LTC Anthony Shaffer's Experience with the CIA Polygraph

[George W. Maschke]

US Army Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Shaffer, who alleges that a DIA data-mining program uncovered cells implicated in the 9/11 attacks in 2000, and DIA decided not to notify the FBI, briefly discussed his experience with the CIA's pre-employment polygraph screening program in his heavily-censored book, Operation Dark Heart (at p. 42):

The truth was, I'd tried to join the CIA when I was fresh out of college. I'd passed the interviews, the tests, and the psychological screening, and had gotten so far that they'd issued me a cover, but I was unable to pass the lie detector exam and didn't get hired.

Years later, the Defense Security Service showed me the results summary. According to the CIA polygraph examiner, I was "deception indicated" on criminal activity and illegal drug use. The funny thing was that the CIA polygraph examiner would not believe, no matter how many times I stated the truth, that I had never even tried drugs. He insisted that everyone in my generation had at least "experimented" with illegal drugs. Of course, I did some stupid things in my youth—bartending for the Marine Guard at their residence in Lisbon, and I'd been a drunken hellion in high school—but never any illegal drugs. Why bother when I had as much booze as I wanted?

Oh, yeah. When confronted with their allegations that I was "deception indicated" on criminal activity, I admitted on the polygraph that I had taken U.S. government Skilcraft pens from the American Embassy in Lisbon. Yeah. Just like John Dillinger.

After that experience, I knew never to believe the results of any polygraph exam. If they couldn't figure out I was telling the truth about drug use, then chances are they couldn't figure out who's telling the truth about anything else.

[stefano]

He insisted that everyone in my generation had at least "experimented" with illegal drugs

Textbook Examiner Bias.

[antipoly4life]

As a CIA reject myself, I will tell you that the CIA always accuses people of crime and drug use in every poly session.  they did it to me.  It is almost as if the CIA wants you to confess to prior minor crimes and drug use, just to show that you have flaws and have lived some sort of "life".  Maybe a little past crime and drug use is just what the CIA is looking for?  If they send you overseas to mingle with the foreigners, it helps if someone drinks a little and can also speak on experiences being under the influence of drugs for good cocktail party conversation.  The Sarah Plain and Tall type is not welcome in the CIA.  If you are too clean and too perfect, they probably don't want you.  LOL.

Antipolygraph.org has spilled the beans on the CIA hiring process and polygraph.  Search this site and you'll find all the juice. Trust me, I've been there, no secretes are left.  The CIA poly is the same song and dance each time, it is one big joke.  I can't believe polygraphers are actually paid to do this crap.