I’m currently in the hiring process for a ERO position. I have a pending Air Force Reserve administrative separation due to UTA’s, and my commander recommended a General discharge. I stopped attending after going through a major financial hardship but I tried to come back 7 months after I stopped attending and wasn’t able to. Nothing is finalized, and I’m actively trying to resolve it, ideally through retention or an Honorable discharge.

I have a bachelor’s degree, 8 years of honorable Army service, and federal contractor security experience. No other red flags in my record. Although I don’t agree with everything happening with immigration enforcement right now, I see ERO as a good entry point into federal law enforcement while allowing me to stay local for the time being.

My questions:
What are the chances they will fail final adjudication due to this after giving me an interim clearance and bringing me on? I’ve been completely honest with everything but I’ve seen reports of people being fired recently, which concerns me.

Has anyone dealt with a similar pending military separation during the federal hiring process?
If I refuse to start under preliminary approval and want to wait for final adjudication, would ICE postpone my EOD or withdraw my offer?

I know I made mistakes, and I’m actively working to resolve them. I’m not looking for sympathy, just honest advice. I have a family to support and don’t want to leave my current job without understanding the risks.

I’d especially appreciate input from current or former ICE employees and anyone familiar with federal suitability.

I’ve been working for the same company now for six years. I switched to the government contractor subsidiary almost five years ago. We’ve been directed that all employees must undergo a public trust investigation, and I just submitted mine about three weeks ago. I was contacted by an investigator yesterday and will have an interview next week. FWIW, I’m an engineer (IT).

The job I had before this ended in July of 2020. When Covid started, my doctor took me out of work because my employer was not following protocols and I was high risk, as well as my fiance. Long story short I was never cleared to go back to work. There was a delay in paperwork from my doctor across state lines, and I was technically told my employment ended before they ever received final documentation I could not return until restrictions were lifted or they would follow protocols. I think this technically means I was fired from that job.

I’m just now realizing this. It was a long time ago, and the only reason I figured out the details is because I dug through emails and re-read a very long chain. When I submitted my form, I put the reason for separation as “Covid” which is not untrue. However, I’m afraid I technically lied on the application.

What do? Am I cooked, chat? The job the public trust investigation is for, I’ve had stellar performance reviews, I am well known in the organization, and I have never been written up. I was never written up at my last job, either. It was all just screwy at that time. I’m prepared to tell the investigator I think I fucked up, but I’m not sure how or when to bring it up and if it’s even relevant considering it falls just barely inside the 7 year window.

I’m a 1099 contractor doing full-time work for a company. My role is being re-evaluated at the end of the year, and if the revenue target isn’t met, I am likely getting canned. I have no way to meet the goal, but I am in the process of buying a house, so I would rather not quit if I don't have to. No misconduct, no discipline, just a sales number.

If I were to be fired for financial reasons, does that mean it's over with federal employment?

I accepted a TJO with a contractor in June, did my digital FP and SF-86 Form, but then 3 weeks later was asked to come back and do my FP again. Not sure if it was that or something else but FSO was unable to attached new fingerprints as the SF-86 would be out of date then. Almost immediately my interim was denied. My submission date now shows 7/6 and investigation started 8/4. Had interview on 8/24 and investigator said he saw nothing out of the ordinary and didn't see why it wouldn't move quickly. Since then, no update, no calls to references, nothing. I'm new to this, I've only ever had a PT in the past for a previous job, and no legal issues. Is this normal for the process?

I'm in the process of on boarding for a defense contractor and will eventually have to fill out a form for a clearance but cannot remember whether or not I had one while I was in. I remember being told by leadership that we had some sort of clearance but how would I go about verifying this for when I fill out my sf-86?

Hello all, for context I am 22 years old just graduated from college and in a one year accelerated masters in finance. I received a CJO and am in the process of submitting my SF-86 to eventually/potentially hold a TS clearance.

I am a dual citizen with the U.K, lived there for half my life but now I only talk to my family over there and visit.

I’m unsure of who I need to list for foreign contacts..

For example, my sister has a friend who she talks to frequently but I only interact with her on LinkedIn or like an IG comment (so pretty etc) would I need to add her? Even though I don’t even have her phone number or speak to her unless she’s with my sister?

