security clearance

[ginawill]

My son is at IBT right now and he mentioned to me that he may not get an assignment or training that he was interested in due to him possibly not passing the security clearance.
I know nothing about the security clearance nor what it entails. My question is..Could you honestly fail security clearance because you got in a fight with a bully in high school?

[Kegler300]

No.

[testforecho2112]

Sorry Master Guns, but wouldnt it depend on if the young man in question was criminally charged? Or, if he wasnt honest about what happened and that was in the police report?

I agree that if he admitted to being in a fight, and no legal repercussions were affected, that would not disqualify him from getting his clearance...

I was arrested for littering (toilet papering a house, an infraction) several weeks before leaving for bootcamp and it didnt have any effect on my clearances. But crimes of violence may be another story.

Can you tell us more about the fight? Specifically if he was arrested or faced any charges?

Bill

[Sgt Leprechaun]

No, again. A simple schoolyard fight is not reason enough to deny someone a clearance. Even if charged as a juvenile, it's still not enough reason.

There is something else that you, dear lady, are not being told.

[gwladgarwr]

Ma'am:

Don't take this as an attack on you or your son. I don't mean that in that way at all.

However, investigations into individuals applying for clearances are subjected to VERY close scrutiny, and the way they they determine a subject's suitability is extremely complex. Things that you may pass off as "just a thang" could be grounds for suspicion for suspectibilty to "influence". I don't say that's it's always right, but they need the latitude to determine 'yes' or 'no' and the level of risk they'd want to take in entrusting someone with classified material. So, in the end, if they think they would 'lose' more than than they could 'gain' by entrusting someone with classified material, the answer is really very simple.

I think there's more to your son's story than a simple fight with a bully. It may not be anything about your son specifically, but they may question his willingness to divulge the truth about whatever they're asking. (Not to say he's lying about something, but whether he is hiding something to protect someone else which could place him in a situation where he could feel complelled to be "influenced".) There could also be issues about citizenship with regard to immediate family members. They also seriously consider financial and credit history to determine trustworthiness.

If he's already been denied clearance, he could appeal their decision. However, the burden would be upon your son to prove that the authorizing agency who denied him was wrong in their reasoning. That's pretty hard. They would, according to the law, be compelled to explain on which grounds his clearance was denied and allow him to counter or refute the findings.

Remember: no one has a right to obtain clearance. But, if he approaches this whole thing right, he may be able to explain his circumstances and have the whole thing work out in his favor. Ultimately, it will be up to him to justify the trust they want to put in him.

If you have anything to divulge to your son, I would advise you to let him in on it. They are more inclined to accept your son admitting or uncovering something technically "bad" than to watch him avoid the question. They look very unkindly on things like that. Just have him be truthful and not hold back.

Even if they turn him down for being truthful, they can't ever say he was a liar. I'd rather have that than have my integrity or loyalty questioned.

Sgt gw

[Kegler300]

If he was criminally charged, he needs to state that on his e-Qip questionnaire. A school yard fight with a bully won't be grounds for a denial, unless there are serious extenuating circumstances (did he kill the guy?). If he has been denied a clearance by DONCAF, there is no due process for appeal. If his clearance has been revoked, then he will be provided with instructions from DONCAF on how to submit an appeal to the appeals board (PSAB). If it comes down to a suitability determination by his command, and if there are no other issues, he will either be granted a security clearance, or a conditional security clearance.