5 ms·

This. I entertained the idea of working in the public sector a while ago, for a brief time, until I learned that pot is fine in my past, but not in my present.

by loxias 5y ago

This. I entertained the idea of working in the public sector a while ago, for a brief time, until I learned that pot is fine in my past, but not in my present. "How the heck do you expect me to get the code written?" Also, I've been told that getting a clearance is more burden than blessing. You have restrictions that an "ordinary person" doesn't have, along with criminal penalties for violating them. Whereas, without a clearance, if they really need you for something, they'll bring you in anyway.

jdironman 5y ago
Not sure I understand those last two sentences. Could you clarify?
- balls187 5y ago
  Things may have changed, but in my prior life when I had a clearance, for example, dating (or marrying for that matter) a foreign national would result in heavy vetting, including possibly losing your clearance and/or being terminated.
  - nirse 5y ago
    I hope it would have just been your contract that would have been terminated? ;-)
    - balls187 5y ago
      These days I don't believe spying results in death, just a long vacation at club fed.
- frickinLasers 5y ago
  Don't do drugs (including marijuana), don't get blackout drunk, don't talk about your work, don't need psychiatric help... For the last sentence...Trump had all sorts of clearance when he clearly should not have. But he was in an important position.
  - garmaine 5y ago
    > don't need psychiatric help Does that include regular old things like ADHD meds?
    - frickinLasers 5y ago
      I don't know. I haven't worked in that system for many years. That said, it was more received wisdom than a written rule, and I was aware of exceptions who were prescribed more than ADHD meds.
      - garmaine 5y ago
        We’ll I mean the ADHD meds I’m prescribed happens to also be a popular street drug, so I wouldn’t trust them to differentiate.
    - skoskie 5y ago
      No it does not.
  - vxNsr 5y ago
    Putting aside the politics of it for a second, all clearence stems from the executive branch which stems from the president. Saying the president shouldn't have clearance doesn't make a lot of sense, he's the one who authorized it. He's the one who decides who gets it. Anyone who thinks differently is arguing for a shadow gov, i.e. unelected bureaucrats who answer to no one and can make decisions unilaterally without consequence... not exactly democracy.
    - frickinLasers 5y ago
      That statement wasn't about politics at all. Let me put it another way: Had he been trying to get clearance for a normal position, he would probably not have received it. I also never said he had access to everything. Nobody has access to everything. Not arguing for a shadow government--it's already a fact. It happened when classification rules went from "what would harm national security" to "what would cause problems if American citizens found out we were doing this."
- BeetleB 5y ago
  Friend of mine is head of IT for some government agency. Not a spooky one - just a routine agency. However, given the nature of IT and the data they need to store - they are required to get security clearance. For him it's been a minor nuisance at worst. He has strong restrictions on travel. I think he needs approval to travel abroad. He has relatives in other countries and visits them often, so it can't be too much of a nuisance. I believe he told me that he does have to report details of where he went in each country and who he interacted with upon his return. Not sure about the details. Official website: https://www.dm.usda.gov/ohsec/TravelResource.htm https://www.dm.usda.gov/ohsec/TravelResource.htm
JamesSwift 5y ago
> I've been told that getting a clearance is more burden than blessing Yes it definitely can be, but depends on your personality and stage of life. You are always cognizant of having a clearance and the need to maintain it, and so you consider that in your every day life. You also have to open your life up in uncomfortable ways, even if your only objection is in principal. You probably don't sweat it too much later in life since you generally are a more 'boring' person, but I had mine in my mid 20's so was a lot more active in terms of social life. One time I was in downtown SF with a buddy hitting up bars etc and eventually had to cut out early because things were getting more drug oriented. I also used to play a lot of cards before getting a clearance and had contacts who were in some shady stuff. I basically excommunicated them from my life to avoid the clearance hassle.

by loxias 5y ago

jdironman 5y ago

Not sure I understand those last two sentences. Could you clarify?

balls187 5y ago
Things may have changed, but in my prior life when I had a clearance, for example, dating (or marrying for that matter) a foreign national would result in heavy vetting, including possibly losing your clearance and/or being terminated.
- nirse 5y ago
  I hope it would have just been your contract that would have been terminated? ;-)
  - balls187 5y ago
    These days I don't believe spying results in death, just a long vacation at club fed.
frickinLasers 5y ago
Don't do drugs (including marijuana), don't get blackout drunk, don't talk about your work, don't need psychiatric help... For the last sentence...Trump had all sorts of clearance when he clearly should not have. But he was in an important position.
- garmaine 5y ago
  > don't need psychiatric help Does that include regular old things like ADHD meds?
  - frickinLasers 5y ago
    I don't know. I haven't worked in that system for many years. That said, it was more received wisdom than a written rule, and I was aware of exceptions who were prescribed more than ADHD meds.
    - garmaine 5y ago
      We’ll I mean the ADHD meds I’m prescribed happens to also be a popular street drug, so I wouldn’t trust them to differentiate.
  - skoskie 5y ago
    No it does not.
- vxNsr 5y ago
  Putting aside the politics of it for a second, all clearence stems from the executive branch which stems from the president. Saying the president shouldn't have clearance doesn't make a lot of sense, he's the one who authorized it. He's the one who decides who gets it. Anyone who thinks differently is arguing for a shadow gov, i.e. unelected bureaucrats who answer to no one and can make decisions unilaterally without consequence... not exactly democracy.
  - frickinLasers 5y ago
    That statement wasn't about politics at all. Let me put it another way: Had he been trying to get clearance for a normal position, he would probably not have received it. I also never said he had access to everything. Nobody has access to everything. Not arguing for a shadow government--it's already a fact. It happened when classification rules went from "what would harm national security" to "what would cause problems if American citizens found out we were doing this."
BeetleB 5y ago
Friend of mine is head of IT for some government agency. Not a spooky one - just a routine agency. However, given the nature of IT and the data they need to store - they are required to get security clearance. For him it's been a minor nuisance at worst. He has strong restrictions on travel. I think he needs approval to travel abroad. He has relatives in other countries and visits them often, so it can't be too much of a nuisance. I believe he told me that he does have to report details of where he went in each country and who he interacted with upon his return. Not sure about the details. Official website: https://www.dm.usda.gov/ohsec/TravelResource.htm https://www.dm.usda.gov/ohsec/TravelResource.htm

JamesSwift 5y ago

> I've been told that getting a clearance is more burden than blessing Yes it definitely can be, but depends on your personality and stage of life. You are always cognizant of having a clearance and the need to maintain it, and so you consider that in your every day life. You also have to open your life up in uncomfortable ways, even if your only objection is in principal. You probably don't sweat it too much later in life since you generally are a more 'boring' person, but I had mine in my mid 20's so was a lot more active in terms of social life. One time I was in downtown SF with a buddy hitting up bars etc and eventually had to cut out early because things were getting more drug oriented. I also used to play a lot of cards before getting a clearance and had contacts who were in some shady stuff. I basically excommunicated them from my life to avoid the clearance hassle.