Hello all. I haven't seen too much on here about DOD personnel. My situation is a bit different than what I've seen on here so I would like some feedback.



I'm an Air Force NCO with TS/SCI writing this from a deployed location.



About a year ago I took my first poly. I was interrogated over one of the questions related to releasing classified to someone without a clearance. I was caught by surprise because there I was thinking this was a cool experience and I had nothing to worry about. Next thing I know this guys is digging into me about what and how much my wife knows.



Now this is total crap because I have never released any classified info to anyone. I consider myself a very patriotic American and I'm very proud of my service record. I joined shortly after 9/11 and have volunteered for countless deployments. In fact, this is my 4th Christmas away from my wife and kids.



I explained to the examiner that my wife isn't stupid. While I have never explicitly given her any classified as my spouse she can piece together enough information from where I go to how I train equipment I have, info on what we do from the spouses network etc to probably know more than someone without a clearance should know.

This was probably a big mistake. I was rather nervous because my unit has had a rash of people failing poly's so I was trying to be honest and direct. I figured I had nothing to worry about.



I wasn't told I failed but I was told to come back the next day for another poly. Of course I freaked out and came home and read this site and others about poly's. This may have screwed me even more because I then understood the control questions vs security questions. I basically knew the control questions were worthless so I imagine my physiological response showed that I was more concerned about the security questions.



Even so after the second day the polygrapher told me, after I insisted I was being truthful, that "if I thought u were lying to me I would be a lot meaner." He said the results were varying but I was not passing. NSA would have to make the call.



A few months later I got tested again. Although the new polygrapher was nicer the first was still always professional and polite. The interrogation wasn't too bad. In fact it seems to me all the polygraphers genuinely wanted me to pass the exam. The new polygrapher really tried to put me at ease like he was trying to get me to pass but, alas, same result. While being vague he said the result was not good enough to pass and after calling HQ scheduled a new test for the next week. I actually got called for a short notice deployment so the issue went away for awhile as it was re-scheduled.



A couple months ago and about 5 months after the 2nd exam I did a third (fourth since the first examiner had me come back the next day) I tried to tell this guy indirectly that I knew what was going on in the test and that was why I was having problems. I told him I knew he must not really care about the "betray the trust to those close to you" questions or the "suitability" as opposed to security questions because

it was obvious everyone has lied to people they trust or done something that if discovered now would make them look bad etc. I never explicitly said I knew how the poly worked and he never asked me what I knew but I think it was understood.



Of course he spent hours trying to convince me how important suitability questions are in building a profile etc etc. At one point he seemed to tell me that if I kept thinking only the security questions mattered I would fail as if to say "man, work with me here." Again he genuinely seemed to want me to pass and was trying to guide me there.



I did what I always did. I told the gods honest truth on the security questions and on the control questions I thought about the most blatant violation of them I had made as I could when I gave the lie they wanted me to.



At the end of the test he told me "well, it's definitely not close to failing." When I asked for clarification he seemed to pull back and said "we'll have to see what NSA thinks."



Now, 2 months later, yesterday to be exact, the security manager here at my deployed location told me there's a hold on my NSAnet account and that I could possibly be sent home. Already a friend of mine from my unit told me there was a rumor floating around that I got into some major trouble and lost my clearance.



Now this is some serious BS. I have worked so hard over the last 6 years, sacrificed so much on behalf of my family, and been the best Air Force member I could be. And now because of this magic voodoo machine I look like a criminal or a spy and rumors are flying all around. I have done nothing to deserve the shame and embarassment of having a clearance issue. I would never do something to jeopardize this countries security, quite to the contrary I have worked hard to try and ensure that very security. And this is my payback. A slap in the face from a greatful DoD.



I'm wondering if anyone knows what happens now. The security manager told me for now I have simply lost NSAnet access and though he said it looked like I will not be sent home de didn't sound to sure. I know of others who were recently put on security hold and denied access to SCIF's and given temporary non-security related jobs. I'm figuring if I dont get sent home I have probably escaped this fate for now at least.



Who decides what will happen with the future of my clearance? Will I totally lose it? Can the poly be waived? What options if any do I have?



I did my job for 5 years without a poly and I've done it a year after my first inconclusive result. These all just seems so crazy and surreal. Any guidance/info would be appreciated.