How does one go about getting DoD/top secret clearance?

[91CoupeMike]

I had an FBI agent come to my workplace and talk to people about a former employee. They were interested in his hobbies, what he talked about, if I ever thought he would kill anyone ect.. They said they were clearing him for national security purposes. He was in the process of joining the military. He lives in Miami now.

[ram57ta]

Several of my parents neighbors reported visits by the FBI when I was going thru my Air Force BMT. I was airborne comm/nav on the E3 AWACS and it required Top Secret. I let it lapse. In 2014 I got a job thru the city of Dallas as an electrician at Love Field airport and had no issue getting my security clearance although I doubt it was Top Secret.

[ryuu]

Looking at some job postings and I see mentions of various clearances required. I realize joe blow off the street (except svo855 of course who was born with the clearance.) probably cannot request it for themselves. I was just curious what it involves, how long it takes, easiest way to go about gaining it (just short of joining the military.)

In my experience Lockheed will hire the right person for a job without a clearance then they do whatever can be done without a clearance until it comes through, back in the day one could get an interim rather quickly (months) to start real work, don't know it that still happens. We had a guy doing GUIs for us until his came through, it was a pain having to do his integration and cleanup. Job is contingent on clearance, you get denied then you loose your job. Time it takes depends on the persons history and how much investigating is required.

[LANTIRN]

A SECRET is good for 10 years from the date your final is granted. If at the 10 year mark you are not in a position of Need To Know and don't have your clearance active it will no longer be eligible to be caged by any facilities clearance holder. Thus your clearance has lapsed.

Lots of people have a positive adjudication in JPAS for a clearance but it is listed as inactive if it is not caged by the facilities clearance holder (employer, sponsor, etc). I have worked with tons of former military who HAD an active clearance in the military and still had time before it expires but could not access SECRET because they didn't have a need to know in their current job with us. We had to make sure that they understood that they still could not access with causing NISPOM problems for us/them.

I was lucky. Mine went active first back in 2009 before they got crazy with the background checks. Since then I have worked a job that didn't have a facilities clearance so it was just dormant. When I took a new job they just go into JPAS and cage it under their information and I am good to go again.

There isn't a special secret decoder ring either that they hand out. When you get your final notice that you have been granted a clearance it is usually just an email to visit your industrial security team to be read on. I literally had a guy walk in, "I'm here to get my clearance".

Anytime you have to access or be granted permission into a classified area, they should verify your clearance level in JPAS. Simply log on, punch in your social and name and it tells them everything about your level right there


Getting a TS is rather lengthy deal on top of the SECRET and 10s of thousands of dollars last I heard. At least it is all done on line now through the eQuip service vs the paper SF86 process.

Best way to get a clearance is to get a job a level down with a company and work your way up into the billet that requires it. Same with going up to a TS.

In the 20,000 employees we had in Afghanistan, less than 300 had an active SECRET and no TS. In fact in all my time in Afg I never once saw any TS caveat covers or areas. Everything was SECRET or lower.

Only people I ever met with top secret clearance were brass and a few maintenance workers who worked on stealth. Nuke bases have them too I hear, but I never met anyone doing that job. Contrary to what hollyood has you believe, there aren't doors and filing cabinets all over the fucking plase labeled top secret or above top secret. I think the only top secret area I ever saw was when I was stationed in Korea and they had the F117 squadron fly in and stay there for some exercises. Area got blocked off with a lot of security guards and you didn't get past them without a badge unless you wanted an ass kicking.

[ceyko]

In my experience Lockheed will hire the right person for a job without a clearance then they do whatever can be done without a clearance until it comes through, back in the day one could get an interim rather quickly (months) to start real work, don't know it that still happens. We had a guy doing GUIs for us until his came through, it was a pain having to do his integration and cleanup. Job is contingent on clearance, you get denied then you loose your job. Time it takes depends on the persons history and how much investigating is required.

This has been my experience as well. Most of the IT jobs require working on SIPR networks, crypto...all the way down to SIPR net printers...etc. So the clearance is just part of the cost of doing business. Many of IT type folks back in 03-06 or so were promptly removed from bases after a couple months for not obtaining their clearance. Primarily due to bad credit from the "dot com bust." (Mostly missed house payment, late and high credit debt...etc)

I've only had Secret personally, but the TS areas are few and far between by design. Also, our contractors were not paid more for that level of hassle. If asked, I'd go through the process - but never been asked and never volunteered.

[prostock1]

Looking at some job postings and I see mentions of various clearances required. I realize joe blow off the street (except svo855 of course who was born with the clearance.) probably cannot request it for themselves. I was just curious what it involves, how long it takes, easiest way to go about gaining it (just short of joining the military.)

You need to have a 800+ credit score.

people with bad credit can't be trusted and the government assumes you are very likely to be tempted to do criminal activity for money.

I.E., Dave Ramsey has a zero credit score, he can't get security clearance.

So take out a mortgage, finance a new car, apply for student loans, get as many credit cards as possible to top secret security clearance is all yours.

[KBScobravert]

You need to have a 800+ credit score.

people with bad credit can't be trusted and the government assumes you are very likely to be tempted to do criminal activity for money.

I.E., Dave Ramsey has a zero credit score, he can't get security clearance.

So take out a mortgage, finance a new car, apply for student loans, get as many credit cards as possible to top secret security clearance is all yours.

Was that sarcasm or board shtick cause I've processed several SECRET clearances and maintained 100 at a time on a roster. I can certainly tell you that the folks I knew personally did not have 800s. I never did either. Matter of fact mine at the time was low 600 when my SF86 went in.

They want you to be honest, up front, not have unexplained bad credit. I had to write 2 simple statements regarding poor credit dings.

[Z06killinsbf]

I had a TS for 5 years while in the military and now my current job has me at just Secret. All the stories about the hobbies I had in 3rd grade are correct lol.

Also, my Secret renewal was a lengthy 30+ page questionnaire and a sit down interview with an agent.

[ceyko]

They want you to be honest, up front, not have unexplained bad credit. I had to write 2 simple statements regarding poor credit dings.

Yeah, agreed. Had clearance with no credit, had clearance with 710-720ish credit and close to 800. Knew plenty of folks with sub-700, but low debt as well.