EAGER for me to apply and seem to sluff it off.    That may be because we have not as yet got into the totallity of what I believe would make me look less appealing on paper. 

I often get very ANTSY to apply when they seem so eagar...and have recently had a retired officer who teaches one of my classes refer me to his dept.  that does not hire newbies...but set aside 2 hours for me, and really seems interested in having me apply as their first group of new hires in 12 years.  The Dept is amazing and the ride along was like doing my first FTO.   Everyone I have met, knows about me before hand and says they've "heard great things."      

So...please give me you insights on how you would look at my BG.  My personna in any interview with my issues that I think helps is "It is what it is, I will never defend or make excuses for a choice I've made.   I did it.  No excuses. " 

I have no drug history.   No criminal history.   

I spent 6 years in the marines.  Clearance.   No issues with discipline at all.  Several honors and awards. Presidential and Diplomatic security.  Was a Sergeant.  I have a honorable for first enlist.  General under honorable for second...having requested discharge early for personal reasons.   Those personal reasons might raise an eyebrow or two when they come to light in deeper conversations...as there will definately be people who disagree vehemently with my reasons and  question my intentions, but in my discussions so far, the BG team has said they'd probably look at it more as a "personal life choice" than an issue.  But that they would look to see if I had a history of not following through.   ( In actuallity, legally, I cannot be denied employment simply because of this event, but it's an uncomfortable thing for me to have poked and prodded at and I don't like to discuss it because I believe it was a mistake.  )   

I have several tickets...amounting to 1 per year between 01 and 05.   I had a "fix it" ticket for a taillight become a Failure to appear in 2001.  As soon as I discovered it, I took care of it and the FTA was recalled.     The FTA alone does not seem to be an issue with the BG guys.   

In pursuing my education and taking care of my terminally ill Father I have worked where and when I can, in places that allow me enough money and scheduling flexibility to move forward.   But this has led to 15 unskilled jobs in the last 7 years.   6 of these have been 2 part time jobs at the same time.   Never fired.   No discipline issues.   Left several "at will" jobs without notice as none is required.   Five service jobs lasted no longer than a month as I discovered that they would not work out for me for one reason or another.   
3 of those jobs were lay offs as the mortgage industry took a dive.   My Father died late last year.  I no longer have to take care of him and this has allowed me to pursue school at over full time. Besides volunteer work at a local PD I am not employed and rely on my GI BIll to pursue education.   But how having that many jobs looks on paper frightens me. 

Perfect credit from 1996 to 2002.  Big Credit issues from 2002 to 2004 to include a voluntary repo and several collection accounts.   All accounts are now paid and I have NO DEBT and have restored my credit.   

What would you do with this background?   



Personally, I'd tell me to come back in 2 years...but I have a tendency to be harder on myself than a BG investigator who has seen and heard it all.