Posted on Jan 21, 2018
SPC Information Technology Specialist
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To add on, I signed up for army reserve, qualified for intel jobs 35G but both my parents are chinese and live oversea, I spent 9 years there, I am a natural born citizen and can help my parents get green card, but it takes time, meanwhile will this prevent me from getting top secret clearance? (No official foreign ties, just friends etc)
Posted in these groups: Ts Security Clearance
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SFC Greg Bruorton
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Edited 8 y ago
That's a tough call, Cherie. It takes three months or so for the TS clearance to come down, but with your background, it might take longer--if you're considered. Expect some long interviews with agents and be up-front with them. Your DD Form 398 will have to be packed with information to assist you, so be detailed as possible when filling in the information. Your birth certificate will be key for starters.

I wish you success. I held a TS clearance for almost 20 years and my ethnicity as a Southern boy never got in the way.
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SFC Greg Bruorton
SFC Greg Bruorton
8 y
SPC (Join to see) - I believe the investigation will respect your citizenship, Cherie, and document positively your situation. I think you will come out in a good way as you continue to honor your parents and your country. I also think you'll be able to capitalize on your grasp of the Chinese language by providing interpretation as a genuine approach to gaining your security access. Take care of yourself, hear?
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Thank you again for the kind words! I do hope my chinese background and language will come into use, especially given, let’s be honest, whose our real enemy, altho my job isn’t languish but still intel, even if it’s gonna become useful in battlefield that’s fine too. I’m trying to get my parents to at least get a green card too (also easier if they wish to visit) hopefully all goes well, it will be an honor to serve!
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Linguist*
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SFC Greg Bruorton
SFC Greg Bruorton
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SPC (Join to see) - Linguist--that's the word for which I was searching! Thanks.
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MSG John Duchesneau
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You will probably have to answer a lot of questions. If the Army doesn't want you - the CIA probably will.
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SSG Edward Tilton
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Good luck, it will slow you down but if/when you get it you'll be in a good position.I'm a little afraid my advise might be badly outdated. Once upon a time I was in an Army Intel Unit. It was supposed to have Czech and Slovak interrogators. I would send them to DLI and they would like California better. On drills three Puerto Ricans and a Chinese Girl was what showed up. Please don't take offense but I used to joke that if we wound up in Czechoslovakia and least we could send out for dinner.
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Will having parents with foreign citizenship and who live overseas, and my having lived overseas for 9 years, disqualify me for top secret?
SSgt David Marks
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It shouldn't, however do expect the background check to take an extended amount of time. Believe it or not they will send someone to speak to your parents and also some of their friends. My son ran into a similar thing because he was born in Spain.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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8 y
When your son joined, did you and his mother had green card or citizenships?
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SSgt David Marks
SSgt David Marks
8 y
We are citizens, but because he was born in Spain it took longer. Heck, they sent people to interview his first grade teacher in England. So like I said expect it to take a long time.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
SPC (Join to see)
8 y
SSgt David Marks - I'm assuming your son had US citizenship though? I know they used to allow foreigners in - not in intel of course, now they only allow green card holders. Wow, first grade teacher...that's unexpected, I don't even remember my first grade teacher frankly let alone contact...well in my case if I get the opportunity, they will have a lot of fun...since I lived oversea in China for several years
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SSgt David Marks
SSgt David Marks
8 y
Believe it or not, if you lived overseas, like you did, they will contact some of the people where you lived. My sons kindergarten through 2nd grade was in England, and they were contacted. Any overseas living will be investigated.
Yes my son is a citizen, but he holds duel citizenship because he was born in Spain. I wish you luck.
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SSG Dale London
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The intricacies of the Special Background Investigation (SBI) are wide and varied and way to deep to go into here in detail. But to put it at its simplest, there are three main considerations your situation will raise with the agents doing your SBI: 1 - are you loyal to the US; 2 - are you likely to be a security risk, either through vulnerability to blackmail & coercion or through close ties to subversives; and 3 - are you of good moral character.
Items 1 and 3 are up to you and are entirely dependent upon your behavior in the past as an indicator of trustworthiness. Item 2 is your problem area -- especially as you have close personal ties to people who (if they are in China at present) are vulnerable to victimization by a state that has traditionally been less than friendly to the US.
I cannot say for sure this will prevent you getting your clearance but I can definitively say that each SBI is taken on its own merits and that if you pass muster you will be cleared.
Keep working to get your parents over and be absolutely up-front with security personnel. There are elements of your training that you will not be able to engage with until you get at least an interim clearance so this might delay your training -- you may find yourself on casual duty for a while before it comes in. (I hope you like floor buffers!)
Conversely you might be denied your clearance outright - at which point they may offer you another MOS.
In any case, thank you for your willingness to serve. I hope you make it.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Wow, this is more than useful, very extensive and thorough, thank you for taking the time to write it. I am honored to serve with any MOS and rank. Thank you again.
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SSG Dale London
SSG Dale London
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SPC (Join to see) - A pleasure.
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MAJ Byron Oyler
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How did this turn out? Please do not be specific, good or not good suffices considering your line of work.
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LTC Special Operations Response Team (Sort)
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No not at face value but you will have a much longer and more complicated vetting process. Certainly the infiltration and persistent attempts to spy by China will also raise concern. The fact that your parents still live there is a concern because China has demonstrated they are not above threatening family members in order to "turn you" or make you a spy. It presents a significant danger of blackmail and cohesion.
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SGT Carl Blas
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Top Secret, means to keep a Secret, now that your Secret is out after telling all of us. Hummm!
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SGM Bill Frazer
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Not necessarily, I had several folks that were 1st generation American, from 0O-6 , down. It will be a tedious experience and take time, but it is doable.
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SPC Information Technology Specialist
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Haha yeah I heard from a friend she knew people in similiar situation who waited almost a year! Hopefully won’t take that long (could have been working that whole time) but that’s good to know
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