Well....having been through this, and several renewals over a 25 year period....I can vouch for the type of questions posed to the individual, and then later to his/her five 'references'.
They typically (at least before 2010) keyed on financial issues, debt, drinking habits, relationships (particularly non-US girl-friends), your international travels (not so much about US travel) and 'trust' of the reference folks.
There was never a question about your religion stuff, if you were in a cult, or how your car was bought/paid for.
Me being a reference guy? I probably was interviewed at least thirty time and these usually took no more than seven minutes.
The only time I noted someone's clearance in jeopardy? I knew this gal who'd gotten married, and the guy over a 2-year period dragged her into a massive amount of debt ($70,000). They divorced and the bulk was left for her to square away.....with the lawyer saying to declare bankruptcy. Well....her clearance came up and they wouldn't renew it over the bankruptcy.
So I'm looking at this Air Force Senior Airman who burned himself up over the weekend.....who had been prior to 2020....in a US cult (in the Cape Cod area).
The odds that he never mentioned this to the Air Force security folks? I'd give it better than a 70-percent chance. I also doubt that he brought this up with his supervisor.
Lot of burden...that he should have unloaded and gotten some treatment.
