Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) Polygraph Policy

[PossibleDOSapplicant]

So one agency I'm very interested in applying for when I graduate is the Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR). However, looking online, I haven't been able to find anything about how the INR conducts their security clearance investigations, particularly whether or not they polygraph. Does anyone know anything about their polygraph policy?

[George W. Maschke]

The State Department, quite wisely, does not rely on polygraphs. There is no pre-employment polygraph screening for INR or any other arm of the State Department.

[PossibleDOSapplicant]

The State Department, quite wisely, does not rely on polygraphs. There is no pre-employment polygraph screening for INR or any other arm of the State Department.

Wow, this is great to hear! I already wanted to apply to this bureau because I liked the idea of working for a less well-known intelligence agency but now I'm enamored! Fuck the CIA and the NSA, I'm applying here!

[George W. Maschke]

I think I overstated the facts when I wrote above, in a categorical way, that the State Department does not rely on polygraphs. While it is true that the State Department does not require U.S. citizen employees to submit to polygraphic interrogation, the same is evidently not true with respect to locally hired persons at U.S. embassies overseas. See, "U.S. Embassy in Yemen Reportedly Forces Local Employees to Submit to Polygraph 'Testing'" posted to our blog today.

I have also heard from an Afghan citizen who sought employment with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Kabul that his application was rejected after he failed to pass a polygraph interrogation.

[Unhappy in Kabul]

The US Embassy polygraphs Afghans and fires them if they fail.  Wonder if the cultural differences have an impact on this test and if a polygraph is authorized under State Department rules for foreign employees.  Is heartbreaknig to watch Afghan friends be fired after years of servie to the US government.

[George W. Maschke]

Unhappy in Kabul,

No doubt cultural differences have an impact, which is not to say that polygraphy has any validity to begin with (it doesn't). Matters are further confused where interpreters are used. The number of federal polygraph examiners fluent in Persian or Pashtu must be close to zero. And something will inevitably be lost in translation.

The State Department's policy of firing local national employees for such arbitrary and capricious reasons as polygraph chart readings is bound to undermine security by creating unfounded confidence in those who pass and ill-will against the United States among those who are wrongly terminated.

[xenonman]

Your last sentence matches my sentiments exactly.
I've always been amazed by how many persons that won't work for the CIA or NSA, have no problem joining the Foreign Service or other State Dept. offices!

[xenonman]

I can't understand why everybody wants to work for State, although they won't work at CIA or NSA.

Don't they know that they will end up working alongside CIA scum?

[xenonman]

Has Hamid Karzai ever been polygraphed?  (the crook whom the CIA sends bundles of cash regularly)

[xenonman]

The State Department, quite wisely, does not rely on polygraphs. There is no pre-employment polygraph screening for INR or any other arm of the State Department.

However, I suspect that other aspects of the background check are just as rigid as at other agencies.