It does not matter if you are in the United States Marines, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard or Navy, getting approved for security clearance can open the doors to a wide variety of occupational specialties and federal service jobs. However, applying for a security clearance is a long process, and the government considers numerous factors when making an approval decision.
If you currently have a security clearance, it is important to understand that there are things, such as criminal convictions, that can jeopardize this clearance and, as a result, your job.
General factors considered
According to Military.com, there is a Standard Form 86 that asks you details about a wide variety of issues. Some of these include:
- Military service and employment activities
- Marital status
- Foreign contacts and activities
- Emotional and psychological health
- Finances
When you send in your application, you will need to submit fingerprints and sign a form allowing access to personal records. Always be honest when answering the questions, as the investigator will also conduct a thorough background check.
Factors that may result in a denial or revocation
Other major factors that the form addresses are your police record, alcohol use and illegal use of drugs. Even if you get a security clearance, a new entry on your criminal record could result in revocation.
The United States Marine Corps states that clearance determination takes into account every aspect of an applicant’s life. Although a criminal conviction does not automatically result in denial or revocation, it is a major factor, and a pattern of untrustworthiness and unreliability generally results in a denial.
It is ideal to fight to keep criminal information off of your record. However, there is also an appeals process for denials and revocations.
