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ISCR Case USAF-M-Case No. 23-00003-R — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case USAF-M-Case No. 23-00003-R

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/24/2023
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Robert E. Coacher
Government Counsel: William H. Miller
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 36-year-old technical sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, who faced security concerns under Guideline F, related to financial considerations. The Statement of Reasons (SOR) outlined nine delinquent accounts totaling approximately $53,674, primarily from credit cards and consumer debts. The applicant's financial difficulties reportedly began in 2016, exacerbated by a divorce in 2021, which led to increased financial strain.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to several debts but did not provide sufficient evidence of efforts to resolve them. He acknowledged that some debts remained unpaid and indicated that he intended to start making payments on one of the charged-off accounts. The applicant also presented a budget showing a small surplus but did not account for payments toward his delinquent debts. A witness testified to the applicant's reliability and character, but there was no evidence that the applicant had followed through on financial counseling or advice.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that he had not mitigated the financial concerns. The judge found that the applicant's history of financial difficulties and failure to meet obligations raised significant questions about his reliability and trustworthiness, ultimately denying his eligibility for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- 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. USAF-M-Case No. 23-00003-R

deniedFeb 24, 2023· Hon. Robert E. Coacher· hearing

Summary

A 36-year-old U.S. Air Force technical sergeant was denied a security clearance under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to unresolved financial issues. The applicant had nine delinquent debts, totaling approximately $53,674, with a history of financial difficulties dating back to 2018.

Specific allegations included multiple charged-off credit card debts, such as $16,805 (with a current balance of approximately $9,800), $16,732, $7,357, $4,407, and $3,210. Other debts included consumer debts of $940 and $1,315, and a telecommunications debt of $1,849. One credit card debt of $1,059 was resolved with a zero balance.

The denial was based on the applicant's failure to resolve the majority of these debts in a timely manner, with seven remaining unpaid. Although some payments were made and financial counseling was noted, the judge concluded that the applicant did not adequately mitigate the financial security concerns, leading to the denial of eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant has a history of financial difficulties dating back to 2018, with nine delinquent debts totaling approximately $53,000, of which seven remain unpaid.
The applicant failed to resolve the majority of his debts in a timely manner, raising concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness.
Despite some evidence of financial counseling, the applicant's overall financial management was deemed inadequate, leading to doubts about his future ability to manage debts.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's ControlThe applicant's financial problems were affected by his divorce.
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay DebtsThe applicant made payments on some debts but failed to address the majority.

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedFeb 23, 2022
Answer filed—Applicant did not specifically admit or deny the SOR allegations.
Hearing heldFeb 9, 2023
Decision dateFeb 24, 2023

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Unresolved Financial Issues Under Guideline F
Impact of Financial Mismanagement on Reliability and Trustworthiness
Consideration of Mitigating Factors in Financial Distress 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: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found multiple financial concerns under Guideline F, with several charged-off credit card debts and other consumer debts remaining unpaid. While one debt was resolved, the majority of the debts were not addressed in a timely manner, leading to a decision against the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Charged-off credit card debt of $16,805, delinquent since September 2019, with a current balance of approximately $9,800. $16,805	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.b	Charged-off credit card debt of $16,732, delinquent since April 2019, remains unpaid. $16,732	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.c	Charged-off credit card debt of $7,357, delinquent since May 2019, remains unpaid. $7,357	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.d	Consumer debt of $940, delinquent since September 2019, remains unpaid. $940	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.e	Credit card debt of $1,059, delinquent since June 2019, resolved with a zero balance. $1,059	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Charged-off credit card debt of $4,407, delinquent since April 2019, remains unpaid. $4,407	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.g	Charged-off credit card debt of $3,210, last payment in October 2018, remains unpaid. $3,210	Against Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.h	Consumer debt of $1,315, delinquent since July 2019, remains unpaid. $1,315	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—
1.i	Telecommunications debt of $1,849, delinquent since April 2022, unresolved. $1,849	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(a) inability to satisfy debts (b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability	—	—

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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