Will student activism/civil disobedience prevent me from getting a security clearance? (bad credit, live)

[Ffxdata]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Yes, the OP only said he had received citations. You can get a clearance with a citation.

The biggest thing I think they will look for is if you are perceived to be favorable to another country or if you are prone to being radicalized by another country based on your previous anti-government stance.

None of the stances listed are anti-government. Obama has been working on the issue of sexual assault on college campuses. It sounds like the usual college protest stuff focused against university management. The anarchist ties would be more of an issue I imagine. Also, having a Facebook account which should be deleted yesterday. I agree with your sentiment though

Don't lie. Don't kind of lie. Don't try to obfuscate. It will all come out in the wash, and if you lie, you will be blacklisted. They are thorough and serious.

[Rogarven]

Actions have consequences. Spoken from experience

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by gomason

Lets just say I know what Im talking about *wink wink * *nod*.

DO NOT EVER, EVER lie on a government form. If you want a surefire way to be removed from the government and prevented from future employment - lie on a government form.

I'm not expanding on that. But often the LIE is the issue that gets someone fired.

Current political candidate aside, I tend to agree with you

Like others have said, it depends on how long ago did these activities happen? Also depending on the clearance level, how far back do you need to report them.

Also depends on what gov't agency will you be working for? Some agencies place TRUST above all. Can we TRUST you to have access to the classified information? Are you a TRUST WORTHY person? To answer this question, they look at the WHOLE PICTURE of you as a person. Are you paying your bills on time? Do you have unusually large debt? Are you living a life style beyond your financial means? Do you have a political leaning against our ways of life?

If you LIE on the government form & although you were not caught at the time, you can be BLACK MAILED by those who knows differently FOR THE REST OF YOUR CAREER! But if you disclose them on your application, they may ask for more details, but at the end if you are cleared no one can use these to blackmail you, because they are not "secrets" anymore, even with things that maybe terribly embarrassing for you.

Having said all that, based on what you've told us, I don't think this issue alone will denied you a security clearance (which is the biggest question in your mind right now). People make mistakes throughout their lives, not just in college. They go through divorces, got in debt, smoked pot in college, went to a party, got drunk & ended up either a DUI, killed someone, or had sex with someone they are very embarrassed about, etc. Many of them were still granted security clearances. Some of them even become our presidents or congressman despite all these

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

or had sex with someone they are very embarrassed about, etc.

Please, please, please say this is not a topic they ask about when getting a clearance!

[PK12]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Please, please, please say this is not a topic they ask about when getting a clearance!

They can ask if the individual has availed the services of a sex worker/prostitute, etc.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Please, please, please say this is not a topic they ask about when getting a clearance!

Just to be clear, there are no questionnaire on the e-QIP that asks you specifically with whom you have had sex with (now everybody can breath a sigh of relief ).

But there will be an investigator who will interview you and they are very good at asking questions. Some positions maybe subjected to polygraph test and, in those cases, it's better to tell the truth even though they maybe embarrassing truth. Jay saying.

Originally Posted by PK12

They can ask if the individual has availed the services of a sex worker/prostitute, etc.

Not unless you were caught and there is an arrest record.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Not unless you were caught and there is an arrest record.

Interesting. In most states, prostituion is illegal; yet they can't ask about it unless there is an arrest record?

But asking about another illegal activity, drug usage, is fair game, even without any arrests?

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Interesting. In most states, prostituion is illegal; yet they can't ask about it unless there is an arrest record?

But asking about another illegal activity, drug usage, is fair game, even without any arrests?

It's not that they can't ask about it. I'm guessing that they just don't. They ask what the care about.

The federal government seems to be tightly wound up about marijuana use as well as other drugs.

Now, my own experience with clearances (not my clearance but being interviewed as a character reference for others' top secret cleareances), they seem REALLY REALLY interested in alcohol usage. I mean, really fixated on how much someone drinks.

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by rosemckin

When I was in college, I helped organize some direct action/civil disobedience on my college campus - sit ins in buildings, etc. I also had ties to local anarchists who shut buildings down on a much larger scale and who got arrested frequently. I am not an anarchist anymore although I do find some of the authors interesting. I was never charged, but I was arrested (just cited and released, I don't even have a record). Would this prevent me from getting a Secret security clearance?

I hope so. Actions should have consequences.

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by gemstone1

"Plenty of people did dumb stuff when they were young".....yeah, like protesting against the Vietnam conflict, which brought an end to the maiming, death and distruction. Sure hope you weren't referring to that type of "dumb stuff".

egards
Gemstone1

Those criminals were all pardoned by Jimmy Carter.