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ISCR Case 20-00617 — CASE

ISCR Case 20-00617denied

Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 20-00617

deniedMay 4, 2021· Hon. Richard A. Cefola· hearing

Summary

This case involves a 31-year-old defense contractor with a Master's degree whose security clearance was denied under Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The Statement of Reasons detailed two primary allegations: the applicant admitted to using marijuana approximately five times between February 2008 and January 2009. Crucially, after being granted a security clearance in July 2012, the applicant used marijuana on about four additional occasions, at least once with his father.

Disqualifying conditions under Guideline H, specifically AG ¶ 25(a), AG ¶ 25(c), and AG ¶ 25(f), were raised due to this admitted drug involvement. While mitigating conditions AG ¶ 26(a) and AG ¶ 26(b) were applied, they were insufficient to overcome the security concerns.

The denial was based on the applicant's admitted multiple marijuana uses, particularly those occurring after receiving a security clearance. The judge determined that this pattern of behavior undermined trustworthiness, and the recency of the last drug use in 2018 raised significant concerns regarding the applicant's reliability and judgment in a national security position.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to using marijuana multiple times, including after being granted a security clearance.
The judge found the applicant's drug involvement indicated a pattern of behavior that undermined trustworthiness.
The applicant's last drug use was as recent as 2018, raising concerns about reliability and judgment.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)appliedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)appliedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(f)appliedIllegal Drug Use While Granted Access to Classified Information

Mitigating

AG ¶ 26(a)rejectedBehavior Happened so Long Ago, Was so Infrequent, or Happened Under Such Circumstances That It Is Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 26(b)rejectedAcknowledgment of Drug Involvement and Evidence of Actions Taken to Overcome the Problem

Key Rule Quoted

“Any doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedOct 5, 2020
Answer filedOct 23, 2020
Hearing heldMar 1, 2021
Decision dateMay 4, 2021

Cite For

Security Concerns Related to Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Importance of Trust and Reliability in National Security Positions
Impact of Recent Drug Use on Security Clearance Eligibility

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant admitted to using marijuana on multiple occasions, including after being granted a security clearance. The applicant's drug use raised significant security concerns that were not mitigated by his claims of intent to abstain from future use. The outcome was a denial of the application due to these concerns.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant admitted using marijuana 'about five times' between February of 2008 and January of 2009.	Against Applicant	Marijuana	Experimental	Admitted	(f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	—
1.b	Subsequent to being granted a security clearance in July of 2012, Applicant used marijuana on about four additional occasions, at least once with his father.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Occasional	Admitted	(f) any illegal drug use while holding a clearance or sensitive position	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline H). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.

Decision text, by section

DEFENSE OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS

HEARING

APPEARANCES

______________ ______________ DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFENSE OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS In the matter of: ) ) ) ISCR Case No. 20-00617 ) ) Applicant for Security Clearance ) Appearances For Government: Aubrey De Angelis, Esquire, Department Counsel For Applicant: Alan Edmunds, Esquire, Applicant’s Counsel May 4, 2021

STATEMENT OF CASE

CEFOLA, Richard A., Administrative Judge: On June 14, 2012; and again on June 28, 2018, Applicant submitted his Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIPs). On October 5, 2020, the Department of Defense Consolidated Adjudications Facility (DODCAF) issued Applicant a Statement of Reasons (SOR) detailing security concerns under Guideline H. The action was taken under Executive Order 10865, Safeguarding Classified Information within Industry (February 20, 1960), as amended; Department of Defense Directive 5220.6, Defense Industrial Personnel Security Clearance Review Program (January 2, 1992), as amended (Directive); and the Adjudicative Guidelines effective June 8, 2017. Applicant answered the SOR (Answer) in writing on October 23, 2020, and requested a hearing before an administrative judge. Said Answer included Applicant’s Exhibits (AppXs) A through L. I received the case assignment on January 27, 2021. DOHA issued a Notice of Hearing on January 27, 2021, and I convened the hearing as scheduled on March 1, 2021. The Government offered Exhibits (GXs) 1 through 3, which were received without objection. Applicant testified and submitted Exhibits

(AppXs) M and N, which were received without objection. He also asked that the record be kept open until March 8, 2021, for the receipt of additional documentation. Applicant submitted nothing further. DOHA received the transcript of the hearing (TR) on March 13, 2021. Based upon a review of the pleadings, exhibits, and testimony, eligibility for access to classified information is denied.

