On Asperger's and Security Clearance

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Sounds like we've got enough physicists and techies and bookworms here that I'll make a wager: at least a few people roaming around in this forum do some sort of national security work for the government - wait, wait, wait, I forgot I'm on the worldwide web - national security work for the US government (or another if you think it's comparable). Maybe it's applying abstract math for defense tech contractors, analyzing satellite imagery with preternatural skill, administering a Pentagon server, or the resident savant in the CIA's analytical directorate. Again, it's only a wager, but does anyone here fit this bill or otherwise know the answer to the following question:

Can AS exclude you from receiving top secret security clearance, or even security clearance - period?

I ask in light of a recent post about AS and military service, where it seemed that AS could actually get one discharged. While I'm no soldier, my educational and career choices have advanced to the point that national security employment (Pentagon, State, CIA, etc) is my natural trajectory, what I'd honestly like to do, and very soon will require my formal entry into that sector. I've got no problem with that, but I'm now wondering if they'd have a problem with me.

Ok, I'll leave it to your imagination as to the galaxy of bizarre to unacceptable behavior my condition has led me to in the not yet distant past, so I've clearly got more salient concerns regarding a clearance investigation. But provided they regard this as a past part of the maturation process and are fine with leaving it there, I now ask myself if psychologists and investigators will together complete the puzzle and find the pathological truth. If it weren't for a TIME Magazine cover story a few years ago, nobody on earth would know of my condition, but thanks to those wonderful editors that number is now (to the best of my knowledge) three. But those investigators are thorough and the psychologists well-versed, and given what I've heard from military-veteran contributors, I now have to wonder about this.

If AS is a prohibitive offense, then I need to know now so I can turn this ship around before I'm at a dead-end, so should any of you have any shred of knowledge on this issue, it would be highly appreciated,

Ben

LIGHT HEARTED COMEDY (only I think it's funny)

I once heard the CIA recruited Encrytion Savantes
For communication accros the globe the message would be encoded into the shell of an Egg, produced by clever Chickens.
On the other side, someone with rashers of bacon would decode the message with a hash brown and a pair of muffins.

The message would usually come through as Mc Muffin, so the CIA abanded the project.

The Chickens are now working as Accountants in a Franchised Food Chain

Last edited by Erlyrisa on 13 Mar 2007, 1:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

I can't imagine that they would.

I consider getting a summer job at Los Alamos National Laboratory when I was in college but was told I would have to get a security clearance. I was arrested at 17 so I
assumed they would not give me a clearance so I stayed in college during the summer instead.

Typically we're more trustworthy than NTs. You'd think we could get the clearance. The only way to keep a secret between 3 people is either if 2 are dead or all 3 are aspies.

Don't see how. Why would AS be a security risk? When I worked for Defence, where I had a "restricted" clearance, I went for a job at DSD (top secret spooksville) and had to get a higher security clearance just to be able to be interviewed. I don't think a top secret clearance is really a big deal.

And I don't think getting arrested at 17 would necessarily prevent it. It would depend on how serious the offense was and how long ago.

Now I have to kill you because I was not supposed to tell you that.

Cool I knew selling those nuclear secrets to Iran would be no big deal in hind sight.

and I thought you just nicked the hub caps off the missile launchers

I know an Iranian-American who was arrested five times for drug and assault offenses in his late teens, but has clearly grown up since then and had no problems with the clearance process.

Speaking three Middle-Eastern languages might have something to do with it, and also the fact that he seems like the kind of guy that could do operations in places where Caucasians can't really do operations.....maybe even in a strategically vital part of the world.....nah, no way, nevermind.

I've been through background checks of the law enforcement sort, to work on sensitive government networks, and they weren't too bad. I had been in legal trouble for some drug-related stuff as a minor, but that were decades before and weren't considered very important. But those weren't security clearances per se.

Regulations vary between agencies, so it probably depends on where you're applying to, but I don't think that most would consider AS as a problem. I doubt that the NSA, Los Alamos or Lawrence Labs would have gotten to where they are with purely NT employees.

Twenty years ago I worked in the Defense and Aerospace Electronics industries.
I was granted a Secret level clearance after being treated for alcoholism. AS or
Autism should not be a disqualifying condition unless there is some kind of willful
misconduct involved.

I receieved a certain level of clearance in a certain government job, not gonna say what it was because its just not wise to share information about any job that has security clearances, but AS will not prevent you. They are going to look at your medical records and if you've been diagnosed, as I have, its gonna be right there for them to see. Well I'm sure they saw it but I got the clearance and the job, and they've never said anything about it to me. I think the reason it would be a problem in the military is handling the stress of battle, but in most government jobs, its office work, not battle. Of course most people in the military don't see fighting either, so you would think they would only make AS a problem if you are in a combat role, but then again a military base could in theory come under attack and then even support role people would have to work in battle conditions. And I have known people with AS in the military who had no problems with their job. I could have and should have joined, and was in fact ready to sign enlistment papers, they never looked into my records just for me to enlist.

Perhaps planning on becoming an intelligence officer/spy in the CIA it might be a problem, but then again, its probably better that you didn't anyway.

You know, I do wonder if they would get into ones computer and look at all their websites and accounts as part of a normal clearance process. I know they have the capability, but I don't know if they do that as standard procedure. But its best to be careful about ANYTHING you write online just in case. They can take things the wrong way, or you could get in trouble for talking about your job.

i'm sure if the governemnt values you, theres always a way to get around any laws they might have. besides that who polices them?

Bump for interest. I'm curious about this myself as I'm hoping to apply for an internship that might require a security clearance in the future.

About the whole arrest thing, when they do a background check for security clearance purposes, do they still count arrests even if there's no conviction? I have kind of the same scenario, was arrested at 17 for assault (was a stupid teenager and got in a fistfight and the @$$hole called the cops after he lost even though he was the one who challenged me), no charges were pressed and I didn't even really go to court, though I did spend the night in a holding cell until my parents came to get me and had to see a counselor from the juvie dept. as a follow-up later.

No one has asked me about it and I haven't mentioned it in a professional setting, not only was it just an arrest but it was 5 years ago and on my juvenile record which should have gotten sealed when I turned 18. Usually in the US any records past the age of 18 get sealed and can only be viewed with a judge's permission and then only in the course of a criminal investigation in which the person's juvenile record is relevant. The only exceptions are if you're tried as an adult and convicted, usually in the most serious cases i.e. murder.

Of course, when it comes to national security there are always ways to get around established legal systems, so I'm sure if I applied for a federal job and the clearance was high enough SOMEONE would see my arrest record from that time, but I'm sure that would only be at top level, and even then they'll probably just write it off as being a stupid teenager. I mean, I have kept my record clean since and there's a reason why it's called your 'juvenile' record and why it gets sealed after you become an adult, cause most people at that age are prone to being idiots and making idiotic choices. We've all been there

If no charges were pressed and no trial was involved, there generally isn't a record of the event; even if there were, that certainly shouldn't serve as a deterrent to getting a clearance.

When I enlisted back in '86, my first position required TS-ESI, NATO Cosmic Top Secret ATOMAL, and SIOP Category 9. Apparently, what came closest to disqualifying me was when one of my college buddies got a little mystical while trying to describe our ElfQuest-inspired group (a bit more than just a fan club). Eventually, however, AFOSI concluded that it was okay, because ElfQuest wasn't on their Communist watchlist or anything...