Hello, I am a 25 y/o senior year Computer Science student  that just got offered a position as a Computer Scientist for the US Navy as a DOD civilian in Southern California. I am prior active duty army, and after 7 years of adulthood and a military contract of hiding who I am I have been seeing a psychiatrist and am heavily leaning towards living my life the way I feel makes me most happy by transitioning mtf. I pay for my psychiatrist out of pocket and she assured me there is no way my visits there will show up in my medical history as they are just private transactions, and I have come out to no one yet so I am actually pretty confident I can get away with hiding it. I am in a cross roads on what to do with the hiring process I am going through with the Navy as I have to pass a background check and security clearence. Is it best to be upfront and out myself essentially before even fully coming out to othersf, or should I just hide it for now and wait until the process is completed and then come out after the process is completed and I have a start date. I really care about this job as it is essentially a dream opportunity for me, any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

I looked into this when I was offered a DoE gig prior to going full time.

You're correct in that they won't know anything about visiting a shrink for gender issues if you're paying cash.  You should be safe so long as you haven't come out to anyone that they're likely ton interview.  For secret or top secret, they like to interview a lot of folks.

Personally I don't think you need to out yourself at all for the application.  Honestly I can't think of a reason why it would come up short of showing up presenting other than assigned or having pics of yourself dressed as such on social media.

Now if for some reason it does come up (still unlikely unless you make it obvious) you could just say that you were planning on coming out and transitioning after getting the gig and having benefits kick in.

You received an offer so some additional searching is already done. If it becomes an issue they will let you know.

Ideally I want to start hrt before I show up as the posistion won't start until later next year.

With this current political climate and administration I personally wouldn't let them know.

Don't let them know and keep off social media - watch what you say in emails too. You should be fine but if you spend a lot of time visiting unsavory websites, they start tracking your internet activity and reading your emails, even if what you are doing is at their request.


Good luck

Use a proxy or private VPN for that web browsing, yo.

The important thing is when it comes to a security clearance. If your not absolutely honest with them and they find otherwise, you won't be able to get one. About 35 years ago I needed one and went through the process. The thing that outed me was previous names used and I was honest on the forms. I was questioned about it but it wasn't a problem. Unfortunately the company  lost the contract and as a new hire, I want out the door with many others.

I worked for a defense contractor, transitioned on the job. They let me work on drones. I think the paranoia is a bit high in this thread......

Quote from: Devlyn on November 16, 2018, 01:45:11 PM
I worked for a defense contractor, transitioned on the job. They let me work on drones. I think the paranoia is a bit high in this thread......

Well, I just hope the black helicopters that will be hovering over your house tonight do not disturb your beauty sleep!

I'm in Australia, so there will likely be some slight differences.. I've had a clearance for a couple of jobs over the years, including post-transition. The only difference before and after was that for the reactivation this time around, I needed to supply my Name Change docs, it otherwise went through without issue.

Quote from: Devlyn on November 16, 2018, 01:45:11 PM
I worked for a defense contractor, transitioned on the job. They let me work on drones. I think the paranoia is a bit high in this thread......

I always find the paranoia level of those who don't have clearances to be high. They often also attribute impossible intelligence gathering abilities to government agencies and use this to justify that paranoia.

Can the NSA/CIA/DIA spy on everyone? No, well, not all at the same time..

Can the NSA/CIA/DIA spy on anyone? Well, yes, if you are foolish enough to attract attention. Don't stand out and you wont be a target.

Quote from: RealLacy on November 16, 2018, 03:50:35 PM
Well, I just hope the black helicopters that will be hovering over your house tonight do not disturb your beauty sleep!

I had a drone fly overhead and I did not hear a sound. It was quite large. Looked big enough to carry missiles. I could have thrown a rock and hit it probably. Then again my hearing isn't the best.

Paranoia can be fun. There are two reasons why I would not say a word. First, might not get the job or worse get the job, find yourself in a compromising situation and have them be like, "You said you were getting a sex-change anyway. There will never find you."

Ooh the transgendered secret agent LOL. Sounds like some hardcore black ops Cold War stuff. Geez, I <3 conspiracies.

Quote from: PurplePelican on November 16, 2018, 05:51:37 PM
I'm in Australia, so there will likely be some slight differences.. I've had a clearance for a couple of jobs over the years, including post-transition. The only difference before and after was that for the reactivation this time around, I needed to supply my Name Change docs, it otherwise went through without issue.

I always find the paranoia level of those who don't have clearances to be high. They often also attribute impossible intelligence gathering abilities to government agencies and use this to justify that paranoia.

Can the NSA/CIA/DIA spy on everyone? No, well, not all at the same time..

Can the NSA/CIA/DIA spy on anyone? Well, yes, if you are foolish enough to attract attention. Don't stand out and you wont be a target.

There is only one reason to be paranoid and is if someone is actually going to do something bad to you. All things considered not getting a job can be a letdown, but usually not lead to harm.

 I just went through this process last year. I held a security clearance back in the 80s and 90s when I was working for a defense contractor but it expired years ago.  I filled out the forms honestly and truthfully, I provided my old name when the forms asked for other names you have used. I did not disclose that I was trans and no one asked either. I also reported that I had seen a therapist. They did want a medical release to seek information from them. I took a almost a year to get approved and I did have an interview with a an investigator.
My biggest fear was this process would out me at work, fortunately this did not happen.
Stephanie

Quote from: Alice (nym) on November 16, 2018, 05:15:38 AM
Don't let them know and keep off social media - watch what you say in emails too. You should be fine but if you spend a lot of time visiting unsavory websites, they start tracking your internet activity and reading your emails, even if what you are doing is at their request.


Good luck

You have to let them know. Trust me they will dig. For a TS SCI clearance it gets very intensive. I had mine after transitioning and the fact that I was trans didn't matter because I was an open book and couldn't be blackmailed.

They where more concerned about my ties to foreign nationals in Germany and Italy.

Quote from: NatalieRene on November 17, 2018, 12:32:58 PM
You have to let them know. Trust me they will dig.

This is true.  If they discover that there is anything that you have withheld, it is an automatic fail.  Having secrets means that you are vulnerable to blackmail, and that means that you are an unacceptable security risk.

For a US government job that requires a security clearance, tell the truth for every question they ask you, but you do not have to volunteer additional information.

As a Federal employee for 30 years, keep in mind that the fist year is probationary, you can be dismissed for any cause, not matter how slight, but it must be a real issue, not a fabricated issue. The next two years you are a conditional career employee. You can still be dismissed for cause, but it requires a more serious offense. After 3 full years of satisfactory work, you are a career employee and any dismissal requires a hearing before dismissal, which can be appealed. To fire a Federal career employee is almost unheard of, but I have seen it with someone who repeatedly violates the conditions of employment.

Being transgender is currently not a cause for dismissal. Your supervisor may have issues with it, but they are always stopped during the appeal process.