Summary
A 57-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from Poland, was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant's wife is a citizen and resident of Poland and holds the rank of major in the Polish army. While these foreign ties raised initial concerns, the judge ultimately found them to be mitigated.
However, the applicant faced significant unresolved financial issues, specifically three delinquent or past-due debts totaling $13,930. The applicant admitted to these debts, which were not adequately addressed. Disqualifying conditions related to financial considerations were raised, and despite several mitigating conditions being applied, they were insufficient to overcome the financial concerns.
The denial was primarily based on the applicant's failure to demonstrate a good-faith effort to resolve the outstanding debts or seek financial counseling. Consequently, the judge determined that the financial problems remained a significant concern, affecting the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant admitted to having significant debts totaling $13,930 that were not adequately addressed.
- The applicant did not demonstrate a good-faith effort to resolve his outstanding debts or seek financial counseling.
Conditions Referenced
- AG ¶ 19(a)appliedInability to Satisfy Debts
- AG ¶ 19(c)appliedHistory of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- AG ¶ 20(a)rejectedBehavior Happened so Long Ago, Was Infrequent, or Occurred Under Such Circumstances That It Is Unlikely to Recur
- AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
- AG ¶ 20(c)rejectedReceived or Is Receiving Financial Counseling
- AG ¶ 20(d)rejectedInitiated and Is Adhering to a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors
- AG ¶ 20(e)rejectedReasonable Basis to Dispute the Legitimacy of the Past-due Debt
Key Rule Quoted
“A security clearance decision is intended only to resolve whether it is clearly consistent with the national interest for an applicant to either receive or continue to have access to classified information.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedOct 4, 2018
- Answer filed—Timely response to SOR.
- Hearing heldNov 7, 2019Conducted via video teleconference.
- Decision dateJan 13, 2020
Cite For
- Denial of Security Clearance Due to Unresolved Financial Issues Under Guideline F
- Mitigating Factors Related to Foreign Influence Under Guideline B
- Importance of Demonstrating Good-faith Efforts to Resolve Financial Obligations