Untruthful on ROTC scholarship

[MidCakePa]

What if the state I’m from doesn’t require juveniles to report their arrests? That was my thought process through me selecting no is that the law said I didn’t need to because I was a juvenile. Also, are they able to look back at my application when I do a security clearance?

@USNA2016bound, look up the word “obfuscate.”

Long ago, I underwent the process to gain “secret” clearance for a federal job. More recently, DD the new Marine officer underwent the process for “top secret” clearance. You’d be amazed — AMAZED — by what can and will turn up in the investigation. Obfuscate now, pay later. The price may be dear.

 

[99Gold]

@USNA2016bound, look up the word “obfuscate.”

Long ago, I underwent the process to gain “secret” clearance for a federal job. More recently, DD the new Marine officer underwent the process for “top secret” clearance. You’d be amazed — AMAZED — by what can and will turn up in the investigation. Obfuscate now, pay later. The price may be dear.

Having separted many moons ago, I had forgotten a lot that went into my clearance investigations (I had a few of them as an intel officer). I was pretty amazed this fall when ds was investigated for his secret clearance. I was on the phone at least 4 times with his investigator helping him find suitable people in ds's life to interview (school officials are tough when you are homeschooled) and answering a lot of questions where he had information holes. He was not phoning it in! I have no idea who all he ended up interviewing but it was quite a few people and he called my ds a few times as well. Not a process where things stay hidden.

I'm off to teach my boys the word "obfuscate."

 

[MarTac]

Last year I underwent a VERY intense security investigation (full background, polygraph, twenty year history, etc…) for a senior leadership position in law enforcement. I came from military, have had professional screenings, and worked in government in DC for almost thirty years. I was amazed at what this connected electronic world reveals. I got through just fine, at at almost 64, have a long background for them to research. But, the investigators told me that, “We don’t expect everyone to be squeaky clean, we do expect honesty. It is character we are really looking at. Not whether the guy had an affair, or smoked weed - it is will they come clean and be honest about it. If they hide things that’s where they become a security risk. We don’t want the guy that has a secret that he is hiding and is vulnerable to blackmail or coercion to keep that secret.”

I do hope that is a lesson to ALL seeking to enter the military or any government service. We all have things we might regret doing, - especially in our youth - but be HONEST, come clean admit your mistakes and let the chips fall as they may. IT WILL eventually come out!

 

[docrottdc]

A friend was in a similar situation and while he was arrested, he was not convicted of anything from the arrest. He filled out the application for a "Trusted Traveler" program to avoid the long waits for security while flying. During the interview he was asked about the answer he gave on the form which was "No" to the question, "Have you ever been arrested?" He told them the truth, that while he was arrested, he was never charged. He was denied entry into the program and the interviewer not-so-kindly pointed out that the name of the program was "Trusted" and he did not fit into that category based on his dishonesty while filling out the form.

Just a FYI.

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

I had a chat with someone that does security clearances for a living and has done so for a long time.

i told them about this thread and they laughed.

One of the most common issues they deal with and they deal with it all the time. Made more likely when it was an underage issue and where the state does not require these to be reported.

one answer works for why something like this happens

”I was confused”

and people are often confused. Many of these people doing a clearance are not career intel people or career officers with lots of experience.

They also said , without knowing what the charge was , that amending the rotc application should not be a big deal. It will be seen as a sign of confusion They stressed being honest. But understood that this was a very common mistake.

They also said that, to answer the OPs actual question, that a real serious Security investigation done years from now by professionals is not going to give a darn what was on a rotc app years before. Because they are not going to know.

Amending is the easy answer. I was confused . People are often confused,

i hope the OP comes back and reads this. It may give them some stress relief,

At this point in the thread though they might be looking for a tall bridge

The other advice they gave——-read the question VERY carefully and answer what was required and resist the temptation to over share .

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Last time I checked, federal trumps state. The question of arrest does not include the caveat "check no if your state does not require juveniles to report". The question is direct and to the point. You chose to lie. There is no valid justification for that. What has convinced you that looking for loopholes and displaying a lack of integrity are traits that the United States is looking for in it's military officers? I would chalk it up your questions to the naivety of a teenager. But if your username is reflective of you being 18 in 2016, then you should know better as someone in their mid-20s. I may be coming off harsh, but you received good answers from multiple individuals, yet you are still trying to find a way to say "no" to that question.

