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Old 03-26-2014, 04:40 PM
 
7 posts, read 79,084 times
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Hi everyone,

Question here, I'm a 30 year old guy and starting a job soon for a federal contractor where I start first and then apply for secret or TS clearance. Interim is not important for me, just final adjudication.

I travel for vacation internationally from time to time. Sometimes while on vacation, I meet foreigners. For example, I might meet someone from China or Japan or Germany.

Would it affect the clearance process negatively if I exchange contact info such as email or Facebook info with foreigners while traveling? Would it be bad if I accept an invitation with a foreigner to have dinner together at a restaurant? Or go around some tourist sites?

In general, is it bad to keep in touch with foreigners? (Assuming they do not ask me about anything that would tigger security flags). I thought about making a policy for myself to make no foreign contacts. But life is long and who knows whether I will work as a federal contractor forever. International connections might become useful career wise someday. It seems overly shortsighted/restrictive that I should not make any foreign Facebook friends just because of the possibility of security clearance issues? What do you guys think?

Last edited by Ml123; 03-26-2014 at 04:52 PM..
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Old 03-26-2014, 04:48 PM
 
Location: USA
7,474 posts, read 6,998,509 times
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I have experience in this area, so to field that question:

Generally speaking, with a Top Secret clearance, it is not a great idea to have a host of foreign contacts, particularly random ones that you meet and which can be difficult to track down later. It's okay if you have a few, provided you have vetted them and know that they are not a threat, but the reality from what I've heard regarding Top Secret clearances is that they strongly prefer folks not make a habit of traveling to foreign lands or befriending foreigners, particularly at random. It might seem silly, but that person you meet there to have dinner could be seen as a threat, and it's even possible (however unlikely) that he is a threat.

Now, all that being said I hold a Secret clearance and have a foreign relative who married into the family and I have traveled a few times to other nations, including overseas. I was never given a hard time about any of it, provided I documented everything thoroughly - all the info about my foreign relative, where I went overseas and when, etc. Also, I had to let Security at my job know beforehand where I was going so they could approve it.

Top Secret clearances give you less wiggle room. I know some folks who have them, and they've been given dirty looks for going to Canada when visiting Niagara Falls, as silly as that may seem. So, to be truthful, if you want the Top Secret clearance, it does mean you make some sacrifices with regard to your ability to travel overseas or make lots of foreign contacts, at least based on my experiences.

Good luck.
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Old 03-26-2014, 04:55 PM
 
Location: Spokane, WA
1,989 posts, read 2,522,147 times
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I currently have a TS/SCI. Long term foreign contacts of the wrong kind are what the invesitigators are looking for. Are you involved in foreign groups (especially those that oppose the US) are you invested specifically in foreign companies in direct competition with the US, etc. Traveling to another country and interacting with the local populace, is NOT looked at negatively unless you are routinely heading to Pakistan, North Korea or Iran. Going to Germany or Japan is not that big of a deal.

Once you get the clearance you need to be especially mindful of who you talk to and what about. You'll get guidance on how to act, what to watch out for once you have your clearance and you make a trip outside the US.
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Old 03-26-2014, 07:05 PM
 
7,912 posts, read 7,732,019 times
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I would check a bit because some are more involved.

Supposedly camp david is the highest outside of the white house itself.
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Old 03-26-2014, 10:02 PM
 
10,218 posts, read 19,094,071 times
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It's not bad unless one of your contacts turns out to be a problem (and how do you know?), but it will be a pain as you'll be expected to report your trips to foreign countries and any more-than-casual contacts. It will likely lengthen the clearance process to have many foreign contacts in any case.

Never heard of anyone getting the stink-eye from security for going to Canada (but you still have to report it), but I wouldn't plan any trips to Russia or China, obviously.
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Old 03-27-2014, 04:09 AM
 
7 posts, read 79,084 times
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It sounds like there's some uncertainty here about what is and isn't accepted. I will error on the safe side.

It also sounds like secret and TS are treated differently in terms of how much wiggle room. Is that everyone's experience? I thought the guidelines for both are the same.
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Old 03-27-2014, 04:25 AM
 
1,344 posts, read 4,746,451 times
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The guidelines for secret and TS are the same, but they investigate more for the TS. And every agency can adjudicate stuff differently.

As far as foreigners...

Talk to? No problem.

Facebook friends, roommates, people you have regular, close contact with, all okay but report them. Some places have a form for reporting, some dont so email the info so you have a paper trail so it doesn't come back to haunt you.

