What Happens in Bootcamp if you get denied clearance

[KeNnETT]

Hello Marines,

I was wondering what would happen, when you get into boot camp and you are denied clearance for a job you enlisted for?

What are the options or is there no options? Do you get to pick another job? Do you have to pick another job or can you opt out?

Ya'll have been a lot of help, thank you very much. I've talked to a recruiter and more or less get the "You're not serious about being a Marine" speech than getting actually answers.

Thanks for taking the time.

[MOS4429]

Well, looking at this one series of questions, "What are the options or is there no options? Do you get to pick another job? Do you have to pick another job or can you opt out?" and in particular the last question, can you really blame your recruiter for wondering if you truly are serious about being a Marine?

I'll let somebody else who is more qualified answer your questions with respect to what happens.

[KeNnETT]

Well, looking at this one series of questions, "What are the options or is there no options? Do you get to pick another job? Do you have to pick another job or can you opt out?" and in particular the last question, can you really blame your recruiter for wondering if you truly are serious about being a Marine?

I've read from Marines on this site that have said, "Do not settle, if you want a certain job, wait till you can get it." I took those to heart and I got the MOS that I wanted. I've spent over 3 months studying on my ASVAB to get a good score, I've busted my ass day in and out to get a good IST scores for Poolee Validations in front of the CO and SgtMaj. I've been to every Poolee Function and I PT 3 times a week with them along with at home. I've gone Area Canvassing and I volunteer whenever they need help. If that doesn't show my commitment then obviously I do not have what it takes.

If after all that and being a Marine means that I have to do a job I have absolutely no interest in, then no I don't blame my recruiter.


Thank you for taking the time to read my thread.

[MOS4429]

I've read from Marines on this site that have said, "Do not settle, if you want a certain job, wait till you can get it." I took those to heart and I got the MOS that I wanted. I've spent over 3 months studying on my ASVAB to get a good score, I've busted my ass day in and out to get a good IST scores for Poolee Validations in front of the CO and SgtMaj. I've been to every Poolee Function and I PT 3 times a week with them along with at home. I've gone Area Canvassing and I volunteer whenever they need help. If that doesn't show my commitment then obviously I do not have what it takes.

If after all that and being a Marine means that I have to do a job I have absolutely no interest in, then no I don't blame my recruiter.


Thank you for taking the time to read my thread.

Take a chill pill, young man! :evilgrin:

Remember, you asked the question and you provided the information, but let's take a look at your original (first) question.

"I was wondering what would happen, when you get into boot camp and you are denied clearance for a job you enlisted for?"

Why are you concerned you might be denied a clearance?

If there is nothing in your background, then there should be no concern, right?

The statement, "Do not settle, if you want a certain job, wait till you can get it," is a totally different context. This advice from some Marines (others do not give this advice; they say you should just be satisified to be a Marine) is in reference waiting to get the MOS you want when you ship. You hold out, you get a contract, you ship. That statement has nothing to do with waiting for a particular job, being denied security clearance, and opting out.

You prepared yourself for your MOS, and it sounds like you have waited for it and gotten it. What happens down the road is irrelevant to your initial contract.

I've known Marines enlisting for a particular MOS, going through MOS school, and then guess what? Being assigned to a job responsibility that has ZERO to do with their MOS. Do they opt out?

I enlisted avionics/electronics technical skills bonus "guaranteed contract," and at the end of boot camp when MOS's were called out, mind was 4400 - Legal! What I was not offered, nor is it something I even thought about was an "opt out."

So....you got the MOS you wanted, spent over 3 months studying on your ASVAB, busted your ass day in and out to get a good IST scores for Poolee Validations in front of the CO and SgtMaj, been to every Poolee Function and PT'd 3 times a week with them along with at home, you've area Canvassed, volunteered whenever they needed help. Well, how about that? Good for you. And all that should help you become a Marine, and that in and of itself ought to be enough.

[ggyoung]

What the hell is this "opt out" BS? When I was in no body heard of "OPT OUT"

[Zulu 36]

Lets look at this another way. If you enlisted for an MOS that requires a top secret clearance, thus an extensive background investigation, and you bomb on said BI because of something you failed to...

[KeNnETT]

Well, how about that? Good for you. And all that should help you become a Marine, and that in and of itself ought to be enough.

I'm not upset and I'm sorry if I came off that way. I wasn't saying any of that to sound cocky or arrogant, I just wanted to let you know what I've done to accomplish while I was enlisted, nothing more.

I wish I could say that would be enough but it isn't. A cousin and a few people that are Marines told me they joined to be a Marine and got w/e MOS they could and have been very disappointed and wished they would of picked their MOS. I know it's what you make it but I couldn't make that situation better by just knowing I was a Marine.

