Summary
A 55-year-old product line manager was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption) and Guideline J (Criminal Conduct). The denial stemmed from a history of excessive alcohol use and multiple instances of driving while impaired (DWI). Specifically, the applicant had DWIs in 1997, 2002, and 2017, and was diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder during treatment in 2003 and 2018.
The 2017 DWI followed the consumption of "almost a pint" of whiskey, leading to a guilty plea in February 2018. For this, he received probation before judgment, including a suspended six-month jail sentence and three years of unsupervised probation, which he was still serving at the time of the decision.
Despite completing treatment programs and maintaining sobriety since his last DWI in 2017, the judge found that the applicant did not demonstrate sufficient rehabilitation or a consistent pattern of modified behavior. His history of multiple DWIs raised doubts about his reliability and trustworthiness, and his perceived misplacement of blame for the 2017 incident further undermined his acknowledgment of his alcohol issues, ultimately leading to the denial of his security clearance.
Why the applicant was denied
- The applicant's history of multiple DWIs raised significant doubts about his reliability and trustworthiness.
- The applicant did not demonstrate sufficient rehabilitation or a pattern of modified behavior to mitigate security concerns.
- The applicant's misplacement of blame for his 2017 DWI undermined his acknowledgment of alcohol issues.
Conditions referenced
- AG ¶ 22(a)raisedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
- AG ¶ 22(c)raisedHabitual or Binge Consumption of Alcohol
- AG ¶ 22(d)raisedDiagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder
- AG ¶ 22(e)raisedFailure to Follow Treatment Advice
- AG ¶ 22(f)raisedAlcohol Consumption Not in Accordance with Treatment Recommendations
- AG ¶ 31(a)raisedPattern of Minor Offenses
- AG ¶ 31(b)raisedEvidence of Criminal Conduct
- AG ¶ 31(c)raisedCurrently on Parole or Probation
- AG ¶ 23(a)rejectedTime Has Passed or Behavior Was InfrequentThe applicant's recent DWI and ongoing probation do not support this condition.
- AG ¶ 23(b)rejectedAcknowledgment of Maladaptive Alcohol UseThe applicant's misplacement of blame undermined his acknowledgment of alcohol issues.
- AG ¶ 32(a)rejectedTime Elapsed Since Criminal BehaviorThe applicant remains on probation, indicating ongoing concerns.
- AG ¶ 32(d)rejectedEvidence of Successful RehabilitationThe applicant did not demonstrate a sufficient pattern of modified behavior.
Key rule quoted
“An applicant has the ultimate burden of demonstrating that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue his security clearance.”
Procedural posture
- SOR issuedFeb 15, 2019
- Answer filedMar 18, 2019
- Hearing heldJun 17, 2019
- Decision dateJun 18, 2019
Cite for
- Denial of Security Clearance Due to Excessive Alcohol Consumption Under Guideline G
- Denial of Security Clearance Due to Criminal Conduct Under Guideline J
- Insufficient Evidence of Rehabilitation in Cases Involving Multiple Dwis