He looks to be 17 years old today. Not in hIs 20s. He was 13 when he first posted.

And now on this thread he has been told he won’t even get a job at target in the future.

Well played.

My advice in the future to anyone asking a question like this——find someone that works in the field doing these security investigations and ask the actual professionals who do the job .

Better more professional advice and far less painful .

 

[MohawkArmyROTC]

He looks to be 17 years old today. Not in hIs 20s. He was 13 when he first posted.

And now on this thread he has been told he won’t even get a job at target in the future.

Well played.

My advice in the future to anyone asking a question like this——find someone that works in the field doing these security investigations and ask the actual professionals who do the job .

Better more professional advice and far less painful .

To be fair, the OP was given good advice and accurate explanations from multiple sources, and I outlined the reality of how deception could be discovered and the direct consequences. When posters tend to ignore reasonable answers to their questions and advice, and are still looking for ways to justify the wrong answer, they tend to be greeted with a more stern response. As stated multiple times. Most minor transgressions are overlooked if truthful, when you get caught in a lie, you tend to get a harsher consequence then what would have happened if being truthful.

 

[USNA2016bound]

I had a chat with someone that does security clearances for a living and has done so for a long time.

i told them about this thread and they laughed.

One of the most common issues they deal with and they deal with it all the time. Made more likely when it was an underage issue and where the state does not require these to be reported.

one answer works for why something like this happens

”I was confused”

and people are often confused. Many of these people doing a clearance are not career intel people or career officers with lots of experience.

They also said , without knowing what the charge was , that amending the rotc application should not be a big deal. It will be seen as a sign of confusion They stressed being honest. But understood that this was a very common mistake.

They also said that, to answer the OPs actual question, that a real serious Security investigation done years from now by professionals is not going to give a darn what was on a rotc app years before. Because they are not going to know.

Amending is the easy answer. I was confused . People are often confused,

i hope the OP comes back and reads this. It may give them some stress relief,

At this point in the thread though they might be looking for a tall bridge

The other advice they gave——-read the question VERY carefully and answer what was required and resist the temptation to over share .

Thank you for your help! Definitely does offer some relief

 

[NJROTC-CC]

My advise is to unburden yourself by amending your application and coming clean. Perhaps you really didn't understand the question.

 

[Heatherg21]

I applied for a security clearance two years ago. I was so fearful that a bonehead choice I made when I was 20 was going to mean I wouldn't receive the clearance. Now, I'm almost 52, so imagine records from 30 years ago. A rural state, with limited computers, and no social media. Who would ever find out? It's not in public record searches.

But, the question is posed 'have you ever been arrested'. Flat out, plain and simple. Regardless of the outcome of that arrest, it is a straightforward question. Ask and answer honestly. OWN IT. You will be asked to explain. I was. I also received a clearance and am now in a job I wish I had 20 years ago. I wish I had the courage to apply for a job requiring a clearance a long time ago. I let fear and apprehension delay a career I love.

Don't be so afraid of not reaching your goal that you sabotage yourself by answering dishonestly. Fix it. And learn from this experience.

 

[NJROTC-CC]

I had a DUI when I was 20. On my law school application it asked "have you have been arrested for anything other than a traffic offense." I answered "No." Three years later I applied the New York Bar and the New Jersey Bar. I reported the DUI to both of them. Then, another 5 or 6 years later I applied to the Florida Bar and, again, I reported the DUI. However, the Florida Bar got a hold of my law school application and they decided that I lied to the law school by not reporting the DUI. They told me that I had to write to the Dean of the Law School and report to him that I lied on my application and advise the Florida Bar what action the law school would take. Well, I wrote to the Dean and he wrote back and reported that he considers the DUI a traffic offense and that he did not think my answer was inappropriate. I was eventually admitted to the Florida Bar and have been a member in good standing for 30 years. I guess you can say that the Florida Bar got confused by the question on the law school application. So, maybe you really did get confused about what was being asked.