FINDINGS OF FACT

In his Answer to the SOR Applicant admitted the two factual allegations of the SOR, with explanations He also provided additional information to support his request for national security eligibility for a security clearance. Applicant is 31 years old, married, and has a Master’s of Science degree. He works for a defense contractor. (TR at page 5 at line 20 to page 6 at line 8.) Guideline H – Drug Involvement 1.a. and 1.b. When Applicant executed his first e-QIP in June of 2012, he admitted using marijuana “about five times” between February of 2008 and January of 2009. (GX 1 at pages 30–31.) Subsequent to being granted a security clearance in July of 2012, Applicant used marijuana on about four additional occasions, at least once with his father. (GX 2 at pages 53–56, and GX 3 at page 2, and TR at page 32 line 20 to page 35 line 12.) He refers to this usage as being “stupid and immature.” (TR at page 20 lines 10–13.) On October 21, 2020, Applicant signed a Statement of Intent eschewing future illegal drug usage. (AppX A.)

POLICIES

When evaluating an applicant’s suitability for a security clearance, the administrative judge must consider the adjudicative guidelines (AG). In addition to brief introductory explanations for each guideline, the adjudicative guidelines list potentially disqualifying conditions and mitigating conditions, which are useful in evaluating an applicant’s eligibility for access to classified information. These guidelines are not inflexible rules of law. Instead, recognizing the complexities of human behavior, administrative judges apply the guidelines in conjunction with the factors listed in AG ¶ 2 describing the adjudicative process. The administrative judge’s overarching adjudicative goal is a fair, impartial, and commonsense decision. According to AG ¶ 2(a), the entire process is a conscientious scrutiny of a number of variables known as the whole-person concept. The administrative judge must consider all available, reliable information about the person, past and present, favorable and unfavorable, in making a decision. The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration. AG ¶ 2(b) requires that “[a]ny doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security.” In reaching this decision, I

have drawn only those conclusions that are reasonable, logical and based on the evidence contained in the record. Likewise, I have avoided drawing inferences grounded on mere speculation or conjecture. Under Directive ¶ E3.1.14, the Government must present evidence to establish controverted facts alleged in the SOR. Under Directive ¶ E3.1.15, an “applicant is responsible for presenting witnesses and other evidence to rebut, explain, extenuate, or mitigate facts admitted by the applicant or proven by Department Counsel, and has the ultimate burden of persuasion as to obtaining a favorable clearance decision.” A person who seeks access to classified information enters into a fiduciary relationship with the Government predicated upon trust and confidence. This relationship transcends normal duty hours and endures throughout off-duty hours. The Government reposes a high degree of trust and confidence in individuals to whom it grants access to classified information. Decisions include, by necessity, consideration of the possible risk the applicant may deliberately or inadvertently fail to protect or safeguard classified information. Such decisions entail a certain degree of legally permissible extrapolation as to potential, rather than actual, risk of compromise of classified information. Section 7 of Executive Order 10865 provides that decisions shall be “in terms of the national interest and shall in no sense be a determination as to the loyalty of the applicant concerned.” See also EO 12968, Section 3.1(b) (listing multiple prerequisites for access to classified or sensitive information).

