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Yes, it will make a huge impact during the investigation and adjudication process. For TS and TS/SCI, even with naturalization the chances for approval will be

Yes, it will make a huge impact during the investigation and adjudication process. For TS and TS/SCI, even with naturalization the chances for approval will be slim and naturalization likely won't help, especially if they have family in China. For the government, it's all about calculating risk of someones loyalty, character and having things that can be exploited by financial issues (debt is the biggest disqualifier), foreign contacts or family, and anything they'd want to keep secret that could be used for blackmail.

baq 2y ago
> debt is the biggest disqualifier If they have a good candidate and the only problem is debt, they should offer to pay it off. They have no qualms printing billions to save some broken banks.
- MichaelZuo 2y ago
  Someone with lots of debt likely has some aspirations of foreign travel to risky locales, regardless of what they say… so it makes sense why that would be a disqualifier.
  - lovich 2y ago
    Why would having a lot of debt make that person have “… some aspirations of foreign travel to risky locales…”? Plenty of people get into debt just doing normal shit at their homes
    - MichaelZuo 2y ago
      High risk behaviors correlate… It’s not a foolproof assumption, but it probably will be true more than half the time.
      - lovich 2y ago
        If we’re going to be that ridiculous about risk management but not other ones that , I at least believe, are in the same tier i.e. alcohol abuse, then we might as well go full bore and have the government pay an extremely generous, generational wealth paying position. That’s the only way you’re going to get people with self control and willing to live the life of ascetic monks for the duration of time to both learn how to build these systems and then actually build them
        MichaelZuo 2y ago
        Your first paragraph is incoherent… can you try to write out the actual argument legibly?
        bee_rider 2y ago
        I think they do try to keep people with substance abuse problems from getting clearance. (Unless they are friends with then President or something like that).
  - atlgator 2y ago
    I'm not sure how that's relevant. The goal is to assess the individual's susceptibility to coercion. Maintaining safety from kidnapping while traveling can certainly be a concern when you hold a clearance, but simply taking your family on a vacation overseas is not among the high concerns. If you have bad debt where you are drowning financially, or if you have strong foreign ties or connections, or other behavioral risks, they make you susceptible to coercion. Selling secrets to adversaries to repay loan sharks, being extorted using threats against overseas family members, getting drunk or high and divulging secrets, secrets in exchange for drugs, etc.

baq 2y ago

> debt is the biggest disqualifier If they have a good candidate and the only problem is debt, they should offer to pay it off. They have no qualms printing billions to save some broken banks.

MichaelZuo 2y ago
Someone with lots of debt likely has some aspirations of foreign travel to risky locales, regardless of what they say… so it makes sense why that would be a disqualifier.
- lovich 2y ago
  Why would having a lot of debt make that person have “… some aspirations of foreign travel to risky locales…”? Plenty of people get into debt just doing normal shit at their homes
  - MichaelZuo 2y ago
    High risk behaviors correlate… It’s not a foolproof assumption, but it probably will be true more than half the time.
    - lovich 2y ago
      If we’re going to be that ridiculous about risk management but not other ones that , I at least believe, are in the same tier i.e. alcohol abuse, then we might as well go full bore and have the government pay an extremely generous, generational wealth paying position. That’s the only way you’re going to get people with self control and willing to live the life of ascetic monks for the duration of time to both learn how to build these systems and then actually build them
      - MichaelZuo 2y ago
        Your first paragraph is incoherent… can you try to write out the actual argument legibly?
      - bee_rider 2y ago
        I think they do try to keep people with substance abuse problems from getting clearance. (Unless they are friends with then President or something like that).
- atlgator 2y ago
  I'm not sure how that's relevant. The goal is to assess the individual's susceptibility to coercion. Maintaining safety from kidnapping while traveling can certainly be a concern when you hold a clearance, but simply taking your family on a vacation overseas is not among the high concerns. If you have bad debt where you are drowning financially, or if you have strong foreign ties or connections, or other behavioral risks, they make you susceptible to coercion. Selling secrets to adversaries to repay loan sharks, being extorted using threats against overseas family members, getting drunk or high and divulging secrets, secrets in exchange for drugs, etc.