The military is known for being stingy about who they allow to serve. While it might seem like they accept everyone, based on some of their marketing tactics, this is hardly the case. In fact, the military won’t accept people who can’t pass their physical or people who fail a military background check. For this reason, it’s important to know what you’ll need in order to pass their physical exams or their background check.
The good news is that we’re here to help. We’ll take you through what a military background check is and how you can prepare for it. Read on to learn more below.
What Is a Military Background Check?
A military background check is a background check that’s run on people who want to join the military. The purpose of the check is to ensure that the applicant has what it takes to join the military, which includes a clean record and a history of good behavior. To run a military background check, the military gains access to all of your public records. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for these checks to look at the following information:
- Social media profiles
- Sex offender status
- Criminal records
- Court records
- Identity verification
- Dating profiles
- Family members
- Employment history
- Education
The government can also request more information, so sometimes you may need to provide additional information to pass a military background check.
What Is a Government Security Clearance Background Check?
When someone in the military needs clearance, which there are different levels of, they need to pass a different type of background check that’s more rigorous than the usual process. These background checks are popular for service members who serve in branches like the Air Force because these branches may require access to sensitive information.
Service members who obtain a higher rank may also need to pass one of these clearance screenings to earn that rank. Unlike most other military background checks, these security clearance checks are usually done over the course of several months, and applicants must fill out an 86-question survey and meet with people for interviews.
How Far Back Does a Military Background Check Go?
Most military background checks will go back about 10 years. However, when you apply to positions that require higher clearance levels, background checks may go back even further. Serious crimes, including felonies and sex crimes, will also remain on your criminal records permanently.
What Makes You Fail a Military Background Check?
The military is looking for reliable and responsible adults for service, which means that the government is looking for specific red flags. When it comes to military service, these red flags usually include mental health issues, a history of violent offenses, and even financial issues if you’re applying for a position where you need special clearance. Other issues can also cause you to fail a military background check, including having a dishonorable discharge or having specific health issues like asthma.
It’s also important to note that requirements may change from branch to branch. The United States military is split into several branches, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Therefore, someone applying for an Air Force position may have to pass a stricter psychological evaluation due to the nature of flying high-speed aircraft. On the other hand, it may be easier to join some branches like the Army or Marines due to more relaxed regulations.
Prepare for Your Military Background Check
The best way to handle a military background check is to be prepared. You should prepare for the interview process if you’re applying for branches with security clearance and avoid using drugs altogether unless they’re prescribed. Furthermore, make sure you check your public records to ensure that everything is accurate and up-to-date. Unfortunately, mistakes can appear on your background check but you can fix them once you know they’re there.
We always recommend using free people search engines like FreePeopleSearch to check your records. FreePeopleSearch is a simple tool that allows you to enter your name, address, or phone number to reveal your public records. It includes most things that will appear on a military background check. Therefore, you can know what will be revealed before you attempt to join the military. This is important because it will help you notify officers of any issues you may have during the military background check before they come up.
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