Intelligence; security clearance

[Anonymous]

I have a question about the security clearance for intel jobs. Would the security clearance be done before or after I enlist? A friend of mine told me that it would be done after and that no job is guaranteed when the papers are signed. Is this true? He is in the Navy, but has been in for a while, so I wasn't sure if it is still like that or not. Also, for the security clearance, how much of a factor is credit card bills? My husband and I have three credit cards we are working on paying off. We are usually on time with the payments, but have been late a couple times. Is that gonna make a big difference? I was told that my husband's driving record could affect my security clearance because he is also Navy. Is this true? What about the fact that he had to go to mast once, will that affect it any? As you can tell, I'm just full of questions. any answers are really appreciated!

~Sharon

Starlte79@aol.com

[Anonymous]

Sharon, I am a CTR which requires at least a top secret security clearance. The investigation will not start until you arrive at your training school for your backround check. the only thing that they will do is a quick fbi investigation, to make sure that you aren't in trouble with the law. if you have credit cards and are paying them on time, you won't have a problem.

studette@mailexcite.com

[Anonymous]

: Sharon, I am a CTR which requires at least a top secret security clearance.
: The investigation will not start until you arrive at your training school
: for your backround check. the only thing that they will do is a quick fbi
: investigation, to make sure that you aren't in trouble with the law. if
: you have credit cards and are paying them on time, you won't have a
: problem.


So basically, I won't be guaranteed a rate that requires a security clearance when I first enlist? The specific rate I'm looking at is CTA. I've been in no trouble with the law in any way, never did drugs, nothing. Not even a speeding ticket. My credit is so-so because a couple payments were late. I'm most concerned with my husband. Will his past affect my clearance at all? He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law or anything. He's had speeding tickets and has had to go to mast once, because he was watching a movie when he was supposed to be on watch. also, do you know score I would need on the ASVAB to even qualify? Thanks!

~Sharon

Starlte79@aol.com

[Anonymous]

. My credit is so-so because a couple payments were late.


: I'm most concerned with my husband. Will his past affect my clearance at
: all? He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law or anything. He's had
: speeding tickets and has had to go to mast once, because he was watching a
: movie when he was supposed to be on watch.


Hi Sharon, Your record is your record and your husband's is your husband's. They won't hold his tickets against you at all. As for credit cards, they don't care about a few late payments as long as you are generally on track. The idea of the security clearance is to make sure you have no criminal record, no legal obligations, and no alterior motives (i.e. if you have ties to a terrorist group). Any normal, responsible person (and it sounds like you are one) has nothing to worry about. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

You will be guaranteed the rate when you sign up, but if they find anything detremantal in your backround, then it will be stripped from you and you either get reclassed, get discharged, or go to a ship undesignated. But if you don't have a criminal backround, don't worry about it.. if there is a finanical situation, discuss it with a recruiter. I don't have much in the way of financial obligations since I came in the Navy straight from high school. You're husband won't be the reason you get or don't get the rate. If he's not a junkie or a criminal, you won't have much of a problem. Now, on two areas taken from the asvab, I had to have a composite of 110 on it. They don't look at the whole test just to be a CTA. I forget what it is they use out of the asvab, but I do know that you don't need as high of a score to be a CTA as you do in the other CT fields. I hope you do know that a CTA is a classified version of a secretary. I have some friends that are CTA's and have only been in for a year and don't care for it. I can tell you (since i am one) that CTR's work on a lot of interesting equipment and can easily get a civilian job once out starting around thirty thousand a year. So be sure that when you look for a job, that you ask the recruiters about the demand in the civilian world. also, don't sign on the dotted line without mentioning a signing bonus or the navy college fund which pays 40 thousand dollars for college that can be used once you get out. Usually, you have to sign up for another year, but the college fund is worth it. -diana


: So basically, I won't be guaranteed a rate that requires a security clearance
: when I first enlist? The specific rate I'm looking at is CTA. I've been in
: no trouble with the law in any way, never did drugs, nothing. Not even a
: speeding ticket. My credit is so-so because a couple payments were late.
: I'm most concerned with my husband. Will his past affect my clearance at
: all? He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law or anything. He's had
: speeding tickets and has had to go to mast once, because he was watching a
: movie when he was supposed to be on watch. also, do you know score I would
: need on the ASVAB to even qualify? Thanks!
:
: ~Sharon


studette@mailexcite.com

[Anonymous]

. My credit is so-so because a couple payments were late.


: I'm most concerned with my husband. Will his past affect my clearance at
: all? He hasn't gotten in trouble with the law or anything. He's had
: speeding tickets and has had to go to mast once, because he was watching a
: movie when he was supposed to be on watch.


Hi Sharon, Your record is your record and your husband's is your husband's. They won't hold his tickets against you at all. As for credit cards, they don't care about a few late payments as long as you are generally on track. The idea of the security clearance is to make sure you have no criminal record, no legal obligations, and no alterior motives (i.e. if you have ties to a terrorist group). Any normal, responsible person (and it sounds like you are one) has nothing to worry about. Good luck!