Top Secret Clearance - FBI (Special Agent) Background Check

[Thesleevedlife]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Thesleevedlife]

Hopefully, I am posting this in the right forum.

I have a strong interest in joining the FBI, specifically as a Special Agent. I have spent the past few months reasearching the position, ensuring I fully understand the requirements.

I have one concern, in regards to the extensive background check. More so on the Top Secret security clearance. To even apply you have to determine if you meet the minimum requirements, and that you do not fall into the categories of the listed disqualifers. I am a go for those.

The issue I think will hinder me is my military/Army experiece. I joined the Army Nation Guard when I was 19 (currently 26). After Initial Training, real life hit me like a ton of bricks, without getting into too much detail, I missed 2 drill weekends and was Discharged. My Separation Document states I recieved an "Under Honorable Conditons (General)" and a transfers to the IRR.

Fast Forward a year, 2011. An Army Reserve recruiter calls me out of the blue and asked if I was interested in Joining and reclassing as an MP. I initially said No. He was persistent and invited me to come in one weekend to meet the unit Leadership and Soldiers. I agreed and went. It was purely informational, meet and greet like environment.

One month later I get an email stating my 1st drill, would be the following weekend. I was confused so I reached out to the recruiter, shockingly he had retired. I tried calling the NCOs I met to clarify I was not interested at the moment. She stated I probably got the email because I had written my information down when I signed-in during my visit. I left it that.

2014 rolls around and I get an Order stating I was separated (again), but this time from the Army Reserves, MP Unit. When I inquired I was told that I did transfer and even went to my first drill, and there is nothing I can do about. I shrugged it off and went on with life.

Currently I work in a Corporate environment, have obtained my Bachelors, making great money, and am overall well rounded. Now that I am ready to follow my dreams I am worried my General Discharge will prevent this.

Anyone know if its possible to receive a TS clearance at at the FBI with a GD? I know I will have to explain, which I am willing to do.

Also, during FBI background check, what exactly will they see? I assume my Separation orders. The reserves/guard do not issue these DD214s.

Any advice or knowledge is appreciated.

 

[FlyingRon]

You should disclose anything that you think is the least bit relevant when asked. If your security clearance application (I was never in the military so I can remember if the TS asked if I was in any I've filled out over the past 30 years) asks about military service, you'll have to explain this ELS (If that's really what it was). I don't think such is going to block you from getting such a clearance. ELSs are not generally considered punitive.

What you don't want to do is to be perceived as LYING on your application (or in any subsequent interviews or polygraph tests). This is 100% detrimental to getting security clearances or being accepted as in law enforcement situations.

 

[justalayman]

I think you greatly misunderstood all the activities dealing with the military. The IRR is known as inactive reserves. You are still considered military personnel when in the IRR. You have an annual commitment. You are subject to recall under certain conditions.

Additonally it appears you transferrred to the active reserves and then failed to fulfill your reauirements there.


While I am surprised they allowed you to escape everything given your refusal to attend assigned duties, you would have recieved documents at each change of duty status. You have to sign contracts to make those changes. It would appear you were simply oblivious to what you were randomly signing each time you changed your duty status.

The fact you shrugged off some very serious issues speaks volumes about your personal traits. I'm surprised your initial discharge from the reserves was not a less than honorable. I suspect the reason it wasn't was due to
The transfer to IRR status.

You don't mention what your discharge type was the second time you were discharged from the reserves. Was that also a general discharge?

Before you apply for anything you need to obtain your military records and review them. Going through life with blinders on was not the wisest thing to do.

 

[FlyingRon]

OK disregard my comment about ELS I wasn't reading the above carefully.

But the advice still stands. Tell them what happened. I can tell you that being booted out of the guard/reserves for repeated missing of non-call-up duty is far from uncommon. I don't think it will be a security clearance issue, but it may be a hiring issue toherwise for the FBI. I believe my father got honerably separated that way and he served in a very, very sensitive roll in an "energy" related matter.

 

[justalayman]

OK disregard my comment about ELS I wasn't reading the above carefully.

But the advice still stands. Tell them what happened. I can tell you that being booted out of the guard/reserves for repeated missing of non-call-up duty is far from uncommon. I don't think it will be a security clearance issue, but it may be a hiring issue toherwise for the FBI. I believe my father got honerably separated that way and he served in a very, very sensitive roll in an "energy" related matter.

