I wanted to post my experience here and get any feedback that was offered. I think sharing the story will help me personally as is hard for me to currently swallow.



I wanted a career in the FBI since I was in college. I graduated from college and enlisted in the US Army with a military intelligence MOS. I served as a reservist and was deployed over seas. I joined a police department and served for a couple years. Then I started my application process to the FBI as a special agent. I made it through the entire process including the Phase 2 testing, medical, the background check, and the polygraph. I failed my initial PT test that would have sent me to adjudication. I waited for over a year and drastically improved my physical fitness. I also experienced some personal issues that kept me from continuing testing right away.



I got myself squared away and got my file reactivated. I was reactivated and completed a medical update, a background update, and then found out I had to take another polygraph because mine was over two years old.



This did not worry me in the least as I had nothing to hide, and I had not had any problems with either my police polygraph or my previous FBI polygraph.



I went to the office and met the new polygrapher. I took the polygraph and it did not go as the others had gone. He told me I had problems on some of the questions. He asked me why I would have responses and I told him I did not know. One of the issues was alcohol use (I don't drink) and the other was had I committed a serious crime (I have not). I explained to him when asked about crime, I think about many disturbing things as an experienced police officer in a big city. He goes on a bit and asks me the same questions and tells me he will send it up to HQ, but he knows they will have issue with my results.



I leave and talk to the applicant coordinator a few days later who tells me I need to take it again because my test was "inconclusive".



I ask if it is possible to get another polygrapher to take my next test, possibly the one who passed me on the original. The coordinator tells me they will try and make that happen.



I get a call a few days later that another polygrapher is not available and I will have the same guy. This worries me as I did not pass the first one and know I won't have anything different to say during my next polygraph.



I go to my next polygraph and it is absolutely a horrible experience. I am a decorated soldier and police officer and I felt like I was a criminal by the end of this polygraph.



We sat down and talked prior to the test and then went through the questions one time. Again the problem with the "serious crime" question. He tries to get me to admit what is causing the problem with the question, which starts to anger me as I am telling the truth.



He goes and leaves the room for 10 minutes then comes back and says we have to go through the questions again. We do this. I apparently have the same reaction to the serious crime question again as he starts a rudimentary and simple interrogation about what I have done. I am getting mad and tell him I have not committed any crimes.



I explain to him a thought that popped into my head during one of the questions about crime, relating to a work related use of force incident on duty at the police department. It was an emotionally charged incident for me that I thought about during the polygraph and that particular question. He starts asking me why I did not disclose this before hand. I explain it was something that happened in an every day work situation that was within the scope of my duties and that it had been properly documented at the PD. He tells me he wants me to write it out on an addendum to my SF-86. I write it out clearly, articulating the incident, and that he had asked me to write it down.



He then moves into a chair seated to close in my personal space and starts a very rookie interrogation of me, trying to get me to admit a crime I did not commit. I was angry during the questions but after found it amusing he would try that on someone who has interrogated and interviewed my share of suspects, victims and witnesses.



I leave and get into contact with my applicant coordinator a few days later. We have an interesting conversation about my polygraph and my polygrapher. I explain what happened and ask for their opinion. I also want to confirm that what I had written down was not an admission of any wrong doing but a note he asked me to write (I made it very clear in the note what had happened and why I was writing it down). I expressed my anger at the interrogation (I understand it was part of the process). The coordinator tells me in not so many words that there are good and not so good polygraphers.

During my conversation I am given the impression there have been many complaints about this polygraphers from applicants in my area. I ask what happens if I got another inconclusive result. I though the coordinator told me I would get a retest.



Three weeks go by and I get a ding letter. My letter says I was not selected because there were more qualified applicants. It also says that I was not denied a security clearance and good luck to me. It was from a security element at HQ.



I was stunned.



I have a friend who was recently dinged on the FBI process after his polygraph and his letter said told him not to contact the FBI, gave him the process for appeal, and let him know how to request his file using the freedom of information act.



I don't know what the differences in the letter means but it sounds like he was rejected for failing the poly.



Did I fail the 2nd polygraph? Can the polygrapher add his two cents into a recommendation failing me?



Would they go through the trouble of three years of testing, after I had already passed one of their polygraphs to fail me because of a seemingly troubled new polygrapher gives me two inconclusive results?



Why would they not take the step to try it with another polygrapher, as they had already spend so much time, energy and money to get me to this spot at the end?



As you can imagine I am very disappointed and a little disgusted. I need to contact my applicant coordinator one last time to ask about the letter I received.



Can anyone answer any of my questions? Offer any advice? How many qualified people that should be protecting all of us from unseen threats are denied the opportunity because of an idiot sitting in front of a box who probably has not been in combat in a foreign land on behalf of their country or on the street in the city arresting violent offenders?



Are you kidding me?