There are a lot of people I don’t talk to and haven’t for 2-10 years but I follow on instagram. Would I need to reach out to all of them? 😭

The depth and specificity of the entire form is frustrating because for a lot of items I don’t have exact dates or information.

What are some common pitfalls people make when filling out the SF-86? I’m scared of simply forgetting something.

Currently have a TS and got a starting job with CACI as a BI, however, the starting pay isnt the greatest. Im considering another job but its not TS required but its literally close to triple the starting pay from CACI.

Am I dumb for even thinking about taking this non-TS job and essentially letting my TS get deactivated?

I’m currently employed by a federal agency and hold an active Secret security clearance.
I recently received a tentative job offer from another federal agency for a position that is less sensitive and does not require a security clearance.
My concern is a misdemeanor conviction involving minor property damage. The incident happened in a parking lot when I was carrying my young son and attempting to place him inside my wife’s vehicle. During the process, I accidentally caused a dent in another parked vehicle.
Unfortunately, I didn’t handle the situation properly afterward. I underestimated its seriousness, didn’t hire an attorney, and the matter eventually resulted in a misdemeanor conviction. The case was resolved with a fine, no probation, and no further court obligations.
I disclosed the incident to my current agency’s security office. They reviewed the circumstances, addressed the matter, and my Secret clearance has remained active.
Now that I’m transferring to another federal agency, I’m concerned that this conviction could negatively affect my background investigation or suitability determination, even though the new position does not require a clearance.
My questions are:
Has anyone transferred between federal agencies with a misdemeanor conviction on their record?
Did the conviction cause any problems during the background investigation or suitability review?
Does the fact that my current agency reviewed the incident and maintained my Secret clearance carry any weight with the receiving agency?
If you’ve experienced something similar, what was the outcome?
I fully intend to disclose the conviction accurately on any required forms. I’m simply trying to understand what to expect.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone with firsthand experience, particularly federal HR, security, or suitability personnel.
Thank you!

For those of us that have SFPC and want to go for a 2nd conferral, SAPPC is usually suggested.I have heard its more work related skills above what SFPC wanted. With all the current changes within dod/dow and the DAU who now adminsters this and the 2yr renewal period still no longer the rule, has anyone taken the SAPPC and if so, are the Qs still horribly worded like in the SFPC or have they improved? I have noticed some of the stepp online trng has been updated.

Hi everyone,
I’m a college student pursuing a career in the IC, and I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone familiar with the process.

I recently underwent a poly for an IC agency and during I disclosed an incident involving paid sexual activity while traveling abroad approximately three months ago.

During the poly, I was questioned about the situation and eventually disclosed the incident. I explained that I had misunderstood what qualified as prostitution and was somewhat embarrassed discussing it. I understand that disclosing this information only during the poly could raise concerns about honesty.

Unfortunately, I was rejected later on when told to wait 30 days. When I requested clarification regarding the reason for my rejection, I was told it was due to illegal/criminal activity.

This was an isolated incident, and definitely not a pattern of behavior or an ongoing issue. I recognize it was a mistake as a college kid, and I take responsibility for my actions. I’m serious about pursuing a career in national security and don’t want one mistake to define my future.

My main questions are:

Given that the incident occurred only three months ago, how significantly could this affect my eligibility for a clearance?

Should I continue applying to internships at other IC agencies, or would it be better to wait a year or two?

Does being rejected for illegal/criminal activity by one IC agency significantly affect my chances with others?

From an adjudicator’s perspective, is this something that can realistically be mitigated with time, or could it affect my eligibility for several years?

How much does the fact that I disclosed the incident during the polygraph, rather than beforehand, affect the situation?

I would especially appreciate advice from anyone who has experience or individuals who have encountered similar situations.

My ultimate goal is to work in the IC, and I’m trying to understand whether continuing to apply now is worthwhile or whether I should focus on building my qualifications and allowing more time to pass.

Thank you for any insight.

Hello, I am federal employee who is considering filing for bankruptcy since I am 40k in credit card debt due to poor spending habits. I have tried to consolidate the debt but with no success. Payments are still being made on time and I am not in collections, but it feels like I am drowning. What should I do? Main concern is losing my job.

