Weed and Government Clearances

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Drako
So, your complaining about trying to weed out lawbreaking liars?

I have gone through a number of polygraph tests over years of working on G jobs. The simple answer is, if you don't want to take the test, then you won't get the job. Certain clearances actually require what they call a "lifestyle" polygraph, where they ask you all kinds of questions about your sexual preference, drug use, financial stuff, etc. Again, if you don't like the questions, then I guess you better not apply for those types of jobs.

Wow, that's intense.

No wonder the government is the way it is.... Seriously. If they only let "certain" people in, well there you go.

LOL, yeah, we need more than the elected lamers in the government. We need more weed smoking drugies in the inteligence community!

 

[imported_hscorpio]

I guess I should chime in since that was my post you're talking about. Supposedly they ask about past drug use because it is an indicator that a person is willing to break the law and is therefore more likely to break the law in the future and compromise secret information. Personally I think its strange that out of all the laws on the books, the government chooses to focus on what is arguably one of the most trivial, especially with weed.

They might as well ask people if they have ever jay walked, illegally downloaded files, or used alcohol & cigs as a minor. It would give them the same information about whether or not the person abides the law. Could you imagine if they disqualified people that drank alcohol before they we're of legal age. Why don't they? If the goal is to determine if a person respects the law wouldn't it be more valuable to ask if they have ever broken a more meaningful law?

I just think its crazy that many qualified people are being passed up because they smoked some pot in the last 7 years, meanwhile they don't even ask if you've ever broken any serious laws and didn't get caught.

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: hscorpio

They might as well ask people if they have ever jay walked, illegally downloaded files, or used alcohol & cigs as a minor.

What makes you think that they don't ask those types of questions as well?

 

[Vette73]

We, the Feds, ask general questions like in the last 5 years have you used a illegal drug/controlled substance, etc... Most don?t have poly test but if you are caught in a lie, even a small one then you are out. A lot of times it is not about what you have done, but if you tell the truth about yourself. That?s why my number one advice when applying for a Gov job is don?t lie. You will get caught. There are people that don?t get caught till after they are hired.

I have Top Secret clearance and they did a 10 year background check on me, interviewed people from my last several jobs, people that could verify I lived where I said I did for 10 years, etc... I still had to answer questions after my interview to make sure I kept my job.

Also your credit may be checked if you have a high clearance while you work and so on. So just because you got your job and/or clearance does not mean you can then go out and do stupid shit all the time.

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: benjpw
You guys didn't read what I said.

I had a hard time telling what you were talking about. Try spell checking and proofreading.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Drako
So, your complaining about trying to weed out lawbreaking liars?

I have gone through a number of polygraph tests over years of working on G jobs. The simple answer is, if you don't want to take the test, then you won't get the job. Certain clearances actually require what they call a "lifestyle" polygraph, where they ask you all kinds of questions about your sexual preference, drug use, financial stuff, etc. Again, if you don't like the questions, then I guess you better not apply for those types of jobs.

BINGO

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel

Originally posted by: Drako
And lifestyle polys do tend to rule out gays, and other "deviant" behavior .

I don't really get that sometimes. I always thought that homosexuals faced problems in deeply religious & conservative societies (since pretty much all major religions are intolerant of homosexuality). The US doesn't have a State Religion - so what difference does it make?

I'm guessing the reasoning is that being gay opens up the possibility of being bribed or manipulated in some way, if that person were in the closet.

What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference? I work for State and that is a BIG no no.

 

[meltdown75]

I can see why they do the testing and the questioning. Pot does, after all, turn you into a schizo.

 

[kami333]

Doesn't Karl Rove still have security clearence?

 

[Drako]

It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

DEPARTMENT, What do you work for? There are rules against asking and/or using sexual preference for not hiring.
Also your bit about peace corps is also BS.

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

DEPARTMENT, What do you work for? There are rules against asking and/or using sexual preference for not hiring.
Also your bit about peace corps is also BS.

I don't work for a DEPARTMENT - is that clear enough?

The Peace Corp bit is not BS, I know two people that were rejected becuase of that very thing.

 

[benjpw]

I like all the people claiming that weeding out (no pun intended) people who have used marijuana in the last five years is a justifiable thing for the government to do.

