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ISCR Case 23-01545 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 23-01545

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

Case Profile
Decision Date6/24/2024
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Roger C. Wesley
Government Counsel: Dan O'Reilley
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 32-year-old employee of a defense contractor seeking a security clearance. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing financial considerations as the primary concern, specifically the accumulation of five delinquent debts totaling over $38,000. These debts were alleged to be unresolved and outstanding, raising questions about the applicant's reliability and trustworthiness.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR and explained that his financial difficulties stemmed from periods of unemployment following his discharge from the Army. He entered a debt resolution program in September 2023, which included a structured repayment plan for his debts. The applicant also expressed a willingness to take financial education classes to improve his financial management skills. He provided documentation of his ongoing payments and reported a gross annual income of $88,000, indicating a positive financial outlook moving forward.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting eligibility for access to classified information. The judge found that the applicant had taken significant steps to address his financial issues, including enrolling in a debt resolution program and making consistent payments. The judge concluded that the applicant's actions demonstrated a commitment to resolving his financial difficulties, mitigating the security concerns raised by the delinquent debts.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 23-01545

grantedJun 24, 2024· Hon. Roger C. Wesley· hearing

Summary

A 32-year-old defense contractor employee was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant faced allegations of accumulating five delinquent debts totaling over $38,000, which were initially unresolved. These issues raised disqualifying conditions 19(a) and 19(c).

However, the administrative judge found that the applicant successfully mitigated these concerns. The applicant admitted to the allegations and subsequently entered a debt resolution program, making required payments since September 2023. His financial difficulties were largely attributed to periods of unemployment, which were considered beyond his direct control.

The applicant demonstrated a good-faith effort to repay his overdue creditors, satisfying mitigating conditions 20(b) and 20(d). Based on his compliance with repayment terms and overall trustworthiness, the applicant was deemed eligible for a security clearance.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant entered a debt resolution program and has been making required payments since September 2023.
The applicant's financial issues were attributed to periods of unemployment, which were largely beyond his control.
The applicant demonstrated a good-faith effort to repay overdue creditors.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

20(b)appliedThe Conditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person’s Control
20(d)appliedThe Individual Initiated and Is Adhering to a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors or Otherwise Resolve Debts

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for access to classified information may only be granted 'upon a finding that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to do so.'”
— Exec. Or. 10865, Safeguarding Classified Information within Industry § 2 (Feb. 20, 1960)

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedAug 31, 2023
Answer filedSep 11, 2023
Hearing heldMay 9, 2024
Decision dateJun 24, 2024

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Good-faith Efforts in Debt Resolution Programs
Consideration of Circumstances Beyond the Applicant's Control in Financial Matters

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 applicant had accumulated five delinquent debts totaling over $38,000, which he admitted. However, he demonstrated a commitment to resolving these debts through a debt resolution program, leading the judge to conclude that the financial considerations security concerns were mitigated, resulting in a favorable decision for the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant allegedly accumulated five delinquent debts, exceeding $38,000. Allegedly these debts remain unresolved and outstanding. $38,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	(b) unwillingness to satisfy debts regardless of ability (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 Settlement Claimed Financial Counseling

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.