ANALYSIS

Guideline H - Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse The security concern relating to the guideline for Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse is set forth at AG ¶ 24: The illegal use of controlled substances, to include the misuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs, and the use of other substances that cause physical or mental impairment or are used in a manner inconsistent with their intended purpose can raise questions about an individual's reliability and trustworthiness, both because such behavior may lead to physical or psychological impairment and because it raises questions about a person's ability or willingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations. Controlled substance means any "controlled substance" as defined in 21 U.S.C. 802. Substance misuse is the generic term adopted in this guideline to describe any of the behaviors listed above.

The guideline at AG ¶ 25 contains seven conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying. Three conditions are established: (a) any substance misuse (see above definition); (c) illegal possession of a controlled substance, including cultivation, processing, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or possession of drug paraphernalia; and (f) any illegal drug use while granted access to classified information or holding a sensitive position. Appellant used marijuana on numerous occasions. He also used it on about four occasions after being granted a security clearance. Therefore, AG ¶ 25 (a), (c), and (f) are established. The guideline at AG ¶ 26 contains four conditions that could mitigate security concerns. Two conditions may be applicable: (a) the behavior happened so long ago, was so infrequent, or happened under such circumstances that it is unlikely to recur or does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment; and (b) the individual acknowledges his or her drug involvement and substance misuse, provides evidence of actions taken to overcome this problem, and has established a pattern of abstinence, including, but not limited to: (1) disassociation from drug-using associates and contacts; (2) changing or avoiding the environment where drugs were used; and (3) providing a signed statement of intent to abstain from all drug involvement and substance misuse, acknowledging that any future involvement or misuse is grounds for revocation of national security eligibility. Although Applicant now avers he intends to abstain from all future drug involvement, it is troubling that he used marihuana after being alerted to the Government’s concern in 2012, and after being granted a security clearance in 2012. He refers to his more recent usage being “young and immature,” but it strikes the undersigned as being more of a pattern of not being trustworthy. Applicant was in his mid to late 20sduring this last period of usage, not an immature teenager. Although he self-reported his usage in his e-QIPs; and is to be commended for his honesty, it must

be noted that Applicant’s last usage was as recent as 2018. Drug Involvement is found against Applicant.

WHOLE PERSON CONCEPT

Under the whole-person concept, the administrative judge must evaluate an applicant’s eligibility for a security clearance by considering the totality of an applicant’s conduct and all the circumstances. The administrative judge should consider the nine adjudicative process factors listed at AG ¶ 2(d): (1) the nature, extent, and seriousness of the conduct; (2) the circumstances surrounding the conduct, to include knowledgeable participation; (3) the frequency and recency of the conduct; (4) the individual’s age and maturity at the time of the conduct; (5) the extent to which participation is voluntary; (6) the presence or absence of rehabilitation and other permanent behavioral changes; (7) the motivation for the conduct; (8) the potential for pressure, coercion, exploitation, or duress; and (9) the likelihood of continuation or recurrence. AG ¶ 2(b) requires each case must be judged on its own merits. Under AG ¶ 2(c), the ultimate determination of whether to grant eligibility for a security clearance must be an overall commonsense judgment based upon careful consideration of the guidelines and the whole person concept. I considered the potentially disqualifying and mitigating conditions in light of all the facts and circumstances surrounding this case. Applicant is clearly well respected in the workplace (AppX E.) He does his job well. (AppXs B~D.) However, overall, the record evidence leaves me with questions and doubts as to Applicant’s eligibility and suitability for a security clearance. For all these reasons, I conclude Applicant failed to mitigate the security concerns arising from his drug involvement and substance abuse.

FORMAL FINDINGS

Formal findings for or against Applicant on the allegations set forth in the SOR, as required by ¶ E3.1.25 of Enclosure 3 of the Directive, are: Paragraph 1, Guideline H: AGAINST APPLICANT Subparagraphs 1.a and 1.b: Against Applicant

_________________

CONCLUSION

In light of all of the circumstances presented by the record in this case, it is not clearly consistent with the national interest to grant Applicant national security eligibility for a security clearance. Eligibility for access to classified information is denied. Richard A. Cefola Administrative Judge