Security Clearance - Drug lies

[someone_else]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? MA

I received a Secret Clearance about 17 months ago, and have been under investigation for a TS (no SCI) ever since. I admitted to pretty heavy pot use for 2 years, ending about 3 years ago, but that seems to not be a big problem.

My problem is that I tried LSD a few times in High School, which was about 5 years, and I never admitted to it. I get a feeling that in the next couple years, I'll be obtaining a job that will require a polygraph, and obviously I'm not too comfortable about trying to lie through it. I don't know for sure, though.

Besides the drug use, my record is nearly flawless (no criminal activity, no foreign contacts, perfect credit record). When I first applied for the clearances I didn't have any legal counsel to tell me to be honest about that. How bad would it be if I told them that I had lied. Should I do this?

 

[JETX]

How bad would it be if I told them that I had lied. Should I do this?

No one can answer this for you as we don't know the agency you are talking about or how sensitive the nature.

Anything from termination to nothing at all.

 

[someone_else]

My apologies. I forgot to mention that it's a DoD Top Secret. I expect that I will be needing to get cleared for SCI/SAP in the next year or two.

I have now gone through the investigation for a Secret clearance, and now a TS, without disclosing that information. I should be getting the final TS in a couple months.

How bad would it be to disclose this information given that I lied before? Should I wait to apply for the higher clearance before filling them in? Or should I be calling someone tomorrow?

 

[EvilWizard]

Ok here is the deal. You signed the paperwork for the security clearance and subsequent investigation stating that you did or did not do drugs and were required to fill out explanation if you checked you did. Basically you are saying you lied on official govt. documentation and if you go back and say you lied there is a possibility that your clearance will be stripped from you. So now you are in a dilemma because you believe you will be getting a polygraph which guess what... will ask you about drugs. If you try to lie your way through the polygraph you will wind up failing and your clearance will get denied or pulled.

Your best bet here is to be honest up front to your security investigator about your prior drug use and hope that the particular organization you are working at (or being contracted to) will not care. As an example I initially didn't tell my investigator that I smoked marijuana in HS and College because I was told not to by my military recruiter, but when I went into the civilian world I did tell them and it was no big deal. It is much better to be upfront and honest then get caught lieing on your poly.

 

[John Moye]

You've already admitted to heavy drug use. During the poly, they will ask you besides the drug use you have already admitted to is there any other drugs you have used that you have used besides pot. You simply say that
I do recall using some speed for a short period of time, no big deal, just be honest.

 

[csporluck]

You've already admitted to heavy drug use. During the poly, they will ask you besides the drug use you have already admitted to is there any other drugs you have used that you have used besides pot. You simply say that
I do recall using some speed for a short period of time, no big deal, just be honest.

IF HE HAS A POLY. there is no guarantee you have to get a Poly, but then again... depending on who you work for they might ask. Just depends on the type of poly they do on you as well.

 

[EvilWizard]

It is better to be up front and honest now then get caught lieing down the road and have you be walked out of a building by security.

 

[John Moye]

I am applying for TS and they say they go back 10 years, what does that mean?

 

[John Moye]

Scope of TS investigation

When they say they investigate the last 10 years of your life, does that mean
you only have to disclose that periond of your life. Because I was incarcerated as a juvenile, 32 years ago. that would fall out of the scope of the investigation, Right?

 

[EvilWizard]

You should be asking your security officer/investigator these questions. I believe the SF-86 says something about 10 years or back to a certain birthday whichever is closer. Ask your investigator/sec officer how far you need to go back. However I thought the SF-86 did ask if you were ever arrested in general...

 

[John Moye]

Right, but do you have to admit to being arrested or serving time as a Juvenile?? I was told I never had to disclose this and I never have.

 

[EvilWizard]

Read your SF-86 form that you are filling out. It has a series of questions and it will specifically state what they want... If it says "In the last 10 years or since the age of 18..." then you are fine. What you need to do is read the form.

 

[re_einstein]

Evil Wizard might lnow

What happens when a temp employee of a Defense Contractor recieve an Interim Secret Clearance leave the company(it lapses before Full secret) then reapplies at another
Company for Secret.

Does DSS start off where they where?
It looks like the questionare is now filled out on a PC at the Defense Contractors facility now?

Are Secret Clearance for temp or contarct employee's still processed by the temp Agencies Security Officer like mine was?

Do Contractors still have the option to encrypyt sensitive parts of the application So the
the temp agency SO can't read it?

 

[JETX]

What happens when

Don't hijack someone elses thread with your questions. It is both rude (in diverting the matter from the thread 'owner') and confusing (when you think a response is to you when it isn't).
Start your own thread and post your question(s) there.

 

[HomeGuru]

that's an Einstein hijacker.