I am going to be applying for TS clearance soon for work with a contractor and am a little worried about a couple of incidents in my past.
First, about a year ago I found what appeared to be a small marijuana plant growing in the ditch near my house. I pulled it up so none of the kids would find it and threw it in the trash. A few days later I saw it in the trash and became curious and plucked off a piece of the leaf and took a match to it and inhaled a couple times. I suppose it smelled like marijuana - at least what I recall from my youth, but there was no psychotropic effect (i.e. I have gotten more stoned off a cup of weak tea.) I plan to be truthful about this incident but I'm worried how this is going to affect my chances. Should I just wait for a while or go for it now? I should note that other than this incident I haven't used any illegal drugs since my teens (~20 years ago) and don't even drink for that matter.
Secondly, I was living overseas in the late 90's. While there I went out with this woman who I found out was only 17. Before I discovered her age we had made out once - no clothes came off but there was some deep kissing and a bit of light petting and such. Just so nobody thinks I'm a pervert I should point out that she was the "aggressor" and as soon as I found out her age I made it clear to her that we could not be intimate (though we did remain friends.) The age of consent in the country I was living is 16 so there was nothing illegal going on, but I have to admit it is a little embarassing. Is this going to hurt my chances?
Also, during the clearance process is much/any consideration given to the skills of the applicant? That is, is it possible that they will clear me in spite of some intermitent silliness (basically what I mentioned above) because I have knowledge and skills that are in high demand?
TimothyLeary,
Neither of the two items that concern you are illegal or immoral. You did not "use" marijuana, even assuming the plant actually was that. Nor did your dating the 17-year old violate any law to begin with, and you terminated the relationship upon learning her age.
I think you would be wise not to volunteer any information in this regard. Neither of these matters are responsive to the questions asked on Standard Form 86 (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF86.pdf). Mentioning these matters will not make you look more honest to background investigators or to a polygraph examiner. It will only unnecessarily raise unfounded suspicions (Were you in fact cultivating marijuana? Do you have a thing for underage girls?) and can only adversely affect your chances of obtaining a top secret clearance.
Clinton's last words:
"I did not inhale" and "I did not have sex with that woman."
Quote from: retcopper on Sep 21, 2005, 11:02 AMClinton's last words:
"I did not inhale" and "I did not have sex with that woman."
Your flippant remark is irrelevant to TimothyLeary's concerns, but is perhaps a good illustration of the sort of personality he might encounter in the polygraph suite.
Clinton's last words:
"I did not inhale" and "I did not have sex with that woman."
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Heh. Brilliant. I haven't heard that comment before. But you raise an interesting point. Perhaps I should forget intelligence work and instead go for the presidency? Not a bad idea...not bad at all. The security checks would probably be less of an obstacle in any case.
Other than the investigator laughing their ass off a the rediculousness of your stories... I think you are okay...
They may have a chucke and wonder if you're showing better judgement than you did 20 years ago... who has pot behind his house - digs it up - then decides to taste it FROM THE GARBAGE... I presume you don't suck down crap in the garbage can anymore! :)
The only thing I see may be an issue is if you have more stories like these that demonstrate - essentially - you have periodic episodes of being a nitwit...
Its not a loyalty issue - but if you eat pot from the garbage can in your 20's - have sex (or almost I suppose in this case) under age chicks 10 years ago... you may be the next idiot who leaves his TS/SCI laptop in the subway... and God knows there are already enough of those guys running around in government...
I'd suggest you "learn from your ways" and act a bit more grownup... confess your sins in the interview when asked - and say "oh I'm much more responsible now... with age comes experience."
Again - I'm expecting the interviewer to laugh their ass off... I did. Compared to some of the people I KNOW who did wild stuff in their "youth" and still got clearances - you'll probably be fine...