I will try to make this as short as possible to explain what happened. I was in the military and had a TS clearance. I got out of the military with an honorable discharge. I chose to work for a contracting company which required a lifestyle poly (I had only taken a CI previously). At that point, I revealed that I had smoked pot twice (while in the military) and subsequently had my clearance revoked.
I was informed that it would be possible to get my clearance back if I waited five years from the incidents and reapply for a clearance again (by finding a company willing to sponsor me). It has been over 7 years since those incidents and I thankfully did find a company willing to sponsor me. From what I'm told, the investigation and adjudication went almost to the end. It was apparently headed towards a negative outcome, so my sponsoring company chose to terminate the sponsorship (is that a word?).
I just don't understand. I'm a good person who made a stupid mistake years ago. I do not do any drugs what-so-ever, and I might have 1-2 drinks per year. I have two small children who are my life. I spend all my free time with them. I do not go to bars, clubs, etc. Why would this decision be made? There are people who get so drunk that that can't even remember what they did the next morning, and they have clearances. It amazes me.
Illegal drug use by an individual while holding a security clearance is considered by adjudicators as much more derogatory than such behavior by someone who did not yet have a security clearance at the time. The rationale is that a person who chooses to use illegal drugs while holding a security clearance has displayed especially poor judgment.
How did Monica Lewinsky ever manage to obtain a TS clearance?