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ISCR Case 22-00369 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 22-00369

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date7/20/2023
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Carol G. Ricciardello
Government Counsel: Carroll J. Connelley
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 34-year-old individual who had served in the military from 2007 to 2014 and was seeking a security clearance. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F, related to financial considerations. The SOR detailed 17 delinquent debts totaling approximately $45,722, which the applicant admitted to, except for three specific debts. The applicant's financial difficulties were attributed to periods of unemployment and underemployment, as well as personal circumstances, including child support obligations.
The administrative judge found that the applicant had not provided sufficient evidence to mitigate the financial concerns raised in the SOR. Although the applicant claimed to have sought assistance from a credit repair company and acknowledged some debts, he failed to demonstrate any substantial efforts to resolve the majority of his delinquent debts. The judge noted that the applicant's financial issues were longstanding and that he had not taken responsible actions to address them, such as establishing payment plans or providing documentation of financial counseling. Consequently, the judge ruled to deny the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information, emphasizing the importance of financial responsibility in maintaining national security.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · Against Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 22-00369

deniedJul 20, 2023· Hon. Carol G. Ricciardello· hearing

Summary

A 34-year-old male applicant with a military background was denied a security clearance under Guideline F, Financial Considerations. The denial stemmed from 17 delinquent debts totaling approximately $45,722. While the applicant resolved one specific debt, he failed to provide sufficient evidence of efforts to address the remaining financial obligations.

The Statement of Reasons highlighted the applicant's total delinquent debt and the resolution of one specific item. Disqualifying conditions under Guideline F were raised, indicating a pattern of financial irresponsibility and an inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts.

Although mitigating conditions were considered, the applicant did not demonstrate adequate efforts to resolve the majority of his debts or engage in financial counseling. This lack of action regarding his significant financial liabilities raised concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness, ultimately leading to the denial of his security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant had 17 delinquent debts totaling approximately $45,722, which he failed to address adequately.
He did not provide evidence of efforts to resolve the majority of his debts or any financial counseling.
The applicant's financial irresponsibility raised questions about his reliability and trustworthiness.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedHistory of Not Meeting Financial Obligations

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Overdue CreditorsThe applicant resolved one debt.
AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's ControlWhile the applicant experienced unemployment, he did not act responsibly to resolve his debts.
AG ¶ 20(c)rejectedFinancial CounselingThe applicant did not provide evidence of receiving financial counseling.

Key Rule Quoted

“Failure to live within one’s means, satisfy debts, and meet financial obligations may indicate poor self-control, lack of judgment, or unwillingness to abide by rules and regulations, all of which can raise questions about an individual’s reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified or sensitive information.”
— AG ¶ 18

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedAug 31, 2022
Answer filedDec 29, 2022Applicant elected to proceed without a hearing.
Hearing held—Decision made based on written record.
Decision dateJul 20, 2023

Cite For

Financial Responsibility Under Guideline F
Impact of Unresolved Debts on Security Clearance Eligibility
Importance of Providing Evidence in Financial Mitigation Cases

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 F · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: denied

The applicant has delinquent debts totaling approximately $45,722, which were not mitigated by the judge. Although the applicant resolved one debt, the overall financial situation raised significant security concerns, leading to a decision against the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant has delinquent debts totaling approximately $45,722. $45,722	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b–1.p	15 sub-charges — specific text not stated in this decision (against the applicant). (low confidence)	Against Applicant			—	—	—
1.q	Applicant resolved the debt in SOR ¶ 1.q. $147	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Denied	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Debt Paid in Full

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

Full decision

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