Hello --

I am an Active Duty AF wife; my husband is just finishing up tech school and is currently working on getting his Top Secret clearance so we can PCS to his first PDS.

I have a few blemishes in my credit history. We have NO credit together -- we keep everything financial separate. I've never co-signed for him and vice versa.

Could my bad credit prevent him getting a Top Secret clearance?

EDIT -- he's said that other married Airmen have gotten DQ'd for having $100 in debt, marital problems, snoring, etc (we don't have marital problems or anything, just giving examples) - I'm beginning to wonder if people are getting DQ'd for serious things but claiming these types of things are the real reason, to "save face"???? I just can't imagine getting DQ'd for SNORING.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: adellenoah,

Chances are good that some folks may have been trying to put a couple of layers of varnish over why they might have been denied a high level security clearance. Snoring? Definitely NOT a disqualifier. $100 debt? Not likely. Marital problems? Ehhh, possibly, depends on how juicy the details are.

But the unvarnished truth is that your credit could affect hubby's ability to get a clearance. The devil is in the details as to what, when, where, how much, etc.

You see, the purpose of the investigation is to determine if there are vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Formerly, having relatives in what was a Communist bloc country (leverage could have been applied indirectly--threatening harm or promising rewards to those relatives if you'd cooperate); paying money to help pay off large debts; threatening to expose embarrassing details about your life, etc.

Only thing to do is to roll the dice. But, this warning: DO NOT TRY TO CONCEAL ANYTHING. The investigators and adjudication agency have sources and resources for information that you can't begin to imagine. They interview the people you've given as references; people that you've worked with; people who live next door, or down the street, from your references; neighbors where you grew up; teachers, scout leaders, church members, coaches; credit references; and people you've worked with; they check public records for arrests (not just convictions); bankruptcies; property or mechanic liens; mortgages; law suits; divorces; and any other kind of legal or personal entanglements.

Thank you. I will definitely not try to conceal anything -- I actually haven't been asked a darn thing yet. (I'm hoping that's a good thing -- I would assume even the government would have to at least notify me that they're running a check? Maybe? Or something like "DOD" or "OPM" would show up on my FICO report as a recent checker?)

I'm also sort of hoping that this has already been looked at or not looked at and that phase is over -- he had an interview yesterday and was cleared by the Captain (and that's where they found a speeding ticket he had forgotten to list and yelled at him about it), his packet was sent up to his receiving commander for the final OK...so I'm hoping everything they need from or about me is in that packet that just got shipped up, kwim? I'm rambling now but I'm just worried -- this is something he really wants and I'd just die if a stupid mistake I made prevented him from getting it.

Ok, let me give you a little piece of mind. I got my Top Secret clearance, my wife's credit is absolutely horrid, and mine isn't exactly what I'd be calling stellar either, but I'm in much better shape. The important thing, or so they told me, was that even if you have debt (my wife had a student loan defaulted and a couple of bad run ins with those check cashing places) you needed to show that you were working with them to pay it all off.

Debt can be a killer, someone else in my flight was denied a clearance because he had a debt for 2,100 with a power company, and no plan to pay it off, or so he said.

Other random disqualifiers are excessive law violations, sleep walking, and speaking while asleep, and apparently 'deviant sexual tendencies' although they won't explain what qualifies...

I'm working on my clearance now (just the pre-paperwork part so far), and pulled my credit report (free!), and found a hospital bill I didn't know I had. I was "severely past due" as it was incurred in July, and since I didn't know I had it, I hadn't paid it. Anyway, it was paid when I pulled my report, and nothing else is past due now.
I'm thanking my lucky stars (and those ANNOYING credit report commercials) because I wouldn't have "disclosed" anything negative, and it probably would have looked like I was trying to hide it.

Long story short, be prepared when working on a clearance, take time to research (credit reports, phone numbers, addresses, etc), it might pay off in the long run.

Here's another "for what it's worth."

As you go through the process of gathering information to complete your background information questionnaire, make some sort of allowance to preserve that information: make copies of the documents you gather (and keep them in a safe place), or have the information from the questionnaire printed out for you. If hubby chooses to make a career of the Air Force, or a career in government service, etc., he'll have periodic reinvestigations. It's a lot easier to re-gather that information if you still have it on hand.

quote:

Originally posted by Blue_Impulse:
...and apparently 'deviant sexual tendencies' although they won't explain what qualifies...

Think...sheep!

quote:

Originally posted by JP_Retired:

quote:

Originally posted by Blue_Impulse:
...and apparently 'deviant sexual tendencies' although they won't explain what qualifies...

Think...sheep!

More simple, like having orgies or participating in sexual activities outside of the normal "missionary position", no backdooring it. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by JP_Retired:

quote:

Originally posted by Blue_Impulse:
...and apparently 'deviant sexual tendencies' although they won't explain what qualifies...

Think...sheep!

When I was a student squadron commander I had to give initial interviews to students who were being considered for Top Secret clearances. One of the questions was "Have you ever had sex with animals?". I had one kid get really pizzed off that I even asked him the question.

quote:

Originally posted by Gil_Nelson:
One of the questions was "Have you ever had sex with animals?". I had one kid get really pizzed off that I even asked him the question.

WOW. I don't think I'll be able to keep a straight face if I'm asked that.