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ISCR Case 23-01214 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 23-01214

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

Case Profile
Decision Date12/18/2024
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: LeRoy F. Foreman
Government Counsel: John C. Lynch
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 29-year-old computer support technician employed by a defense contractor since November 2019. The Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) addressed security concerns under Guidelines G (Alcohol Consumption), H (Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse), and E (Personal Conduct) in the Statement of Reasons (SOR) issued on December 11, 2023. The allegations included heavy alcohol use, drug involvement, and falsifications in his security clearance application.
The applicant admitted to several allegations, including a history of alcohol and drug misuse, but denied others related to the extent of his substance use and the accuracy of his disclosures in the SCA. He provided evidence of his participation in treatment programs and expressed a commitment to recovery, including a recent self-admission into a drug and alcohol recovery program. However, the judge noted that the applicant had a history of relapses and failed to disclose the full extent of his substance use and treatment history in his application.
The administrative judge ruled to deny the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information, citing the applicant's ongoing substance misuse issues and the lack of full disclosure in his security clearance application. The judge emphasized the importance of trust and reliability in individuals with access to classified information, concluding that the applicant had not sufficiently mitigated the security concerns raised against him.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · Against Applicant
- Guideline GAlcohol Consumption · Against Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 23-01214

deniedDec 18, 2024· Hon. LeRoy F. Foreman· hearing

Summary

A 29-year-old computer support technician was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline E (Personal Conduct), Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption), and Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The denial stemmed from a history of substance abuse and multiple falsifications on his security clearance application.

Specifically, the applicant was alleged to have used marijuana, cocaine, and unprescribed Adderall while in a sensitive position. He also failed to disclose the full extent of his prescription drug misuse, treatment for drug or controlled substance misuse, and alcohol abuse. Furthermore, he did not disclose that he was still in outpatient treatment when he submitted his application.

The administrative judge determined that the applicant's history of excessive alcohol consumption and drug use, including recent relapses, along with the falsifications on his application, undermined his credibility and trustworthiness. Despite some evidence of recent treatment and peer support, insufficient time had passed to establish a consistent pattern of modified behavior or abstinence, leading to the denial of eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant had a history of excessive alcohol consumption and drug use, including recent relapses.
The applicant's falsifications in his security clearance application undermined his credibility and trustworthiness.
Insufficient time had passed since the applicant's last treatment to establish a pattern of modified behavior or abstinence.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 22(a)appliedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
AG ¶ 22(c)appliedHabitual or Binge Consumption of Alcohol
AG ¶ 22(d)appliedDiagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder
AG ¶ 25(a)appliedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(d)appliedDiagnosis of Substance Use Disorder
AG ¶ 25(e)appliedFailure to Successfully Complete a Drug Treatment Program
AG ¶ 16(a)appliedDeliberate Omission or Falsification of Relevant Facts

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedDec 11, 2023
Answer filedJan 5, 2024
Hearing heldNov 6, 2024conducted by video teleconference
Decision dateDec 18, 2024

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Substance Abuse History
Impact of Falsifications on Security Clearance Eligibility
Evaluation of Mitigating Conditions Under Guidelines G, H, and E

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 E (Personal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found against the applicant on all allegations under Guideline E, concluding that the applicant failed to disclose significant issues related to his misuse of prescription drugs and alcohol abuse. The applicant's lack of candor in his security clearance application raised serious concerns about his reliability and trustworthiness.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
3.a	Applicant failed to disclose the full extent of his misuse of prescription drugs.	Against Applicant	Omission or Failure to DiscloseFOUND DELIBERATE	Drug Involvement	Denied	—	—	—
3.b	Applicant failed to disclose the full extent of his treatment for misuse of drugs or controlled substances.	Against Applicant	Omission or Failure to DiscloseFOUND DELIBERATE	Drug Involvement	Denied	—	—	—
3.c	Applicant failed to disclose the full extent of his alcohol abuse.	Against Applicant	Omission or Failure to DiscloseFOUND DELIBERATE	Alcohol	Denied	—	—	—
3.d	Applicant failed to disclose that he was still in outpatient treatment when he submitted his SCA.	Against Applicant	Omission or Failure to DiscloseFOUND DELIBERATE	—	Denied	—	—	—

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

Standardized Decision Profile

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

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found against the applicant on all allegations related to drug involvement and substance misuse. The applicant admitted to using marijuana, cocaine, and unprescribed Adderall while holding a sensitive position, which contributed to the decision to deny his security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant used marijuana, cocaine, and unprescribed Adderall while holding a sensitive position.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
2.a	Applicant used marijuana, cocaine, and unprescribed Adderall while holding a sensitive position.	Against Applicant	CocaineWHILE CLEARED	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
2.a	Applicant used marijuana, cocaine, and unprescribed Adderall while holding a sensitive position.	Against Applicant	Prescription Stimulant MisuseWHILE CLEARED	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—

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.