Once again it is similiar to the DOD firing those 1,500 gay Arabic translators when we are at war with two Arabic countries. The government could have so many more qualified applicants if they allowed people to be let in under the same standrads that the President of the United States is allowed to be elected under - i.e. past drug use, past affairs, etc.

Once again a person in a sensitive position should be drug screened but there is a diff between smokign weed while your hand is on the button and having smoked it in college. Interestingly enough it is probably BETTER psychologically for that person to smoke weed then booze when they have leave. But I know McGruff the Crime Dog told most of ATOT the dirty truth so they wont believe that statement.

Anyways I just started this thread because I found it halarious that in 2007 we are still practicing such draconian screening proceses. Then agian if anyone flys regularly I guess they wouldn't be shocked that the government sucks at screening people.

 

[preslove]

AFAIK the restrictions on past drug use have been loosened dramatically. It's actually better to say, "yeah, I smoked pot every once in a while back in the day," than to lie. They'll still give you the job if you admit it, but if they find out you lied you are not given the job. Back in the day it was better to lie, but not now.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

DEPARTMENT, What do you work for? There are rules against asking and/or using sexual preference for not hiring.
Also your bit about peace corps is also BS.

I don't work for a DEPARTMENT - is that clear enough?

The Peace Corp bit is not BS, I know two people that were rejected becuase of that very thing.

pcresources, is that you?

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: preslove
AFAIK the restrictions on past drug use have been loosened dramatically. It's actually better to say, "yeah, I smoked pot every once in a while back in the day," than to lie. They'll still give you the job if you admit it, but if they find out you lied you are not given the job.

Exactly. The only reason any drug would be cause for concern is if there was a pattern of abuse.

Originally posted by: preslove
Back in the day it was better to lie, but not now.

I don't think that lieing was more excepted "back in the day" at all. Why do you think that?

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: jjones

pcresources, is that you?

Negative

 

[Reel]

Originally posted by: jjones

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

DEPARTMENT, What do you work for? There are rules against asking and/or using sexual preference for not hiring.
Also your bit about peace corps is also BS.

I don't work for a DEPARTMENT - is that clear enough?

The Peace Corp bit is not BS, I know two people that were rejected becuase of that very thing.

pcresources, is that you?

He works for a rogue group of the government not affiliated with any department. Impressive. Maybe he works with Swordfish?

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Reel

Originally posted by: jjones

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Drako
It may also suprise some of you that if you where in the Peace Corp, you will probably never get any type of government clearance. Conflicting missions and all that .

That is not true. I am not sure where you got that. I have sent plenty of clearance packets out to those that have done Peace Corp.


What department did you do work for that asked your sexual preference?

Let's just say different parts of the "Intelligence" community, and leave it at that.

DEPARTMENT, What do you work for? There are rules against asking and/or using sexual preference for not hiring.
Also your bit about peace corps is also BS.

I don't work for a DEPARTMENT - is that clear enough?

The Peace Corp bit is not BS, I know two people that were rejected becuase of that very thing.

pcresources, is that you?

He works for a rogue group of the government not affiliated with any department. Impressive. Maybe he works with Swordfish?

Believe it or not, there are independent agencies, that do not report to any department.

 

[preslove]

Originally posted by: Drako

Originally posted by: preslove
AFAIK the restrictions on past drug use have been loosened dramatically. It's actually better to say, "yeah, I smoked pot every once in a while back in the day," than to lie. They'll still give you the job if you admit it, but if they find out you lied you are not given the job.

Exactly. The only reason any drug would be cause for concern is if there was a pattern of abuse.

Originally posted by: preslove
Back in the day it was better to lie, but not now.

I don't think that lieing was more excepted "back in the day" at all. Why do you think that?

Because if you admitted to smoking weed you would have been denied the job. This supposedly changed in the 90's.

 

[Drako]

Originally posted by: Reel
He works for a rogue group of the government not affiliated with any department. Impressive. Maybe he works with Swordfish?

Partial list of Independent Agencies

You learned something today!

 

[slsmnaz]

Originally posted by: benjpw

Once again it is similiar to the DOD firing those 1,500 gay Arabic translators when we are at war with two Arabic countries.

could you link to that?

 

[imported_bum]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
I can see why they do the testing and the questioning. Pot does, after all, turn you into a schizo.

*taps sarcasm meter*