Again thank you MOS4429 for helping me, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me on this

Zulu-
I'm not really worried about anything I've done. I do have a stepfather that was from England that seems like it could be problems (from what I've read on here)

Thank you Zulu for the help, I appreciate it

[MOS4429]

I wish I could say that would be enough but it isn't. A cousin and a few people that are Marines told me they joined to be a Marine and got w/e MOS they could and have been very disappointed and wished they would of picked their MOS. I know it's what you make it but I couldn't make that situation better by just knowing I was a Marine.
Zulu-
I'm not really worried about anything I've done. I do have a stepfather that was from England that seems like it could be problems (from what I've read on here)

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, Robert, but all the angst may just be for naught.

You are old enough to know life is no bed or roses. So, yes, sometimes it is just that: What YOU make it.

So...one of my brothers joins the Marine Corps, told by his recruiter go open contract, tell them at the end of boot camp you want to be an MP and you're good to go. Well, you can guess what happened there. He became 0331.

Dang! That wasn' this expectation! So he had two choices: Moan about it, biotch to everybody, cop an attitude and spend the next 3 years in misery (3 yr contract.) Or yeah, make the best of it. He chose the latter, looked for opportunity, took it when it was there, made meritorious Sgt in about 2.5 years, matured more than he ever would if he had the chance (HE DIDN'T) to opt out, and then got out and went on with life.

"I know it's what you make it but I couldn't make that situation better by just knowing I was a Marine."

You may receive a curve ball and be given a choice. It will be what YOU make of it. Semper fi - do or die!

[KeNnETT]

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, Robert, but all the angst may just be for naught.

You are old enough to know life is no bed or roses. So, yes, sometimes it is just that: What YOU make it.

So...one of my brothers joins the Marine Corps, told by his recruiter go open contract, tell them at the end of boot camp you want to be an MP and you're good to go. Well, you can guess what happened there. He became 0331.

Dang! That wasn' this expectation! So he had two choices: Moan about it, biotch to everybody, cop an attitude and spend the next 3 years in misery (3 yr contract.) Or yeah, make the best of it. He chose the latter, looked for opportunity, took it when it was there, made meritorious Sgt in about 2.5 years, matured more than he ever would if he had the chance (HE DIDN'T) to opt out, and then got out and went on with life.

"I know it's what you make it but I couldn't make that situation better by just knowing I was a Marine."

You may receive a curve ball and be given a choice. It will be what YOU make of it. Semper fi - do or die!

I appreciate the help and you taking the time to respond in this thread. You have definitely given me a lot to think about. Thank you very much, stay safe.

[MOS4429]

Carry on.

[Mxzero]

This actually happened while I was in MOS school. They wrote down a list of what they wanted to do that didn't require a clearance then gave him another job. Not sure if he got what he picked though. With the draw down and cutting troop numbers, I wouldn't be surprised if they just kicked you out for it. And yes, technically you could get out because of it for a broken contract, but that's more then likely not gonna happen, so don't count on that.

[afraziaaaa]

Hello Marines,

I was wondering what would happen, when you get into boot camp and you are denied clearance for a job you enlisted for?

What are the options or is there no options? Do you get to pick another job? Do you have to pick another job or can you opt out?

Ya'll have been a lot of help, thank you very much. I've talked to a recruiter and more or less get the "You're not serious about being a Marine" speech than getting actually answers.

Thanks for taking the time.

You get reassigned in boot camp. You don't really have a say. Typically, you will not be assigned a job in DEP if you might not get the security clearance.

Are you worried about being denied a clearance for some reason?

[Apache]

Opt Out
So when you are a target in a combat zone you think you can say I wanna go home ?

[KeNnETT]

You get reassigned in boot camp. You don't really have a say. Typically, you will not be assigned a job in DEP if you might not get the security clearance.

Are you worried about being denied a clearance for some reason?

Just that my stepdad has dual citizenship. England and United States.

Thank you Marines for all the help, I appreciate it

Apache-
Was that a rhetorical question? Or did you really want me to answer?

[Zulu 36]

Just that my stepdad has dual citizenship. England and United States.

Thank you Marines for all the help, I appreciate it

Apache-
Was that a rhetorical question? Or did you really want me to answer?


If that dual citizenship is the only issue, your step-father may (may, since he isn't your biological parent) have to revoke his UK citizenship in writing. That would solve the problem. If it is an issue, you will be told of it and given a chance to get it corrected as that isn't an automatic DQ for a TS clearance.

[MOS4429]

This actually happened while I was in MOS school. They wrote down a list of what they wanted to do that didn't require a clearance then gave him another job. Not sure if he got what he picked though. With the draw down and cutting troop numbers, I wouldn't be surprised if they just kicked you out for it. And yes, technically you could get out because of it for a broken contract, but that's more then likely not gonna happen, so don't count on that.

Read Tenneessee Top's post today. Looks like the draw down may be a myth and the Marine Corps is stabilizing at 202,000 +/-.

[Kegler300]

You won't be denied your security clearance while in boot camp, or in the training pipeline. If there are adjudicative concerns with your background investigation, DONCAF will allow you due process to mitigate those concerns first. You need to make sure you check in with your unit security manager when you arrive at your first permanent duty station.