Securty Clearance?

who has one?

what kind do you have?

how long did it take you to get it?

what was the process like?

was it worth it?

I can pull information up all day long thanks to google.com..

but I would like to get some other IT geek's opinion.. dont be bashful.. we're all geeks here..

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Comments

BradleyHU

i definitely dont have any Securty clearance or Security clearance....

but usually, it takes about 8-12 months for them do the whole process. And yes it is, because alot of companies that the gov't contracts with, you have to already have SC or else they wont even look @ you.

cisco_trooper

I have some kind of low level government clearance that took more than 3 months to get. And this is LLOOWWW level. I don't think it is even a Confidential. I imagine a Confidential, Secret, Top Secret all take considerably longer.

carboncopy

what kind do you have?
Can't tell you, it's top secret

how long did it take you to get it?
Almost 2 years. Reason why is because my social security card has 2 last names listed. During the investigation they asked me my last name and I told them only the one I go by (fathers last name). So they came back months later asking me why I was hiding my "second" last name (mothers last name). I told them that I was not hiding it. I just don't use it,lol. So it prolonged the investigation.

what was the process like?
Not bad at all. Had an interim clearance while the investigation took place. A few friends got "interviewed". More like asked what it was like to work with me, like if I could be trusted and stuff.

was it worth it?
Yes!!!!!! It would be nearly impossible for me to be unemployed. I get job offers every other day and there are other recruiters/companies pretty much waiting for me to quit to pick me up. That's usually how it is for people that have an ACTIVE clearance, not that I am special or anything,lol.

If there is a job that can sponsor you to get one, take it! You will not regret it.

the_Grinch

Yeah the lower clearances are called Public Trust Clearance and they get issued by various agencies. The two I know of are issued by the FAA and DHS. The time it takes for an agency to clear you really depends on how bad they really want you and how much field work they have to do. The more addresses you have, the longer it will take. Most clearances will begin with you filling out the paperwork, doing your fingerprints, and signing a couple of waivers (for them to pull information). Then they will run a local agency check, run you through NCIC, and run your credit. Sometimes this is all you will need to get an interim (this is how it was done for my Secret Clearance).

From there they will contact you to go over all your paperwork (they generally go back between 5 to 10 years. Then they will begin contacting friends, family, and bosses. They will talk to neighbors and sometimes college professors. I will say it can be a bit of a pain in the butt. Number one complaint I got was that my neighbors didn't really know me. I am a pretty private person and beyond saying hi and bye I keep to myself. Also, depending on the clearance you may be required to complete a polygraph. It can consist of counterintel or life questions or both. On a final note, there are clearances higher then top secret

carboncopy

the_Grinch wrote: »

Number one complaint I got was that my neighbors didn't really know me. I am a pretty private person and beyond saying hi and bye I keep to myself.

But I think that for them it would be better if the neighbors did not know you. If they were to ask your neighbors if you were ever being disruptive or out of line, they would most likely get what they want to know from a neighbor that does not know you. If they know you then you can talk to them to have them say whatever you want to the investigator.

KoolTrix

BradleyHU wrote: »

i definitely dont have any Securty clearance or Security clearance....

DOPE! i haz a typo..

KoolTrix

i want a security clearance.. would love for them to ask my neighbors about me.. my neighbors love me, think im extremely smart, and their goto computer guy.

only they might mention that im really into cars, and fast cars at that.

Bokeh

Unless things have changed, most people have to be sponsored to get a clearance. You just cant go out and get one on your own.

When I was in the military, it took 5 months to get cleared for secret/interim top secret, and another 6 months to get cleared for TS/SCI. They interviewed everyone I could think of for the last ten years. Wanted to know if ever traveled outside of US (wanted exact dates), did I ever have an overseas pen pal, etc. They will talk to classmates, friends, teachers, ex employers, etc.

da_don_non

It took like 6-8 months to get and the process was like having teeth pull. They dove 10 years back in my life to make sure I was clear for a high level clearance. BTW now really suppose to say what type of security clearence you have.:D

ElvisG

what kind do you have?

I have a secret and my wife has a TS/SCI clearance. My wife got a secret while she was in the Navy. Then when she got to the AF, she had to get a TS/SCI.

how long did it take you to get it?

I think mine was about a month to fill-out all the information. Then I was told it takes 6 months for whomever to finish the back-ground check. My wife TS/SCI took a year or so.

what was the process like?

For a secret, you just fill-out all the information. It doesn't require a visit from the FBI. My wife said the TS/SCI was the same information you give as a secret but a FBI person will come visit you and the people you listed.

was it worth it?

For mine, not yet. The TS/SCI is worth a lot.

We got ours in the military.

carboncopy

da_don_non wrote: »

BTW now really suppose to say what type of security clearence you have.:D

Orly? Where do you get this from?

carboncopy

ElvisG wrote: »

I have a secret and my wife has a TS/SCI clearance. My wife got a secret while she was in the Navy. Then when she got to the AF, she had to get a TS/SCI.

