4 ms·

I was a team leader at a USSOCOM unit and had to take a poly to be read into a couple of three-letter agency programs. In the middle of the test, the smug 23 ye

I was a team leader at a USSOCOM unit and had to take a poly to be read into a couple of three-letter agency programs. In the middle of the test, the smug 23 year old fresh college grad administering the thing tells me I'm being deceptive and obviously support jihadi terrorism. This as I'm getting ready to leave on my 12th deployment. I've never wanted to so violently break someone's face as right then in that moment.

kungtotte 8y ago
I'm picturing that scene from The Rock where Ed Harris chews out that young staffer who questions him.
- phyller 8y ago
  If that statement was actually part of the test, that poor guy had a very dangerous job. "Might as well put the new guys in there, if they get killed we don't lose someone more valuable."
poly2throwaway 8y ago
When administering the test some examiners will tell the subject they failed just to see the reaction or if they will admit to something. All though, it would be a poor choice to do this to someone who had taken multiple screening polys.
crististm 8y ago
I hate it when people do this. What's the better comeback/reaction to this frame? (apparently, my verbalized fuck-off, tamed or not, is not the best approach)
- craftyguy 8y ago
  "I'm sorry, that's not true.", then wait for them to continue the test?
  - crististm 8y ago
    Yes, and the general recommendations I've seen are: - I'm sorry, what did you say? I didn't hear that? ... - Oh, I thought you said that. What made you say it? ... - You know that people reserve the worst criticism for themselves? ... Did my original question implied polygraph tests in any way?
- defen 8y ago
  "Wow, you're really bad at this!"
  - crististm 8y ago
    I don't know... It's aggressive in an explicit way. A putdown. I should have several comebacks ready and be prepared to nuke the relationship.
- thoughtfunction 8y ago
  Snort
forapurpose 8y ago
> This as I'm getting ready to leave on my 12th deployment Unfortunately, people with far better credentials have been traitors and spies. Kim Philby, Aldrich Ames, and Robert Hanssen come to mind. IIRC, at least one was even given a pass on his polygraph test because of his credentials. Recently, Michael Flynn was a Lt General, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Security Advisor (to be clear, he is convicted only of lying to the FBI, AFAIK). EDIT: Added to Flynn's credentials
- iooi 8y ago
  Yeah, and they were all caught during their polygraph interrogations right?
  - forapurpose 8y ago
    As I said, I believe Ames or Hanssen was, but the subject was given a pass because of his credentials.
    - MrMorden 8y ago
      Hanssen never took a polygraph; Ames took many and passed them all. If there's even a single spy who was caught because of the polygraph, neither the US nor any other government using them has said so.
- jerglingu 8y ago
  The incredulity lays here: > tells me I'm being deceptive and obviously support jihadi terrorism. This as I'm getting ready to leave on my 12th deployment.
- oldgradstudent 8y ago
  Funny you should mention Aldrich Ames. The New York Times reported that: > Three years later, at the start of his career as a Russian mole, Aldrich Ames passed a Central Intelligence Agency lie detector test. In 1991, he passed another, even though he was on the agency's list of suspected moles and living at a level far above his $70,000 Government salary. Last summer, Dennis DeConcini, then chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, visited Mr. Ames in jail and asked how he passed the exams. "Well," Mr. Ames replied, "they don't work." https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/19/opinion/lie-detectors-lie-tell-the-cia.html https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/19/opinion/lie-detectors-lie... He also wrote a very interesting letter about polygraph testing: https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/ames.html https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/ames.html
polyfolly 8y ago
Sounds like they are doing their job. Their job is to fuck with you. Just stay calm, relaxed, and board. It’s all a bunch of BS.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

kungtotte 8y ago

I'm picturing that scene from The Rock where Ed Harris chews out that young staffer who questions him.

phyller 8y ago
If that statement was actually part of the test, that poor guy had a very dangerous job. "Might as well put the new guys in there, if they get killed we don't lose someone more valuable."

poly2throwaway 8y ago

When administering the test some examiners will tell the subject they failed just to see the reaction or if they will admit to something. All though, it would be a poor choice to do this to someone who had taken multiple screening polys.

crististm 8y ago

I hate it when people do this. What's the better comeback/reaction to this frame? (apparently, my verbalized fuck-off, tamed or not, is not the best approach)

craftyguy 8y ago
"I'm sorry, that's not true.", then wait for them to continue the test?
- crististm 8y ago
  Yes, and the general recommendations I've seen are: - I'm sorry, what did you say? I didn't hear that? ... - Oh, I thought you said that. What made you say it? ... - You know that people reserve the worst criticism for themselves? ... Did my original question implied polygraph tests in any way?
defen 8y ago
"Wow, you're really bad at this!"
- crististm 8y ago
  I don't know... It's aggressive in an explicit way. A putdown. I should have several comebacks ready and be prepared to nuke the relationship.
thoughtfunction 8y ago
Snort

forapurpose 8y ago

> This as I'm getting ready to leave on my 12th deployment Unfortunately, people with far better credentials have been traitors and spies. Kim Philby, Aldrich Ames, and Robert Hanssen come to mind. IIRC, at least one was even given a pass on his polygraph test because of his credentials. Recently, Michael Flynn was a Lt General, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and National Security Advisor (to be clear, he is convicted only of lying to the FBI, AFAIK). EDIT: Added to Flynn's credentials

iooi 8y ago
Yeah, and they were all caught during their polygraph interrogations right?
- forapurpose 8y ago
  As I said, I believe Ames or Hanssen was, but the subject was given a pass because of his credentials.
  - MrMorden 8y ago
    Hanssen never took a polygraph; Ames took many and passed them all. If there's even a single spy who was caught because of the polygraph, neither the US nor any other government using them has said so.
jerglingu 8y ago
The incredulity lays here: > tells me I'm being deceptive and obviously support jihadi terrorism. This as I'm getting ready to leave on my 12th deployment.
oldgradstudent 8y ago
Funny you should mention Aldrich Ames. The New York Times reported that: > Three years later, at the start of his career as a Russian mole, Aldrich Ames passed a Central Intelligence Agency lie detector test. In 1991, he passed another, even though he was on the agency's list of suspected moles and living at a level far above his $70,000 Government salary. Last summer, Dennis DeConcini, then chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, visited Mr. Ames in jail and asked how he passed the exams. "Well," Mr. Ames replied, "they don't work." https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/19/opinion/lie-detectors-lie-tell-the-cia.html https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/19/opinion/lie-detectors-lie... He also wrote a very interesting letter about polygraph testing: https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/ames.html https://fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/ames.html

polyfolly 8y ago

Sounds like they are doing their job. Their job is to fuck with you. Just stay calm, relaxed, and board. It’s all a bunch of BS.

deleted 8y ago

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