Forum: Future F-16 crew

Does anyone here know if us air force pilots are subjected to polygraph testing at the beginning of their career or any other time during their career?

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It depends on the level of security clearance you require to do your job. The level of security clearance you require depends on the aircraft you fly.

No... I mean yes... aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
(Monty Pythons)

Cylon

If you have to ask the question we don't want you in one of our jets. Apologies if I've misunderstood your reasons for asking but I can only think of one reason you are asking - something to hide. There are no polygraphs but there are regular and random drug tests. Regular AIDS testing too plus DNA samples. If you start your career based on a lie it WILL eventually catch up to you - probably right before retirement - or right after you kill someone.

Heh Heh......if they had to take polygraph tests I'm not sure how many would be flying...........Only coming from my past experience...........Nothing personal mind you. Whistle

Have a great day
Chickenlegs

If this is implemented at the beginning stages of recruitment, I am appalled. What are they going to ask you now? Are you a virgin?

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plus DNA samples

What are these for? Are the going to clone me?

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Are you a virgin?

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No... I mean yes... aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
(Monty Pythons)

:p

-Aaron

I do think a polygraph would be necessary for certain aspects of missions. However, I think for initial recruitment purposes I think it's alittle of an invasion of privacy. During recruitment either enlisted and especially officer candidates are subjected to many sessions of questioning, some formal and some informal, but a polygraph which does not completely measure accuracy to begin with should be used with discretion if utilized at all during initial phases of recruitment.

Personally, I think it's a little unfair to be asking a candidate questions about typical things such as psychobabble which bears no significance on future performance as an officer/pilot candidate.

Once you become the property of the government and have taken the Oath, then there should be an open forum in certain missions such nuclear delivery and sensitive missions/aircraft operations.

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 25, 2003 - 10:03 PM Posts: 679

If you have to ask... Very Happy

The best line was from my recruiter.. Before meps
" Have you ever smoked weed?"
" Yeah a few times"
" No you haven't "
" Oh ok"

What makes you think "psychobabble" has no significance on performance as an officer/pilot? I've seen a few pilot slots (specifcally fighter) wasted because "Joe Daisy Grower" suddenly figured out that he will have to go to war after completeing RTU.

Cylon

Good point Cylon, that is true, "what if", what I meant by "psychobabble" are questions that are rather irrelevant to the mission.

Such questions may have things to do with childhood, high school sweethearts, minimum wage jobs as a teenager, did you ever steal candy from a candy store when you were little? Things like that. Maybe these things might have something to do with not wanting to go to war. Psychology is a social science not based on scientific fact, but rather subjective and open to interpretation. Do ten different polygraphs with the same criteria and get ten different pysiological results from the same applicant. How can this be tangible data to determine if an applicant is ready to go to war at time of initial processing? The answer is it's not. Once an applicant has been trained to become a fighter, then a polygraph may become more substantial.

Notice, I didn't advocate eliminating the need for it totally.

LOL, childhood sweethearts and high school sweethearts. I beat a cleanroom in clean there.

Last edited by allenperos on May 30, 2005 - 04:56 AM; edited 1 time in total

Don't fully understand the last reaction. With regard to Aerospace Psychology, it is of a different nature than antiquated Freudian psychology which is the primary basis for all psychological conclusions in any type of psychoanalysis, including polygraphs. Aerospace Psychology is based on scientific fact, measured through experimental and controlled group settings regarding human factors engineering and ergonomics involving topics such as aircrew work load, anatomy, and physiological factors.

You might be surprised at how much the stupid little questions mean ie did you ever steal candy from a candy store when you were a kid, just to steal your question Allen. A scarily large amount about someones personality can be implied from such a seemingly-insignificant question like that.

I will consider that Lisafer, thank you.

Forum: Future F-16 crew

Polygraph test required for pilots?