SA Secret Service app process

[WJ]

I'm coming out of the military as an officer and have applied to the USSS.  I went through my initial interview with supposedy flying colors and have been asked to take the TEA exam.  I've been studying and studying for the exam via the ARCO books.  The math portion seems the hardest.
-Does anyone have any tips for the TEA exam? I've used a tutor and been studying.

-What should I expect from the polygraph?  Do the counter-measures really work?  What are my chances?

WJ

[George W. Maschke]

Regarding what to expect on the polygraph, see Chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector:

https://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf

and the "Law Enforcement Pre-Employment Test" examiner's guide:

https://antipolygraph.org/documents/dodpi-lepet.pdf

Although use of countermeasures does not guarantee that one will pass, there is no doubt but that polygraph techniques are susceptible to countermeasures, and the polygraph community has no demonstrated ability to detect them. For more on countermeasures, see Chapter 4 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector.

[WJ]

It seems that most of the people on these forums have failed the polygraph as opposed to passing the polygraph.  Is anyone here who has passed the USSS SA polygraph?

[quickfix]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

[George W. Maschke]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

You mean like these people (myself included) "who didn't foolishly try countermeasures?"

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

As the experience of many has shown, telling the truth is no guarantee of passing the polygraph. Considering that the polygraph community has no reliable method of countermeasure detection, it is hard to see how using countermeasures is in any way foolish. On the contrary, considering that polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, it might be foolhardy not to use readily available, easily learned countermeasures to reduce the risk of a false positive outcome.

[quickfix]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

You mean like these people (myself included) "who didn't foolishly try countermeasures?"

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

As the experience of many has shown, telling the truth is no guarantee of passing the polygraph. Considering that the polygraph community has no reliable method of countermeasure detection, it is hard to see how using countermeasures is in any way foolish. On the contrary, considering that polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, it might be foolhardy not to use readily available, easily learned countermeasures to reduce the risk of a false positive outcome.

Oops, I should have added, "or who were truthful to the relevant questions."
That certainly excludes you.

[WJ]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

You mean like these people (myself included) "who didn't foolishly try countermeasures?"

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

As the experience of many has shown, telling the truth is no guarantee of passing the polygraph. Considering that the polygraph community has no reliable method of countermeasure detection, it is hard to see how using countermeasures is in any way foolish. On the contrary, considering that polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, it might be foolhardy not to use readily available, easily learned countermeasures to reduce the risk of a false positive outcome.

Oops, I should have added, "or who were truthful to the relevant questions."
That certainly excludes you.

What does the highest court in the land say?  Oh yeah.....their against it, I wonder why.

[George W. Maschke]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

You mean like these people (myself included) "who didn't foolishly try countermeasures?"

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

As the experience of many has shown, telling the truth is no guarantee of passing the polygraph. Considering that the polygraph community has no reliable method of countermeasure detection, it is hard to see how using countermeasures is in any way foolish. On the contrary, considering that polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, it might be foolhardy not to use readily available, easily learned countermeasures to reduce the risk of a false positive outcome.

Oops, I should have added, "or who were truthful to the relevant questions."
That certainly excludes you.

No, it certainly does not. I answered all relevant questions truthfully on both my FBI and LAPD polygraph screening examinations. In the former case, I was falsely accused of deception, and in the latter, I was falsely accused of employing countermeasures. (I didn't even know what countermeasures are at the time.)

[quickfix]

Yea, the ones who didn't foolishly try countermeasures.

You mean like these people (myself included) "who didn't foolishly try countermeasures?"

https://antipolygraph.org/statements.shtml

As the experience of many has shown, telling the truth is no guarantee of passing the polygraph. Considering that the polygraph community has no reliable method of countermeasure detection, it is hard to see how using countermeasures is in any way foolish. On the contrary, considering that polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, it might be foolhardy not to use readily available, easily learned countermeasures to reduce the risk of a false positive outcome.

Oops, I should have added, "or who were truthful to the relevant questions."
That certainly excludes you.

No, it certainly does not. I answered all relevant questions truthfully on both my FBI and LAPD polygraph screening examinations. In the former case, I was falsely accused of deception, and in the latter, I was falsely accused of employing countermeasures. (I didn't even know what countermeasures are at the time.)

Of course you did, George, of course.  Just keep on repeating, I told the truth. I told the truth.  Don't forget to click your heels three times.

[George W. Maschke]

Of course you did, George, of course.  Just keep on repeating, I told the truth. I told the truth.  Don't forget to click your heels three times.

If you would have others believe that I lied on my FBI and/or LAPD polygraph screening examinations, please back your assertion with evidence, not taunts. I note that you yourself have averred elsewhere on this message board:

"I for one would NEVER take an FBI poly (yes, you're hearing it from an examiner!!)"