Re:O.mg Cable
by thrownblown on Thursday September 02, 2021 @08:24PM
(#28399080)
John McAfee discussing getting his security clearance when he worked for Lockheed-Martin:
"They asked me very revealing questions.... Had I ever taken drugs? Yes. What kinds? Almost every kind. Uh, how much? A lot. Have you ever sold drugs? Yes. So I assumed I would never get the clearance but I did and it came in very quickly."
(clearly decades ago, and he's less than reliable, but fun nonetheless!)
Re:O.mg Cable
by ByteJockey on Thursday September 02, 2021 @11:44PM
(#28400188)
It's not so much a problem if you do drugs.
It's a problem if you do drugs and are hiding it from someone (say, family). Then you can be blackmailed.
Can confirm (source: I have a friend that works for a three-letter agency). Before I sit for a clearance interview, I asked him about it. I used to think I'd probably be disqualified, but I learned that was not the case at all. Much of what they're trying to determine is your exposure to potential blackmail.
A lot of what they look for is consistency in accounts of previous behaviors between you and any references / interviews they undertake, trying to assess if you're currently honest.
Another big thing they are trying to decide is if you are blackmailable.
(throwaway because I have the sort of clearance you are not supposed to advertise that you have)