How do I get Top Secret Clearance?

[OulOat]

Most of the jobs I'm applying for states that one must be able to get Top Secret Clearance or have already obtained TSC. How do I find out if I'm qualified to obtain one, and if I have to do it manually, where do I go to get one?

Edit--
No, I'm not going to kill a 00x and assume his identity

 

[cpals]

Put on your wizard hat...

 

[bradruth]

They'll probably issue you one after a lengthy background investigation & polygraph if/when they hire you.

 

[CPA]

Kill a 00x and assume his identity....oh, wait you already said you wouldn't do that.

 

[atom]

Is this a governement position? The FBI usually does it I think.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: bradruth
They'll probably issue you one after a lengthy background investigation & polygraph if/when they hire you.

So I guess I can't randomly blurt out, "I'm a commie!" anymore, eh

 

[WhiteKnight]

I had clearance for secret but it was all done through my Army ROTC unit.

 

[amnesiac]

Seriously what is it with ATOT'ers and asking questions that can be solved by a simple google query?
http://www.itsecurity.com/asktecs/jan3103.htm

I swear that 90% of the threads started on here are by people who know the answers to their questions but post anyway just to be attention whores.

 

[tnitsuj]

You need to get a job either contractor, government, military that will sponsor you for that clearence. You can't just go out and get one.

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Seriously what is it with ATOT'ers and asking questions that can be solved by a simple google query?
http://www.itsecurity.com/asktecs/jan3103.htm

I swear that 90% of the threads started on here are by people who know the answers to their questions but post anyway just to be attention whores.

Then think of how boring this place would be... if all we did was ask Google all day, nobody would be here.

 

[rh71]

I heard it took a few years... but that article doesn't mention anything about length of application. The only real info it offered was that they go back 10 years on you.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: bradruth
They'll probably issue you one after a lengthy background investigation & polygraph if/when they hire you.

So I guess I can't randomly blurt out, "I'm a commie!" anymore, eh

You can as long as you're not dressed in red or oppressing the proletariat at the time.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Seriously what is it with ATOT'ers and asking questions that can be solved by a simple google query?
http://www.itsecurity.com/asktecs/jan3103.htm

I swear that 90% of the threads started on here are by people who know the answers to their questions but post anyway just to be attention whores.

Thanks for the link. But that is unclear on whether a prospective job hunter like me needs to goto my local FBU office and get my background checked in order to be considered for those positions.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Seriously what is it with ATOT'ers and asking questions that can be solved by a simple google query?
http://www.itsecurity.com/asktecs/jan3103.htm

I swear that 90% of the threads started on here are by people who know the answers to their questions but post anyway just to be attention whores.

Thanks for the link. But that is unclear on whether a prospective job hunter like me needs to goto my local FBU office and get my background checked in order to be considered for those positions.

If you're applying to a job that requires a security clearance, they'll do everything themselves. Just apply and they'll take care of it.

 

[burnedout]

Clearances are granted on a "need to know" basis. You must have a sponsor.

I received an interim Secret in one day, a Secret in 30 days, an interim Top Secret in a week and a Top Secret/Background Investigation 4 months after the interview by CID. The TS/BI was granted during the mid-1980s. My TS/BI was also renewed a couple times. I also formerly held a NATO Top Secret clearance.

Just because someone has a TS doesn't mean he/she can automatically view or work with certain levels of classified material. A local access roster must also be published and approved.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Seriously what is it with ATOT'ers and asking questions that can be solved by a simple google query?
http://www.itsecurity.com/asktecs/jan3103.htm

I swear that 90% of the threads started on here are by people who know the answers to their questions but post anyway just to be attention whores.

Thanks for the link. But that is unclear on whether a prospective job hunter like me needs to goto my local FBU office and get my background checked in order to be considered for those positions.

If you're applying to a job that requires a security clearance, they'll do everything themselves. Just apply and they'll take care of it.

Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

Or they want someone who is already cleared/does not have a lapsed clearence.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

Or they want someone who is already cleared/does not have a lapsed clearence.

Right. The only way to know for sure is to ask them.

 

[OulOat]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

Or they want someone who is already cleared/does not have a lapsed clearence.

So can I just go to my local FBI office and get myself cleared? Or do I have to wait until som e company request that I be cleared?

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

Or they want someone who is already cleared/does not have a lapsed clearence.

So can I just go to my local FBI office and get myself cleared? Or do I have to wait until som e company request that I be cleared?

Trust me--you don't want to walk into an FBI office and ask for a Top Security clearance. You'll have to get a job with a company/agency that needs you to be cleared first.

 

[Ynog]

Originally posted by: burnedout
Clearances are granted on a "need to know" basis. You must have a sponsor.

I received an interim Secret in one day, a Secret in 30 days, an interim Top Secret in a week and a Top Secret/Background Investigation 4 months after the interview by CID. The TS/BI was granted during the mid-1980s. My TS/BI was also renewed a couple times. I also formerly held a NATO Top Secret clearance.

Just because someone has a TS doesn't mean he/she can automatically view or work with certain levels of classified material. A local access roster must also be published and approved.

They don't grant clearances that quick anymore.

Like said here you must have a sponser. They don't just give them away.
First off you need to be a US Citizen. Thats the big requirement.

There is a nice long form that must be filled out to obtain a clearance.
From my experience, the place where you would be working, would
have the FSO (facility security officer) give you a form, you fill it out, and they enter the
information into a DSS internet form and submit it.

Now if you have anything on that form that would require looking into,
your going to take longer. And with a TS, they don't just call people like
with a Secret, they visit. They visit with you and they will talk to the people you
know, and people they know that might know you. I have had some good stories
of people I know with TS's that couldn't believe some of the people that were questioned
when they were going through the process.

Also expect a review every 5 once you have a TS. And from my experience again, your
FSO should deactivate a TS if your not using it. Which is why NSA work is so hard to come
by, you need a NSA specified TS clearance to bid on the work, but you cannot get a NSA TS
without having the work. Nice like circular loop there.

And like quoted at the end. its all need to know, and by default you don't need to know.
That holds for all clearance levels, TS included, you can have a TS, but if your not suppose to
be looking at certain confidencial material, then you shouldn't be.

Once you have obtained a TS, its easier to get it again, and much quicker but you need to go through the
process.

 

[Ynog]

Big clearance things for any level are.

US Citizen
Have you had one revoked - if you have your screwed
They look at high volume travel to neutral or unfriendly countries,
Obviously crimes.
My personal favorite, Have you or are you currently a member or officier of a group who plans to or thinks of overthrowing the government (Y/N)?

Edit: Thought of some other things.

Another big one, if you are married to a foreign national.
They look into that.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: Ynog
My personal favorite, Have you or are you currently a member or officier of a group who plans to or thinks of overthrowing the government (Y/N)?

Haha, I got asked that when I took my polygraph for the PD. I chuckled when the Detective asked that.

 

[Ynog]

Originally posted by: OulOat

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: OulOat
Even when it says "Security clearance must be in hand prior to being hired?"

They may go through the clearance process before you're officially offered the job.

Or they want someone who is already cleared/does not have a lapsed clearence.

So can I just go to my local FBI office and get myself cleared? Or do I have to wait until som e company request that I be cleared?

The only time you go the FBI is if you work for someone who doesn't have their own security department,
then they will do that for you, but you still need to have the need to view classified material.