Does the fact he was booted twice from the reserves (not the IRR) for the same issue raise any concerns? I wonder if his IRR status is discharged. Given the entry date into the reserves of somewhere in 2010 and the issues of failing to report for duty periods, I can see the possibility of still being in IRR.

 

[FlyingRon]

I suspect as long as the service didn't make an issue of it, the clearance guys won't care.

 

[HighwayMan]

As far as I know FBI Special Agents do not get a "top secret" security clearance.

I went through the hiring process for the FBI years ago and passed everything except the vision test and there was no talk of a security clearance. It's simply a background check (and a polygraph) which is standard for any law enforcement job.

No one can really answer the question the OP is posing except for his applicant coordinator who is in charge of hiring him. Although from the sounds of it, he has yet to even apply.

Even getting the chance to take the written exam is a crap shoot. If I was the OP I wouldn't be worrying about the background check because the chances of him even getting to that point are slim.

 

[FlyingRon]

As far as I know FBI Special Agents do not get a "top secret" security clearance.

I don't know if they routiunely do it for all but many INDEED do have such. There is much in their work that requires it. The FBI is intimately involved in domestic operations of foreign governments (such as keeping tabs on the Russian embassy) and even more stuff these days with all the terrorist stuff.

One of our biggest national security breeches was FBI Agent Robert Hansen, selling extremely classified information to the Russians. The FBI also is the group that investigate other secuirty failures (which means they probably need to be cleared to the level that the breached material was at least).


Many years ago I applied for a job with the NSA (I subseuqently worked as a contractor). They really didn't mention that the stuff on the job application was in fact a security clearance application, but it was.

 

[Silverplum]

*silently glides by*

 

[Thesleevedlife]

Wow, I was not expecting so many responses, but I will try to answer some of the posed questions. I didn't want to get into too much detail.. but here goes.

I was at the time engaged to an Airman, 19, and in an abusive relationship. I eventually was able to break away from that situation. Oh, forgot to mention that I am a female. The NCO in charge of me was very understanding and I was told with 12 days of leave accrued from basic training and ait, "to handle my private matters, but to keep him posted." Long story short this did not get to my units Officer. There is a lot more to the story, but I know my biggest mistake was not getting anything in writing, communicating over the phone and via text. Not smart at all.

I finally pulled my records from HrCapps today and I was mistaken, sort of. This may be confusing.

First there is a request for discharge from an officer for other than Honorable for unsat participation. Then there are orders for my transferr to the IRR, with an Honorable Discharge. Then there is a National Guard Report of Separation and record of service that states "Reason: unsat participation" and Discharge "General" these all show dates within a day or 2 of each other.

Whats weird is I also found a revocation of orders for me to go into the reserves.. under Authority it says "Verbal order of the Adjutant General" then finally orders for my discharge from the reserves of Under Honorable Conditions - General.

I acknowledge my immature behavior. The now 26 year old is looking back at the younger me like what in the world were you thinking. Trust me when I say that there is noone who can beat me up more than I and my military family already have over those choices. Fast forward to 2017, and even before this situation I lived/live right and follow all of the rules.

This is something I desperately want to do and am willing to sacrifice myself, time with family, and a 6 figure salary to do so. I'm confident I could pass the polygraph if asked about this and any situation. I just want to know will it cause an auto denial or will I have the opportunity to elaborate. Given an opportunity I know I can accurately convey the circumstances.

Verified that a TS/SCI (Top Secret Clearance) is required for the position. I have read they literally talk to anyone they choose. I have a few friends who knew the situation who went to basic/ait and were assigned to the same NG unit. They know the situation and can attest to it. Also found an email I sent to a Specialist who was apart of the MP reserve unit when I asked why I was receiving a drill notification, and his response was he had no idea why and would look into it.

As far as signing documents, if memory serves me correctly. I signed in. Had to put down name, address, last 4, and email. I participated in a voluntary PT test also and signed something about being medically fit. Like what you would sign to take a free assessment at a gym. We viewed a short video on what MPs do. Asked questions, ate, and then left. I didnt even have a military ID to get on base.

 

[Thesleevedlife]

To add to having to sign for any orders to go. None of the documents in records have my signature/fingerprint signature except for my orignal contract, and forms I signed early on before training and also DD214, which was just for release from "active duty training." The NG Separation and Service Record states "Soldier Unavailable To Sign."