Intelligence Analysts -- "Q" Clearance?

I joined the military back in Feb. 98 and went in as an Intel Analyst. I'm not quite clear on what type of clearance I had, either a Q clearance or just a Top Secret clearance. Anyone know?? Anyway, I flunked out of the AIT training because I had a real problem with getting up in front of people with no notes or black-board to point to and just basically reciting a current event in the newspaper.

It was very, very tough for me. Anyway, I got downgraded to working as an admin specialist and was sent to an EOD unit at White Sands. My First Sergeant was looking over my data and was like "My God! That is one high clearance."

I think maybe I let something good slip out of my hands. oes anyone here know how I can maybe re-instate my clearance and if it is still on file that I had this clearance?? I basically got out of the military and didn't get anything recorded or anything and I got a general under honorable conditions discharge because I was pissed with my job.

um, if you read your security debriefing from your outprocessing interviews, you'll find that its ok to say you had a security clearance, but discussing what kind of clearance you may have had is illegal....i'd drop it if i were you.

it's illegal?? Hmm.. too bad I aint got nothing worth mentioning anyway. I was basically asking what type of clearance an Intel Analyst would have?

As far as I know, security clearances aren't reinstated particularly after so long a period. You have to be re-certified through your current employer.

As an example, my dad once held a very high military intelligence clearance. He's retired and what he had/was simply doesn't count now.

Originally posted by Byrd
As far as I know, security clearances aren't reinstated particularly after so long a period. You have to be re-certified through your current employer.

As an example, my dad once held a very high military intelligence clearance. He's retired and what he had/was simply doesn't count now.

ok thanks for clearing that up a bit, thing is, is that I notice some governemnt jobs online and saw that some required high security clearances and I was just wondering that since I held a high clearance before, I was wondering if it would be a factor to make it know to an employer and id it may be easier to secure a job knowing that I once held this clearance?

I didnt even realize what I had at the time. I was in White Sands Missle Range in New Mexico. I think i would have been a lot more stoked about being there if I believed in aliens back then. Now it makes me wonder what my EOD guys were doing out in the field at odd hours. Me and the Supply Sergeant got to hang behind at the shop eating Twinkies and playing Ping Pong, lol.

Yes, the fact that you had clearance would still be on file.

Wether or not it's still active only you and your superiors would know.

As a heads up, if it's still active and you are out of the military, I hear Mitre Corp has very high job satisfaction ratings and clearances are required to work there,in many positions, even though it's "private sector".

They still might consider ya even if it expired as long as it wasn't "revoked".

Mitre would probably help you re-instate as long as you were still eligable and needed it for a qualified position.

Originally posted by wangho
I was just wondering that since I held a high clearance before, I was wondering if it would be a factor to make it know to an employer and id it may be easier to secure a job knowing that I once held this clearance?

Yes, it can make a difference in your favor but as with any job it depends on who and what you're applying for.



[edit on 10/16/05 by redmage]

A clearence may help in getting a job, not necessarily because you will work with secret stuff, but rather because it will save your employer time and money by skipping the background check on you.

Originally posted by ufia
A clearence may help in getting a job, not necessarily because you will work with secret stuff, but rather because it will save your employer time and money by skipping the background check on you.

Like i said, it depends on who and what you apply for.

It can definately do more than just save time on a background check.

Originally posted by redmage
Yes, the fact that you had clearance would still be on file.

Wether or not it's still active only you and your superiors would know.

As a heads up, if it's still active and you are out of the military, I hear Mitre Corp has very high job satisfaction ratings and clearances are required to work there,in many positions, even though it's "private sector".

They still might consider ya even if it expired as long as it wasn't "revoked".

Mitre would probably help you re-instate as long as you were still eligable and needed it for a qualified position.

Originally posted by wangho
I was just wondering that since I held a high clearance before, I was wondering if it would be a factor to make it know to an employer and id it may be easier to secure a job knowing that I once held this clearance?

Yes, it can make a difference in your favor but as with any job it depends on who and what you're applying for.



[edit on 10/16/05 by redmage]

and mitre has an awesome cafeteria!

if your looking to get hired on with the feds or a govt contractor that requires a security clearance, the way it works is like this:

you apply for the job, making sure that you mention having had a security clearance in the past. dont specify what type...they will be able to access that info.

if the job requires a security clearance, then part of the in-processing will involve filling out a security questionnaire. it doesnt matter whether your clearance expired several years ago or yesterday, you still have to do this.

you would probably be hired before they finish the security check, but your being hired will be contengent upon being able to satisfactorily pass the security inspection. then you will be cleared for the appropriate clearance for the job.

hope that helps...and sorry if i sounded a little gruff in that first post...just didnt want you saying anything that might get yourself in trouble

Originally posted by snafu7700

and mitre has an awesome cafeteria!

