Top Secret Clearance Question

[TexanGUY]

New guy....I am really wanting to enlist in the Navy as IT, or possibly CTN but prefer IT since I am currently in school for my AAS in Computer Networking Cisco. I have a deep desire to serve my country and secure my families future. I have seen around the web and also on this forum that IT requires a top secret clearance or secret clearance which is it?

My concern is that when I was younger I did experiment with marijuana while in highschool which was over 10+ years ago , I have no criminal record what so ever but Im just really scared I will get denied my clearance if admit to using pot in highschool. Can anyone lend some advice or have knowledge on this? I saw a similar post but the guy had a drug charge, which isnt the case for me. Should I not even say anything? Would I be denied if i was honest about it? If i get denied my clearance am I able to still back out, as I really only want a job related to what im in school for. Thanks

[Barbazu]

The investigator isn't as concerned about your past usage of weed as they are about it being used as leverage to blackmail you. If you show them upfront that you are not going to hide it or try to deny it then it will play little to none in your investigation. As long as you're honest they don't care.

[sweetmtn]

Have you talked to a recruiter yet? Have you taken the ASVAB yet to see if you qualify for the job you are wanting? Many times what someone wants isn't available..just think about that.

[TexanGUY]

The investigator isn't as concerned about your past usage of weed as they are about it being used as leverage to blackmail you. If you show them upfront that you are not going to hide it or try to deny it then it will play little to none in your investigation. As long as you're honest they don't care.


So being upfront with it would be my best bet? Do I start all the way down to the recruiter with telling him that? Will I need a waiver just to enlist because of it?

[TexanGUY]

Have you talked to a recruiter yet? Have you taken the ASVAB yet to see if you qualify for the job you are wanting? Many times what someone wants isn't available..just think about that.

No I have not spoken to a recruiter, nor taken the ASVAB but to be honest Ive taken practice ASVAB's and done reall well on them, so scoring on the ASVAB to qualify for that rate isnt a concern. Yes I am aware that some rates might not be currently available, if not I will wait til it does become available.

[Barbazu]

There's a waiver for literally everything in the Navy. So I'd go ahead and be honest upfront. It will disqualify you from a few rates such as MA, but if your gunning for a spook rate it'll be fine. It's possible that IT or CTN may not be open when you go to MEPS, but if you score high enough on your asvab you'll be surprised at how 'quickly' they can become available. However, if you score really high - like in the 90s - they're gonna try to push you into a Nuke rate. So keep that in mind.

[Barbazu]

Whether or not you'll need a waiver depends on how your recruiter works it. Technically, yes, you'll need a waiver to join. But some recruiters 'forget' to disclose it on your paperwork (it's more work for them). But, honesty is the best policy when it comes to joining the Navy.

[TexanGUY]

Whether or not you'll need a waiver depends on how your recruiter works it. Technically, yes, you'll need a waiver to join. But some recruiters 'forget' to disclose it on your paperwork (it's more work for them). But, honesty is the best policy when it comes to joining the Navy.

Will i have any trouble getting a waiver being that im 33? I know i need to be grad RTC before i turn 35. Also when do they start the background investigation for clearance, when im in MEPS? And in your personal opinion do you see me having any issues enlisting and getting my clearance for IT if im up front and honest to start with? Thanks for all the input

[Barbazu]

They started my investigation a week before I went to boot camp. I seriously doubt you'll have any trouble with your clearance (unless you have a bunch of friends in Iran or something). Getting the waiver may take some time, however. I couldn't tell you how long. It depends on too much stuff. I know some people that lived some pretty shady lives before the Navy and they have clearances. Your biggest issue will be with the initial waiver you need to join. Almost everyone has a waiver of some type. I had one because I had too many dependents for the Navy's liking. And I'm currently pursuing a waiver because I want to change rates without the customary 24 month period in rate. Waivers are par for the course in the Navy.

[TexanGUY]

If any current ITs can comment on this its much appreciated

[FlyNavy]

I was an SSO for a while (the folks who submit and process clearances). Clearance requirements are the same no matter who you are. If you're going for a Secret, you'll be treated the same as the other guy putting in for that access (ie rate doesn't matter; what clearance you're requesting is what matters).