About four years ago I was fired for stealing $100 from the cash register at a retail job. I was let go and no charges were ever filed against me.

Since then I’ve graduated college and have been able to maintain employment with no issues since.

I’ve also smoked weed for a short period after college but have stopped and it’s been over a year.

I’ve been given the opportunity to join the military for a job that would require top secret clearance. Would my past be an issue.

I’m currently onboarding for two federal positions, one GS-12 and one GS-13. I’ve accepted both tentative offers, but neither agency has completed its suitability/security review or issued a final offer.
The GS-12 agency is moving faster but informed me I would need to discontinue my background investigation with the GS-13 agency for them to proceed.

My biggest concern is suitability. I have a sustained misconduct finding from my previous federal job, which I fully disclosed on all forms. I understand agencies may evaluate suitability differently, and I’m worried about withdrawing from one opportunity, being denied by the other, and potentially losing both.
Both salary negotiations are pending, so compensation is also a factor.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Can suitability determinations differ between agencies, and what would you recommend?

Long story short I have a TJO for FPS and my sf86 was sent for adjudication. However, I wanted to give CBP a shot due to the 6c retirement and failed the polygraph. I thought FPS didn’t care since they don’t poly, I asked them from another account if they care about polygraphs and they said if you fail a polygraph you’re banned for 1 year. I applied to FPS and passed everything before failing the CBP poly. How is this going to play out ? Feel free to dm me

I am filling out an SF-86 and need some assistance on whether I need to disclose the following about a relative or I just wait to see if I am asked by an investigator. Other than adding it in a comment I do not see a specific area where it is asking this so that is why I am wondering if it is something I need to be proactive about.

• Haven't spoken to them in 25+ years
• Currently incarcerated for a crime (federal if that matters)
• Someone in my home speaks to this individual who is not a cohabitant or spouse
  
• I do not ask about the conversations that have taken place nor want to know

For some context, I got into some trouble earlier this year involving a traffic stop with some officers. The driver I was riding with was pulled over and blew a 0.06, which is below the legal limit of 0.08. However, I was charged with aiding and abetting DWI, along with resisting/obstructing an officer.

The situation escalated after the officers questioned my identity because of an issue with my identification and how my name was listed in the system so they called me a liar to my face and threw me in handcuffs . I was eventually taken into custody, fingerprinted, and photographed before being released. From my perspective, I was trying to cooperate, and I have video evidence that I believe supports my side of what happened.

Since then, the case has been ongoing, with court dates being postponed. It’s been a stressful situation, especially because I’m pursuing opportunities. I’m working with my lawyer to get the charges resolved, and I’m hoping to have the case dismissed. It’s been frustrating having this hanging over my head, especially when I’m trying to move forward with my career and my life.

What’s my chances of getting cleared? Especially if I have no prior history of committing any crime.

Have a question about the following:

24.3 "Have you EVER YES NO (If NO, proceed to 24.4) voluntarily sought counseling or treatment as a result of your use of alcohol?"

Backstory:

2023 I voluntarily went to therapy to address grief (lost a loved one a year prior) and other insecurities. My goal was to build actual coping mechanisms.

A few weeks before going to therapy, I admitted to myself that my drinking was increasing and was not healthy. For three weeks prior to making an appointment, I was drinking a six pack, 3x a week. My loved ones death anniversary was coming up when I started this cycle and I was not dealing with correctly.

My therapy sessions did not cover alcohol abuse, I wasn't diagnosed with AUD and I made decision to cut drinking the day of therapy and still continue to be fine. We actually did not even discuss my alcohol use again until the end of therapy where I mentioned "I haven't drank since we started". I do however have two notes in my records that indicate:

1. I felt my drinking was a concern at that point.
2. I wanted to cut back.

I did not seek counseling specifically for my drinking but it was an eye opener to stop.

I am leaning on selecting "Yes" to this question and providing a detailed response in the SF86.

Questions:

1. Is this behavior going to DQ me?
2. Is selecting "Yes" the safe route, my goal is to be honest but I am also wondering if I am overthinking.

Additional notes: Therapy was 10 sessions total, no inpatient or anything I need to select "Yes" to in regards to mental health in the other sections.