Avoid dating Chinese, Russians, and folks from any other hot area. And, unless you really want to, avoid travel to those areas. You won't lose a clearance over this stuff, but it can make it harder, and longer...
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Old 03-27-2014, 05:15 AM
 
Location: Richmond, VA
5,030 posts, read 6,306,110 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ml123 View Post
Hi everyone,

Question here, I'm a 30 year old guy and starting a job soon for a federal contractor where I start first and then apply for secret or TS clearance. Interim is not important for me, just final adjudication.

I travel for vacation internationally from time to time. Sometimes while on vacation, I meet foreigners. For example, I might meet someone from China or Japan or Germany.

Would it affect the clearance process negatively if I exchange contact info such as email or Facebook info with foreigners while traveling? Would it be bad if I accept an invitation with a foreigner to have dinner together at a restaurant? Or go around some tourist sites?

In general, is it bad to keep in touch with foreigners? (Assuming they do not ask me about anything that would tigger security flags). I thought about making a policy for myself to make no foreign contacts. But life is long and who knows whether I will work as a federal contractor forever. International connections might become useful career wise someday. It seems overly shortsighted/restrictive that I should not make any foreign Facebook friends just because of the possibility of security clearance issues? What do you guys think?
I think you should look at the adjudicative criteria, rather than ask a message board. These are the things the investigator will look for and ask about, and the adjudicator will weigh in whether or not to grant you a clearance. Here's the pertinent paragraph:

"
[CENTER]Guideline B:
Foreign Influence

[/CENTER]
6. The Concern. Foreign contacts and interests may be a security concern if the individual has divided loyalties or foreign financial interests, may be manipulated or induced to help a foreign person, group, organization, or government in a way that is not in U.S. interests, or is vulnerable to pressure or coercioon by any foreign interest. Adjudication under this Guideline can and should consider the identity of the foreign country in which the foreign contact or financial interest is located, including, but not limited to, such considerations as whether the foreign country is known to target United States citizens to obtain protected information and/or is associated with a risk of terrorism.


7. Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying include:

(a) contact with a foreign family member, business or professional associate, friend, or other person who is a citizen of or resident in a foreign country if that contact creates a heightened risk of foreign exploitation, inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion;

(b) connections to a foreign person, group, government, or country that create a potential conflict of interest between the individual's obligation to protect sensitive information or technology and the individual's desire to help a foreign person, group, or country by providing that information;

(c) counterintelligence information, that may be classified, indicates that the individual's access to protected information may involve unacceptable risk to national security;

(d) sharing living quarters with a person or persons, regardless of citizenship status, if that relationship creates a heightened risk of foreign inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion;

(e) a substantial business, financial, or property interest in a foreign country, or in any foreign-owned or foreign-operated business, which could subject the individual to heightened risk of foreign influence or exploitation;

(f) failure to report, when required, association with a foreign national;

(g) unauthorized association with a suspected or known agent, associate, or employee of a foreign intelligence service;

(h) indications that representatives or nationals from a foreign country are acting to increase the vulnerability of the individual to possible future exploitation, inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion;
(i) conduct, especially while traveling outside the U.S., which may make the individual vulnerable to exploitation, pressure, or coercion by a foreign person, group, government, or country.


8. Conditions that could mitigate security concerns include:

(a) the nature of the relationships with foreign persons, the country in which these persons are located, or the positions or activities of those persons in that country are such that it is unlikely the individual will be placed in a position of having to choose between the interests of a foreign individual, group, organization, or government and the interests of the U.S.;

(b) there is no conflict of interest, either because the individual's sense of loyalty or obligation to the foreign person, group, government, or country is so minimal, or the individual has such deep and longstanding relationships and loyalties in the U.S., that the individual can be expected to resolve any conflict of interest in favor of the U.S. interest;

(c) contact or communication with foreign citizens is so casual and infrequent that there is little likelihood that it could create a risk for foreign influence or exploitation;

(d) the foreign contacts and activities are on U.S. Government business or are approved by the cognizant security authority;

(e) the individual has promptly complied with existing agency requirements regarding the reporting of contacts, requests, or threats from persons, groups, or organizations from a foreign country;
(f) the value or routine nature of the foreign business, financial, or property interests is such that they are unlikely to result in a conflict and could not be used effectively to influence, manipulate, or pressure the individual. "
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Old 03-27-2014, 06:27 AM
 
Location: The DMV
6,556 posts, read 11,179,287 times
Reputation: 8570
Talk to your organization's FSO. They will provide guidelines and answer your questions.
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Old 03-27-2014, 06:31 AM
 
2,429 posts, read 3,997,052 times
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good grief
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