New guy....I am really wanting to enlist in the Navy as IT, or possibly CTN but prefer IT since I am currently in school for my AAS in Computer Networking Cisco. I have a deep desire to serve my country and secure my families future. I have seen around the web and also on this forum that IT requires a top secret clearance or secret clearance which is it?

Your A-school will only require a Secret level clearance. Most of your courses will be unclassified, but there are certain sections that can cross over into secret. You also work out of the same school house as us CTTs (although in a separate area as ours is TS). But just to get through A-school you'll only need a secret.

Out in the Fleet though you'll almost certainly need a TS to do your job. ITs handle our "Crypto", aka the cryptographic keys and key management systems that secure our communications. Handling crypto requires a TS clearance, hence why most ITs end up getting one. It is possible that you may end up in a position that doesn't require a TS, but I would bank on you needing one at some point.

My concern is that when I was younger I did experiment with marijuana while in highschool which was over 10+ years ago , I have no criminal record what so ever but Im just really scared I will get denied my clearance if admit to using pot in highschool. Can anyone lend some advice or have knowledge on this? I saw a similar post but the guy had a drug charge, which isnt the case for me. Should I not even say anything? Would I be denied if i was honest about it? If i get denied my clearance am I able to still back out, as I really only want a job related to what im in school for. Thanks

So here's the thing; honesty is always the best policy. You don't wanna put down "nope, never touched weed ever" if you were known for being a pot head in high school. As soon as your investigator starts poking around, someones gonna come off with "oh yea, I smoked with him all the time back in the day" or they'll find a photo or whatever. On the flip side of that coin though, the Navy really only knows what you tell them. We're not gonna polygraph you to see if you smoked a joint as a 16 year old. At the end of the day we have a zero tolerance policy. If you're still using then you will get caught and you will be processed out immediately. But also if you think you're the only person who ever smoked a joint as a kid but ended up growing up and leaving that stuff behind you, you're kidding yourself. There's plenty of people who just decided to leave that in the past and leave it off their job applications and they were just fine. I can't tell you what to do, I'm just giving you the reality check I think you deserve. In the end it's always gonna be your choice; all I'm gonna say is move forward with your life.

I know that's a bit muddy but I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you!

/r
CTT1

[TexanGUY]

I was an SSO for a while (the folks who submit and process clearances). Clearance requirements are the same no matter who you are. If you're going for a Secret, you'll be treated the same as the other guy putting in for that access (ie rate doesn't matter; what clearance you're requesting is what matters).



Your A-school will only require a Secret level clearance. Most of your courses will be unclassified, but there are certain sections that can cross over into secret. You also work out of the same school house as us CTTs (although in a separate area as ours is TS). But just to get through A-school you'll only need a secret.

Out in the Fleet though you'll almost certainly need a TS to do your job. ITs handle our "Crypto", aka the cryptographic keys and key management systems that secure our communications. Handling crypto requires a TS clearance, hence why most ITs end up getting one. It is possible that you may end up in a position that doesn't require a TS, but I would bank on you needing one at some point.



So here's the thing; honesty is always the best policy. You don't wanna put down "nope, never touched weed ever" if you were known for being a pot head in high school. As soon as your investigator starts poking around, someones gonna come off with "oh yea, I smoked with him all the time back in the day" or they'll find a photo or whatever. On the flip side of that coin though, the Navy really only knows what you tell them. We're not gonna polygraph you to see if you smoked a joint as a 16 year old. At the end of the day we have a zero tolerance policy. If you're still using then you will get caught and you will be processed out immediately. But also if you think you're the only person who ever smoked a joint as a kid but ended up growing up and leaving that stuff behind you, you're kidding yourself. There's plenty of people who just decided to leave that in the past and leave it off their job applications and they were just fine. I can't tell you what to do, I'm just giving you the reality check I think you deserve. In the end it's always gonna be your choice; all I'm gonna say is move forward with your life.

I know that's a bit muddy but I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you!

/r
CTT1


Appreciate the advice, I think honesty will be the best approach just sucks because I wanted to avoid the whole waiver process. How do the waivers work in terms of when I speak to the recruiter, do I get the waiver the same day so i can move forward to MEPS?