This position requires a medical screening, if I were to put myself in the shoes of an investigator I would question me as applicant if I saw "No" to this answer but saw notes about alcohol abuse in therapy notes.

Thanks,

I wanted to share my experience because I’ve spent countless hours reading posts in this subreddit, especially from people with red flags similar to mine. There were plenty of times I convinced myself I had no chance of getting cleared.
Today I received confirmation that my Top Secret clearance was granted. I hope this encourages others. Hang in there!

Background:
I’m a prior-service military member with approximately nine years of service. I previously held a secret clearance and was recently selected for a federal civilian position requiring a TS/SCI.
I was extremely nervous going into this process because I had several significant issues in my background.

My red flags:

1st: I had an Article 15 in 2019 for larceny involving an inexpensive item from the BX where I was arrested.

2nd: criminal felony charge for insurance fraud. Between 2017 and 2019 (while I was still in the military) I was involved in insurance fraud-related incidents. One involved receiving approximately $5,000. There were additional attempted claims though this period even though I was never paid for them. (This is important later) I was charge with felony insurance fraud. My case went to court in 2021. I benefited from COVID delays in the court system and wasn’t charged or summoned to court until after I separated from the military. I ended up receiving a deferred judgment with 12 months of probation, and the case was ultimately dismissed in April 2023 after completing the requirements.

3rd: Alcohol use. I voluntarily participated in outpatient treatment during that part of my life. I won’t get into the details of what was going but it definitely contributed to the poor and stupid decisions I was making. It was centered towards alcohol/mental health treatment.

My Mitigating Factors:

My last negative incident occurred in 2019, approximately seven years ago. I have not had any additional criminal incidents since then.

I fully acknowledged my actions and accepted responsibility for my mistakes. I did not attempt to justify, minimize, or shift blame for what happened

I completed my probation and all court-ordered requirements. My deferred judgment was subsequently dismissed in April 2023.

In these last 7 years I’ve worked steady employment and earned 2 college degrees.

References all said great things about me

And what I feel is by the far the MOST important…my honesty throughout the investigation.

I disclosed my history on the SF-86 and discussed the relevant circumstances openly during my subject interview. I answered the investigator’s questions directly, even when the topics were uncomfortable.
I was completely upfront about my past on the SF-86 and during my subject interview. Although I was only criminally charged in connection with one insurance claim, I disclosed that there had actually been multiple incidents and attempts over the course of a couple of years. I understood that voluntarily disclosing additional misconduct could potentially hurt my chances of obtaining a clearance, but I also knew that investigators could uncover those incidents if they looked deeply enough. I wanted to make sure they had the full picture rather than risk leaving something out or appearing dishonest. I made absolutely no attempt to minimize my actions.

Something else worth mentioning too is that my honesty didn’t start with the security clearance process. When I found out I was being investigated/charged, I was completely honest and cooperated fully with the police and DA. I knew what I was did was stupid and it was time to face consequences for my poor decisions. I wanted to move on with my life and knew this was the start of that. When my case eventually went to court, the district attorney specifically told the judge that he normally would not offer a deferred judgment for a case like mine. However, because I had been honest from the beginning and cooperated throughout the investigation, he was willing to offer me one. I completed all the requirements, and my case was ultimately dismissed in April 2023.

My timeline:
June 9, 2026: Fingerprinting and initial drug screening.
July 6, 2026: Submitted my SF-86.
July 30, 2026: Completed my subject interview with the investigator.
August 4, 2026: Completed a repeat drug screening after an issue with the initial sample.
Early August 2026: My case was reportedly moving toward adjudication.
September 2026: No meaningful updates. A lot of waiting and uncertainty.
October 13, 2026: Received a call from CPO confirming that my TS clearance had been granted.
From submitting my SF-86 to receiving approval, it took approximately three months. HOWEVER, my investigation likely moved faster than a typical new TS investigation because I had previously started the clearance process for another federal position in 2024. That process ended when the agency stopped sponsoring my investigation before a final clearance determination was made but had got pretty far into the process. When doing my current subject interview the investigator informed he was able to pick up where the previous investigation left off rather than starting completely from scratch. I believe this likely contributed to my relatively quick timeline. I don’t want anyone reading this to assume that three months is necessarily a normal timeframe for a TS clearance, especially with multiple red flags. Every investigation is different.

