Top Secret Clearance Question

[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).

Originally Posted by 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?

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.

Originally Posted by TexanGUY

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]

Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin

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?