question about security clearance

[Futuresoldier]

Like many others I have a question about security clearance regarding OCS. I graduated college in 2006 and like many others when I was younger I accumulated some debt. I don't need a moral wavier, because I have never been arrested for anything. I also have been a teacher for the last three years. I plan on attending Basic this summer and then drill until traditional OCS starts the following March. My questions is what are my chances of being denied a security clearance. All my debt payments but one is current. And it will be current by August. All my monthly payments for any debt I have, including mortgage, insurance, utilities, and living expenses do not exceed my monthly income. They way I budget myself I pay my bills and have a little over. I have even been working a second job for the last year to help pay things off quicker even though I do not need too work two jobs. If I explain everything to the person interviewing me, do you all think there will be any problems? Thanks for reading this, I tried to give you as much information as possible so you can make a good judgment.

[7011USMC]

Have you contacted your OSM for your state? Are you working with a local recruiter? If not you'll need to contact them and start the process. As far as your debt if you are current and only behind on one bill try to get it caught back up or maybe consolidate your debt. You seem like you would be qualified recruit to be an 09S soldier.

Wish you the best of luck and welcome to the forum. Enjoy the entertainment.:D

[show_stopper999]

Once everything is current then it is basically (and very basically) a non-issue. You run into issues when you dont make payments at all. If you owe $15k and have somehow struck a deal to pay $10 a month on it, and the company you owe is happy with that, and you're paying, it's a non-issue.

[show_stopper999]

All clearance levels adhere to the same adjudicative standards and scrutiny. The only difference is the depth of the investigation.

Hence: You lose a TS clearance or get denied for one, you get denied for all clearance levels.

You get a secret clearance, and the further investigation required for a TS/SCI reveals no new derogatory information, you will get the TS/SCI.

So if you get a secret with 70 DUIs on your record, and the SSBI for a TS/SCI reveals no other derogatory info, you will get a TS/SCI.

If you have a TS/SCI and you get your clearance revoked for getting two speeding tickets in a single day, you will lose all clearance/access, including confidential.

Revokations and denials prohibit re-applying for a clearance for 365 days from the day it became final (after all appeals).

That's the real truth.

[show_stopper999]

Just to re-cap and re-explain.

The adjudicator gets your file and says "Is this person able to be granted access to classified information without risk to the government"

If the answer is yes, then you will be granted a clearance to the highest level your investigation allows. If you only have a NACLC conducted, then you're getting a secret. If you have an SSBI, you'll get a TS/SCI.

SCI and SAP, however, are not actual clearance levels. They are accesses.

[Futuresoldier]

Thanks for the replies. I have already been working with a recruiter and have my packet ready for MEPS. I have already been cleared by the Lt. and Major in charge of OCS for my state. I have a letter for MEPS from them that give me the go ahead for 09S on my contract when I go through MEPS. So I am done with that. My new questions is this though. Since I do not have to go to AIT I will get back from Basic in August and have 10 months of me drilling with a unit until I start OCS. I was told I would have to join any unit and just drill with them until I start OCS. (1) What happens to me if that unit is activated since I do not have a set job? do I have to go full time with them and train then leave for overseas, or do I just stay part time and just train with another unit. and (2) If I am in OCS and the unit I was originally attached to is activated do I have to leave OCS? Thanks for all the help guys, it really means alot.

[7011USMC]

After basic your job will be "job shadow" an officer. You will be a OC (paid as a E-5). Hope you can make coffee if not learn quickly there is your first tip:D.

I take you'll be doing the traditional state OCS program. You will not deploy you will be in the "rear with the gear". You will not be deployable until you have completed both stages of the OBC until your "fully qualified" branch officer.

[show_stopper999]

The problem is that there are a ton of old crusty people who have been in my career field forever, and a lot of people operate on old knowledge. In the past 3 years stuff has changed so much that if you arent reading the releases from OPM, the court cases, and everything else that is published almost daily, you're not keeping up.

AR 380-67 is almost entirely worthless, since it was written in 1989 or something like that, and that's the most current version. They're alledgedly waiting on the DoD instruction to be updated before the re-write, but they've done it, and that's already outdated.

So what we have is a lot of "Well in 1997 ....." or similar stuff, because you have to make an effort to read and study this stuff...and to find it, or it will change.

Most security managers I know are still on the look out for violations of the Smith Amendment which bars people in certain situations from having ANY level of security clearance. Problem is, that was repealed in January 2008 with another law that loosened the restrictions but imposed them across the entire government, not just the DoD.

Seriously, go out and search for "Smith amendment security clearances" and see everything that's still up. 90% of it is outdated.

And for the record, my situations of "70 DUIs" or "3 parking tickets" were hypothetical and extreme to emphasize the situation.

In 2009 the only reason I wasnt selected as the Army Chief of Personnel security was I was beat out by someone with a masters degree and 20+ years in the Biz. I was the number 2 selection after a long interview process but I was only working on my bachelors and had about 4 years of experience.

My sticking point was that we need an entire rework as well as an education and training program, and someone needs to get on the freaking ball and update the regulations.

No more speculation and "conventional wisdom". Black and white.

[PalatialGabe]

^^^

this is true, my Secret took like 6 months, but my TS/SCI took like 3 months. Things were a lot different since 2005.