For anyone going through this process with a less-than-perfect background, don’t automatically assume you’re going to be denied. I made some serious mistakes earlier in my life. I can’t change those decisions, but I can take responsibility for them and demonstrate that they don’t represent who I am today. I was honest about everything, answered the investigator’s questions, and didn’t try to minimize what happened. I also understand that every clearance case is different. My approval doesn’t mean someone with similar issues will necessarily receive the same outcome.
If you’re currently waiting for adjudication and stressing over things in your past, I understand exactly how you feel. I spent months worrying about whether my history would cost me this opportunity. Today I received the phone call I’d been hoping for. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to move forward with my career and put the lessons I’ve learned to good use. Your past matters, but so does what you’ve done since then. Don’t count yourself out until the adjudicators have made their decision.

Interviewed: February 2026
Accepted TJO: April 2026
SF86/SF86 interview, drug screen: Sept 26
Poly: Beginning of October 26
Current: recent updated that I’m currently in the background phase, that everything looks good so far, but ultimately it’s up to adjudication once background is closed.

I know I know: hurry up and wait 🤣 but anyone care to share their experience with about how much longer after the poly, they had left to go?

So I did my fingerprints and completed by SF85P on September 16th. On my end it shows the forms were successfully submitted and nothing is needed on my end. The org who submitted the request said on there end it says there is missing supplemental documents missing in the initial email but the initial email just said to do fingerprints and complete the SF85P. Is there something I’m missing here because I also didn’t get any follow up emails on missing documents.

I searched the sub and don’t see anything else similar. Had a ts at previous employer which I left amicably for new employer who requires a secret and also applies for interims. My background is pretty clear but I am handling my recently deceased fathers estate. I brought a management company to small claims court and won but now the landlord from same incident is suing the estate and me as executor in small claims court. Will this negatively impact my chances of positive adjudication / an interim clearance ? I had no tie to the apartment until handling the estate and the small claims suit is for about 3000 dollars not some substantial amount . I mainly worry because I know that recently the fbi was holding up clearance investigations for detectives applying for task force officer positions solely based on pending civil lawsuits that were made against them during performance of duty.

A point of contention on my application was that my spouse does not yet have a green card. I answered all questions as honestly as I could. My interview with the investigator was about a month ago and as far as I can tell, my application has not been processed. My spouse just received a call today that his GC interview is next month. Is this an update I need to report, and if so, what is the correct avenue to report this?

Hello everybody, I want to see what my chances are. I recently got hired for a defense contractor and will have to obtain a TS clearance in order to start. I previously held a Secret clearance when I was in the Army. I served active duty from 2016-2020. After that, I pursued school full-time. So here is the story.

I enlisted in the Army in 2016 when I was 20, which required a DoD Secret clearance. I got bad advice, which was to lie about my drug use and not to disclose that because my chances of getting in would be almost zero. So like a dumbass, I DID NOT put down that I previously used drugs on my SF86. In reality, I did the following prior to 2015:

Weed: smoked extensively
LSD: 3 times
MDMA: 1 time
Shrooms: 4 times
Adderall: 2-3 times
Xanax: 1 time
Lean: 1 time

I separated active duty from the Army in 2020 with a honorable discharge. I recall being debriefed about security clearance when I separated. I then joined the reserves for a little bit doing admin/HR work for a small unit and separated from that in 2022. At this time from 2021-2026 I went to college and obtained my degree. I did the following drugs in college:

Weed: smoked extensively (last time I smoked was May 2026)
Adderall: experimented extensively (2023-2024) (diagnosed with ADHD recently)
MDMA: 1 time in 2024
Shrooms: 2 times (2023-2024)

I want to come clean on my new SF86 for my TS clearance and be brutally honest and transparent. I know I fucked up and was stupid and immature by lying on my previous SF86. This was 11 years ago when I was 20 and I didn’t even know what I wanted to do at this point in my life. I was just desperate on turning my life around and starting my career. I am 31 years old now and have learned a lot from life and matured. I take full accountability for my actions and try to live with honesty and integrity. What should I do guys? Am I completely fucked? Do you have any experiences similar to mine? If so, what was the outcome. Thanks guys.