Interesting... From what I heard you can't go into the "ch"Air Force if you were in another branch before.

bellhead

My C school in the Navy was what allowed me to get my TS/SCI while I was in the Navy. The C school determines your equipment specific job onboard ship or land mine was a crypto pipeline for 6 weeks, on the Ky5's kg-84's, and a couple of others. The crypto school required a active secret to get in the building and a temporary TS to get in the room with the equiment if I remember correctly.

My clearance list when I arrived at my command included a Confidential, Secret, TS/SCI, Nato TS/SCI, No-foreign Secret which is no foreign eyes, S nuclear weapons release, and think there were a couple of others.

The process if I remember correctly started after I received my orders at ET school in great lakes. I had to go to the main office and meet with a PN who filled out a bunch of forms which must have been the initial process. Later I met with the FBI guys and had my polygraph. Definatley one of the more stressful days of my life.

the_Grinch

Not all TS/SCI require a visit with an FBI Agent. Seems the military is the one that does that most often. At this point, you will have a contractor doing the background investigation. Also, they passed a law stating that all backgrounds needed to be completed no more interims. I don't believe it is in full swing (and I don't know if the military was affected due to the need to pump people into training), but a lot of agencies (ICE and CBP I know for sure) have already begun.

Also, I have a couple of friends, with no prior clearance, who got through the TS/SCI for an FBI Agent in 4 months. The agencies can and will move when they want too...

KoolTrix

anyone feel naked and violated?

da_don_non

Bad Typo:

KoolTrix

there's no i in security.. oh wait.. there is

ElvisG

carboncopy wrote: »

Interesting... From what I heard you can't go into the "ch"Air Force if you were in another branch before.

They only open up for prior service once in a blue moon. The last year open was FY 2004 when my wife joined. I don't expect the AF to open up for prior service for a long-time now because of the whole reduction mind-set now. I've been trying to get in ever since. Now that I have passed the age-limit, I trying to get a GS / YA job on-base.

*edit
They do take special forces and special rating that are highly desirable every year from prior-service. But these are very limited and you need to talk to a AF Recruiter. One year the AF only had 40 open billets for prior-service Spec Ops and that was it. If your looking to try to get in then it's best around September because the military FY starts in October.

carboncopy

ElvisG wrote: »

They only open up for prior service once in a blue moon. The last year open was FY 2004 when my wife joined. I don't expect the AF to open up for prior service for a long-time now because of the whole reduction mind-set now. I've been trying to get in ever since. Now that I have passed the age-limit, I trying to get a GS / YA job on-base.

*edit
They do take special forces and special rating that are highly desirable every year from prior-service. But these are very limited and you need to talk to a AF Recruiter. One year the AF only had 40 open billets for prior-service Spec Ops and that was it. If your looking to try to get in then it's best around September because the military FY starts in October.

How old are you? What age limit do you speak of? Lot's of valuable information. Thanks!

ElvisG

carboncopy wrote: »

How old are you? What age limit do you speak of? Lot's of valuable information. Thanks!

I am 34. For prior service, there is a scale that the AF goes by for age limitations. They calculate your years in service and your age and it determines when your age limit is for you to join. I went to 2 different recruiters and they told me the same thing so I'm guessing it's true.

*Edit
Don't talk to the Customer Service person on the AF website. A local AF recruiter will have the more accurate information.

carboncopy

ElvisG wrote: »

I am 34. For prior service, there is a scale that the AF goes by for age limitations. They calculate your years in service and your age and it determines when your age limit is for you to join. I went to 2 different recruiters and they told me the same thing so I'm guessing it's true.

*Edit
Don't talk to the Customer Service person on the AF website. A local AF recruiter will have the more accurate information.

I was just wondering. I have no intentions of joining the military again. I am still in inactive reserve.

Sepiraph

Usually you only apply for security clearance if your job requires it. Also this will greatly varies from country to country.

bellhead

the_Grinch wrote: »

Not all TS/SCI require a visit with an FBI Agent. Seems the military is the one that does that most often. At this point, you will have a contractor doing the background investigation. Also, they passed a law stating that all backgrounds needed to be completed no more interims. I don't believe it is in full swing (and I don't know if the military was affected due to the need to pump people into training), but a lot of agencies (ICE and CBP I know for sure) have already begun.

Also, I have a couple of friends, with no prior clearance, who got through the TS/SCI for an FBI Agent in 4 months. The agencies can and will move when they want too...

For the military the ones which take the most time involve the cryto clearances. All of these are controlled by the NSA. My certificates from the C-schools all had a NSA school such and such on the back. When I was in the Air Guard during college, my job there was switching and computers and there is a seperate job for the crypto. We were setting up the tyq-23 vans and were waiting on the cryto guys to bring the codes over, the officers were getting bitchy so I went to get the codes myself and they wouldn't give them to me as the job I had didn't have the NSA clearance with it. I talked to the CSM manager and he told me to bring in the certificates so he could get my clearance updated and put me on the CSM vault access list. After this because I hadn't gone to my 3 level school yet I was asked to switch to Cryto maintenace which I did. There are alot of different levels of access within the clearances, with the highest being the code breakers and spooks which are the CT's in the Navy. Alot of what they are doing is actively spying on a foreign country, if anybody here read Blind Man's Bluff you will know.