When I went through the process of obtaining a security clearance a decade ago ( DOS foreign Army advisor) , the FBI agent revealed 60-70 percent of our younger population could not get a recommendation.
Drug use, criminal history, financial problems ( presumably debt), and other factors barred them. That said, the security clearance background check by the FBI is only a “ recommendation “, if the skill set was really needed, the person could be employed by the agency or contracting agency….( standards dropped).
And so it went, the bulk of our “ advisors “ were mostly over the age of 50- we even had Lenny who was 70.
“Drug use, criminal history, financial problems ( presumably debt), and other factors barred them. That said, the security clearance background check by the FBI is only a “ recommendation “, if the skill set was really needed, the person could be employed by the agency or contracting agency….( standards dropped).”
I know of no one who has had a clearance denied. Not a single person, and a few that definiately should have.