That must be why they're top 10 in IT job satisfaction.

www.hrmarketer.com

Computerworld's Top 10 Best Places to Work in IT for 2005 are: 1.___Quicken Loans, Inc.___Livonia, Mich. 2.___University of Miami___Coral Gables, Fla. 3.___American Fidelity Assurance Co.___Oklahoma City, Okla. 4.___American Century Investments___Kansas City, Mo. 5.___Network Appliance, Inc.___Sunnyvale, Calif. 6.___Qualcomm, Inc.___San Diego, Calif. 7.___Securian Financial Group___St. Paul, Minn. 8.___University of Pennsylvania___Philadelphia, Penn. 9.___Universal Health Services___King of Prussia, Penn. 10.___The Mitre Corp.___McLean, Va.


Great clarification on the application procedures snafu.



[edit on 10/16/05 by redmage]
edit to shorten link

[edit on 16-10-2005 by DontTreadOnMe]

Theoretically, all your answers are at this website. The Defense Security Service. Good luck searching MIL and GOV websites.
www.dss.mil...
www.dss.mil...

QUESTION: I worked as an Air Force civilian from 1985 to September of 1997. During this period, I held a Secret clearance. Who would my current employer contact to verify my clearance? Also, is it true that the clearance is considered reinstateable for up to one year after being debriefed?
ANSWER: Your Air Force clearance can be converted to an industrial clearance, provided that: the investigation on which your Air Force clearance was based meets the standards prescribed for the required industrial clearance; there is no indication of adverse information; and no more than 24 months have elapsed since the date it was terminated. Your employer can apply to have your clearance converted by submitting a DISCO Form 562 along with your "Notification of Personnel Action" (Standard Form 50), which terminated your employment with the Air Force.

Basically, any clearances we previously had, expire in 24 months. Any existing investigations, expire in 5, 10, or 15 years, depending on what type of clearance it was. In addition, the new clearance required, may not match the old one, in type, or in who it's service to.

So it's going to be done over again. But reality is, the previous work done, is regarded as completed work, in most cases. This makes the investigation easier. Background checks would concentrate on the period of time between the old clearance and the new one.

thanks for the clarification and advice! Much appreciated..

From my reading, Top Secret Q clearance is reserved for nuclear weapons. The physicists in Los Alamos would have this type of clearance. It is highly unlikely that you had a ' Q ' clearance unless you worked in a DOE lab.

A "Q" clearance is a DOE clearance for Top Secret.

It is the same as a DoD Top Secret, just issued by a non-DoD agency.

Your past clearance level is of no consequence - the investigation on which that clearance was issued (either a NAC or SSBI) is what is desirable for potential employers, as it indicates the maximum level of access you may be granted. If your investigation was completed (i.e. "final"), you are all set. If your investigation was non completed (i.e. "interim") prior to your departure from the service, then you have nothing to rely on.

If I were in your shoes, I would worry more about having a "general" discharge than a security clearance. IMHO, you have to work very hard at not getting an honorable discharge from the service.....you should spend some time working with the DoD to try to get that changed......

[edit on 17-10-2005 by Pyros]

Another thing that needs to be mentioned is "need to know". Just because you have a high level clearance doesn't give you the authorization to access everything at that level or below, you are only authorized to have access to the information necessary to do your job.

As far as getting a clearance changed or reinstated it is pretty much impossible. Once you have had your security debriefing your clearance is considered closed. What can happen is that if you apply for a position with a company or government agency you might get a preference because you have had a clearance in the past. This can save time and money for the company or agency because they would only have to investigate the time from when your previous clearance was closed until the present. I has a clearance while in the Navy in the 1980's. I recently applied for a job requiring a clearance and informed my potential employer that I had held a security clearance in the past and that placed me ahead of candidates who were slightly more qualified than me, but had never had a clearance. I lost the position to someone who was more qualified and had had a clearance. The person who said that you might want to be more concerned with the General Discharge than a security clearance is correct. That could hurt your chances more than not having a clearance at all.

My Dad who was in the navy for 7 yeas did some "Classified " stuff that he told me and my mom and stuff. But he said russia has ships sitting up way up north with hot reactors and what their name was what pier they're tied to ,etc. He was a sonar tech on a nuclear submarine, and he has posters saying he crossed the artic circle at "Classified Lat/Long" he also said he has looked at satelite pics of Boomers The former USSR had, I dont know his security clearance. he was just an enlisted man.