The scope of an SSBI is:

• A. 10 years before the investigation, or from the subject's 18th birthday to the time of the investigation (whichever comes first); However at least the last two years must be covered. No investigation may extend further back than the subject's 16th birthday.
• B. 5 years before the investigation
• C. From birth to the time of the investigation
• D. Only the last two years

Answer: (A)

SSBI scope is about which past records are reviewed to assess reliability and trustworthiness. The window is defined by three rules: it covers either ten years before the investigation or from the subject's eighteenth birthday up to the investigation date, whichever comes first; at least the most recent two years must be included; and the review cannot extend back beyond the subject's sixteenth birthday. This setup ensures the investigation looks deeply enough into adult history while not going into childhood before age 16 and keeps the focus on recent behavior. The described window matches these conditions: it uses the earlier of the ten-year window or the subject’s eighteenth birthday, includes at least the last two years, and stops at age sixteen at the earliest. Other options fall short because they propose a fixed five-year period, or cover from birth, or cover only the last two years without the required longer window or age boundaries. Therefore, this choice is the best fit.