“A family can be the bane of one’s existence. A family can also be most of the meaning of one’s existence.” -Keri Hulme
Dysfunctional families are more common than you think, but in previous generations it was considered taboo to talk about (we can thank Gen Z, I believe, for making therapy mainstream?). As we work to destigmatize what can sometimes be sensitive topics, that crazy uncle, delusional aunt, or criminal parent are considerations security clearance applicants and holders are asking about.
One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber is in that rocky boat:
Do you know of anyone with a challenging and dysfunctional family who has successfully acquired a high-level security clearance?
Hypothetical: One parent committed multiple crimes and served prison time. That parent is a foreign national. The applicant has not been in touch with the parent for over 20 years. The applicant is US born but was granted foreign citizenship as a minor through no effort of their own. One sibling is severely mentally ill. They are in and out of treatment facilities and have been convicted of various offenses as a result of their condition. Their delusions are pretty inflammatory and posted online. The applicant is no longer touch with the sibling. The other parent does not communicate with the applicant but is also unstable and possibly homeless. There is also an ex-spouse who is vindictive. The applicant is squeaky clean – works in a position of trust for many years, great credit, clean record, never used drugs, has an intact family and is very reliable. Is there any chance the applicant’s personal responsibility/achievement this could outweigh the crazy family members who would likely say super weird (unpredictable) stuff to an investigator?
Short and sweet answer: yes, there is a chance.
This is why subject interviews are conducted by investigators and why facts are checked under multiple sources. These interviews with subjects, and the security clearance applicants themselves, give the applicant a chance to explain these scenarios.
Marko Hakamma, ClearanceJobsBlog contributor notes, “The applicant is the one who is being evaluated, not his family, unless he is cohabitating with them. There are many clearance holders who have relatives in prison, in mental treatment, using drugs, etc… As long as the applicant themselves is not participating in or putting themselves in a position where their own actions could be interpreted negatively, they should have nothing to worry about. Already having been cleared for public trust duties is evidence of this.”
The best step moving forward would be to fill out the SF-86 honestly and be open during any follow-up interviews. The applicant should absolutely not give up, apply for all the jobs they want, and let the background investigation do what it is supposed to do.
