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ISCR Case 22-02223 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 22-02223

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

Case Profile
Decision Date6/6/2023
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Judge: Pamela C. Benson
Government Counsel: Rhett E. Petcher
Applicant's Counsel: Robert G. Hanseman
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 37-year-old financial manager employed by a government contractor, seeking a security clearance due to his job requirements. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F (financial considerations), which included five delinquent debts totaling $42,737. The applicant's financial difficulties arose from circumstances beyond his control, including unexpected wedding expenses and his ex-wife's unsuccessful business venture, which led to significant financial strain.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to all debts listed in the SOR and provided evidence of his efforts to resolve these financial issues. He had entered into repayment plans for several debts and had successfully resolved others, demonstrating responsible financial behavior. The applicant also highlighted that he had saved over $10,000 to facilitate a move closer to his children and had hired legal counsel to assist with his financial negotiations and security clearance hearing.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting him eligibility for access to classified information. The judge concluded that the applicant had acted responsibly to address his financial delinquencies, significantly reduced his overall indebtedness, and demonstrated good judgment and reliability. The judge found that the applicant's financial issues were largely due to circumstances beyond his control and that he had taken appropriate steps to mitigate the concerns raised in the SOR.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 22-02223

grantedJun 6, 2023· Hon. Pamela C. Benson· hearing

Summary

This case concerns a 37-year-old financial manager and former U.S. Air Force member whose security clearance was reviewed under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The Statement of Reasons detailed five specific debts: a charged-off bank account for $19,123, two collection accounts for consumer credit cards totaling $13,868 and $6,332 respectively, and two additional charged-off bank credit card accounts for $2,502 and $909. These allegations raised disqualifying conditions AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c).

The applicant's financial difficulties were primarily attributed to unexpected wedding expenses and his ex-spouse's failed business. However, the decision highlighted his responsible actions to address these debts. He established repayment plans and successfully resolved several accounts, demonstrating a commitment to managing his financial obligations.

Ultimately, the security clearance was GRANTED. This decision was based on the finding that the applicant's financial issues stemmed largely from circumstances beyond his control. Furthermore, he applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(b) and AG ¶ 20(d) by taking responsible steps to resolve his delinquencies, thereby demonstrating good judgment and reliability in his financial management.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant's financial issues were largely due to circumstances beyond his control.
He took responsible actions to address and resolve his financial delinquencies.
The applicant demonstrated good judgment and reliability in managing his finances.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's Control
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedDec 12, 2022
Answer filedJan 16, 2023
Hearing heldApr 18, 2023
Decision dateJun 6, 2023

Cite For

Mitigating Conditions for Financial Issues Under Guideline F
Impact of Circumstances Beyond Control on Financial Responsibility
Good-faith Efforts in Debt Resolution

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: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant had several financial debts but demonstrated a good faith effort to resolve them. All debts were either resolved or in repayment plans, leading to a decision in favor of the applicant under Guideline F.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant is indebted to a bank creditor on a charged-off account for $19,123. $19,123	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (d) good-faith effort to repay or otherwise resolve debts	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.b	A collection account owed for a consumer credit card in the amount of $13,868. $13,868	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (d) good-faith effort to repay or otherwise resolve debts	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.c	A collection account owed for a consumer credit card in the amount of $6,332. $6,332	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (d) good-faith effort to repay or otherwise resolve debts	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.d	Indebted to a bank creditor for a charged-off credit card account in the amount of $2,502. $2,502	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (d) good-faith effort to repay or otherwise resolve debts	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.e	Indebted to a bank creditor for a charged-off credit card account in the amount of $909. $909	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (d) good-faith effort to repay or otherwise resolve debts	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

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