I've worked as a contractor for a government agency for 15 years with a excellent record. I hold a secret security clearance.
Two years ago, during a bad home abusive situation and having a medical condition that changed my body's reaction to alcohol, I started drinking and, along with it, ended up getting three "black out" DUIs in an 8-month period, two involving other vehicles. one parked, one a multi-car accident, the third just myself and a fence. There were no were serious injuries, no felonies, thank God. I went for over a year's worth of intense alcohol counseling and, luckily, one of the DUIs was dropped in court -- otherwise, I would be in prison right now. Legally, I paid a heavy fine and lost my license for 1-1/2 years. I now have that back and I no longer drink.
Never, in my life before this, did I ever have even the slightest problem with alcohol. I seldom drank. I never even went to bars.. If I was ever in the company of a drinking friend at a conference when they were bar-hopping, I was drinking cokes.. This whole thing was a bad nightmare.. It happened so fast like a whirlwind. And, with my body's new reaction to alcohol, I could get to blackout stage with two glasses of wine. I am not trying to condone my actions. I was at fault, once my body's reaction changed, I never should have driven. But, I got help, I've changed my ways, I paid my price legally, and I want to move on.
I never told anyone at work about these incidents. I never lost any work due to anything alcohol-related. I recently learned that I may need to report these DUIs to the security department of the agency -- or to the contractor that I work for, yet I'm not certain I need to report them unless they were felonies. I am in fear that if I report them, I will immediately lose my security clearance and get fired. I am also in fear that if I don't report them, I can also lose my clearance once it's re-evaluated in a few years when they get discovered and get fired then. If they are going to fire me immediately if I tell them, I'd be better off keeping my mouth shut and work as long as I can. I am in a quandry as to what I should do at this point. Can anyone give me some advice?
~B
Two years ago, during a bad home abusive situation and having a medical condition that changed my body's reaction to alcohol, I started drinking and, along with it, ended up getting three "black out" DUIs in an 8-month period, two involving other vehicles. one parked, one a multi-car accident, the third just myself and a fence. There were no were serious injuries, no felonies, thank God. I went for over a year's worth of intense alcohol counseling and, luckily, one of the DUIs was dropped in court -- otherwise, I would be in prison right now. Legally, I paid a heavy fine and lost my license for 1-1/2 years. I now have that back and I no longer drink.
Never, in my life before this, did I ever have even the slightest problem with alcohol. I seldom drank. I never even went to bars.. If I was ever in the company of a drinking friend at a conference when they were bar-hopping, I was drinking cokes.. This whole thing was a bad nightmare.. It happened so fast like a whirlwind. And, with my body's new reaction to alcohol, I could get to blackout stage with two glasses of wine. I am not trying to condone my actions. I was at fault, once my body's reaction changed, I never should have driven. But, I got help, I've changed my ways, I paid my price legally, and I want to move on.
I never told anyone at work about these incidents. I never lost any work due to anything alcohol-related. I recently learned that I may need to report these DUIs to the security department of the agency -- or to the contractor that I work for, yet I'm not certain I need to report them unless they were felonies. I am in fear that if I report them, I will immediately lose my security clearance and get fired. I am also in fear that if I don't report them, I can also lose my clearance once it's re-evaluated in a few years when they get discovered and get fired then. If they are going to fire me immediately if I tell them, I'd be better off keeping my mouth shut and work as long as I can. I am in a quandry as to what I should do at this point. Can anyone give me some advice?
~B
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