Or maybe I should say I feel like I went to a doctor for an appendectomy and they did a lobotomy by mistake.

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I had, as many readers know already, a similar problem with a summer "intern" program at the CIA.  Fortunately, the CIA is so much of a law unto itself, that not being hired there will have no effect whatever on employment at other federal agencies.

I don't know if that's also the case with the FBI.  Although there are theoretical channels of appealing an adverse personnel decision , you'd probably just be wasting your time.

I'm assuming that the polygraph was mandatory for the internship for which you applied, and that the Bureau had you sign a statement to that effect before you were polygraphed.   

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It could have been worse -- you might have been given a penectomy by mistake!   

Also thanks for the jokes - you guys are funny =D

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It's important to keep a sense of humor, in the face of adversaries who have none!   

George W. Maschke wrote on Apr 13^th, 2017 at 7:48am:


This is an excellent idea.   The info. obtained as a result of such a request will prove particularly informative if a background check (BI) was also conducted on you.  It may be that, in your case, the BI was actually more problematic than the polygraph.  You can learn a lot from the BI report.  There may be more persons out there that dislike you than you might have expected, or individuals that were interviewed during the BI and provided derogatory info. about you, whom you in fact barely knew!  Fortunately for you, the FBI will include polygraph results in response to PA requests, whereas the CIA refuses to do so.  

I wouldn't bother appealing. 
I suppose it may, possibly, be a good idea to have it on record that you disagree with the results of the polygraph (depending on what they "dinged" you for--I will take a wild guess and assume it was supposed former drug use).
The appeal is simply a formality--they certainly won't let you retake it, after all this time, and the "results," as read by the FBI, would be exactly the same, even if you did take another one. It is entirely in their interest to pretend that this method is consistent and results are repeatable.  If they claimed you failed the first time, do you really want two "failed" polygraphs on your record?

Sorry to be pessimistic here, but this is how the FBI operates. The polygraph is simply a way to create jobs for incompetents who would not otherwise have them (the operators).

Your best bet is to file a FOIA to find out what other government agencies would have access to your polygraph results. You won't get a straight answer from the FBI without a FOIA. You may not get a straight answer with a FOIA. Hey ho.

I heard somewhere that failing an FBI polygraph doesn't preclude employment with the CIA. 
But, like everything involving polygraphs, I'm sure this varies entirely on a case to case basis. If you have particular skill that is in demand, your polygraph will magically show that you are telling the truth. 

If I were you, I'd forget it, don't appeal, and move forward with whatever other agency you're trying for (though I don't know why you'd want to take another polygraph, knowing what they are.) You'll find out soon enough if they have access to the FBI record on you. If not, don't make waves. The government can be astoundingly incompetent--left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.