5 ms·

I got denied an internship at the CIA for my past drug use, which was entirely trying marijuana after it became legal in my home state. I don’t see how someone

I got denied an internship at the CIA for my past drug use, which was entirely trying marijuana after it became legal in my home state. I don’t see how someone can possibly be expected to have the personality to gather (human) intel, but somehow not ever have smoked weed.

tough 3y ago
Maybe the CIA expects you to be smart enough to lie to them about not breaking the rules to hire you in the first place?
- awithrow 3y ago
  Nope, that's typically a deal breaker. It's the stuff they find out that you didn't want them to know that can get you blocked. The thinking is that if an adversary finds it out, they could use it as leverage against you. I've held clearances in the past and was forthcoming about marijuana use. It largely comes down to the judgement of the investigator. I'm really not surprised that some people have been bounced for drug use and some people haven't.
  - GenerocUsername 3y ago
    But the leverage is granted by the CIA being strict in the first place. If it wasn't a condition of denial it wouldn't be a condition of denial and wouldn't hold the leverage power it is meant to curb. Crazy
    - awithrow 3y ago
      Good point! I think in the past it would have been a much bigger deal to have past drug use revealed. Think Bill Clinton vs Obama. We've come a long way since, I'm not surprised the IC is just now starting to rethink things a bit.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
chrisfosterelli 3y ago
> I don’t see how someone can possibly be expected to have the personality to gather (human) intel, but somehow not ever have smoked weed. It's not clear to me how these would have absolutely any relationship at all.
- jedberg 3y ago
  To gather human intel you have to be willing to do things like drink in social situation and (gasp) sometimes do drugs with the people you're trying to collect intel from, to gain their friendship. In other words, you need to have a slightly adventurous personality.
  - chrisfosterelli 3y ago
    Most people I know who have an adventurous personality don't smoke weed. Drinking I can see a case for as it's so heavily embedded as a social activity. Just anecdotal data I suppose but I'm not seeing a similar connection for having done drugs. Perhaps for someone who is undercover and needs to fit in, sure, but I don't think that predisposes a personality to take drugs in their own time. For both alcohol and drugs I doubt it has any relevance to most intelligence roles.
    - jeffreyrogers 3y ago
      Yeah. And the people you network with in a HUMINT job aren't hanging around doing drugs for the most part. They are working in industry or government. Probably a fair amount of drinking but mostly no time for other drugs, or if they do them, keep it discreet.
      - howinteresting 3y ago
        Huh, I'd imagine cocaine, Adderall and molly would all be very popular among that crowd.
        lstodd 3y ago
meroes 3y ago
I think it's because the CIA has been a very self-similar group for decades (Mormons). They have blinders of their own.
- Teever 3y ago
  I thought it was the NSA that was all Mormons?
  - count 3y ago
    It's the entire IC.
  - red-iron-pine 3y ago
    tis all of em mang.

tough 3y ago

Maybe the CIA expects you to be smart enough to lie to them about not breaking the rules to hire you in the first place?

awithrow 3y ago
Nope, that's typically a deal breaker. It's the stuff they find out that you didn't want them to know that can get you blocked. The thinking is that if an adversary finds it out, they could use it as leverage against you. I've held clearances in the past and was forthcoming about marijuana use. It largely comes down to the judgement of the investigator. I'm really not surprised that some people have been bounced for drug use and some people haven't.
- GenerocUsername 3y ago
  But the leverage is granted by the CIA being strict in the first place. If it wasn't a condition of denial it wouldn't be a condition of denial and wouldn't hold the leverage power it is meant to curb. Crazy
  - awithrow 3y ago
    Good point! I think in the past it would have been a much bigger deal to have past drug use revealed. Think Bill Clinton vs Obama. We've come a long way since, I'm not surprised the IC is just now starting to rethink things a bit.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

chrisfosterelli 3y ago

> I don’t see how someone can possibly be expected to have the personality to gather (human) intel, but somehow not ever have smoked weed. It's not clear to me how these would have absolutely any relationship at all.

jedberg 3y ago
To gather human intel you have to be willing to do things like drink in social situation and (gasp) sometimes do drugs with the people you're trying to collect intel from, to gain their friendship. In other words, you need to have a slightly adventurous personality.
- chrisfosterelli 3y ago
  Most people I know who have an adventurous personality don't smoke weed. Drinking I can see a case for as it's so heavily embedded as a social activity. Just anecdotal data I suppose but I'm not seeing a similar connection for having done drugs. Perhaps for someone who is undercover and needs to fit in, sure, but I don't think that predisposes a personality to take drugs in their own time. For both alcohol and drugs I doubt it has any relevance to most intelligence roles.
  - jeffreyrogers 3y ago
    Yeah. And the people you network with in a HUMINT job aren't hanging around doing drugs for the most part. They are working in industry or government. Probably a fair amount of drinking but mostly no time for other drugs, or if they do them, keep it discreet.
    - howinteresting 3y ago
      Huh, I'd imagine cocaine, Adderall and molly would all be very popular among that crowd.
      - lstodd 3y ago

meroes 3y ago

I think it's because the CIA has been a very self-similar group for decades (Mormons). They have blinders of their own.

Teever 3y ago
I thought it was the NSA that was all Mormons?
- count 3y ago
  It's the entire IC.
- red-iron-pine 3y ago
  tis all of em mang.