I'm interested in pursuing a job as a contractor interpreter with the military but this is a job that surely requires a security clearance. I have an FBI poly failure (no need to tell the story!) so I'm worried that I will be rejected because of this.

Would a contracting agency with the military 1) require a polygraph for a security clearance and / or 2) would an FBI failure bar me from being considered?

Thanks for your time!

Sorry to take up your time with this question again, but I just wonder if anyone can tell me if I'm wasting my efforts ...

I want to become an interrogation interpreter as a civilian working with the military. This of course requires a security clearance. I have submitted my application to contracting agencies to become an Arabic linguist and I am surprised that I have gotten no responses, despite my efforts. I think my resume looks ok ... after all, I have speak Arabic at a very advanced level, have lived and worked in the Middle East, and I was under the impression that that skill was needed nowadays.

I have a spotless record with not so much as a speeding ticket. However, I have that ever-so-unfortunate polygraph failure with a national agency (no need to tell the story). Could you guess that would be a reason to not even respond to my application and resume? Would they have already run me through a check and tossed my resume in the trash all because of the polygraph? 

I know I'm asking you to speculate, but I am starting to get worried that I will never be able to be a military interpreter. Am I wasting my time trying?