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ISCR Case 24-00923 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-00923

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/3/2025
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Darlene Lokey Anderson
Government Counsel: Andrew H. Henderson
Case Summary
Applicant, a 46-year-old retired Navy Commander, sought a security clearance for his position as a Senior Analyst with a defense contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline F, Financial Considerations, due to five delinquent accounts totaling approximately $68,000. The allegations indicated that the applicant's financial decisions reflected poor self-control and raised questions about his reliability and trustworthiness.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR, explaining that his financial difficulties began in February 2020 when he started spending beyond his means, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and his wife's job loss. He provided details about his debts, including personal loans taken for his wife's education, and outlined his efforts to address these debts through installment agreements initiated after receiving the SOR. The applicant demonstrated a commitment to resolving his financial issues, including making payments on settled debts and maintaining a positive cash flow.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that he had taken significant steps to mitigate the financial concerns raised in the SOR. The judge noted the applicant's proactive measures to address his debts, his stable employment, and the positive contributions of his wife's income to their household. The decision emphasized that the applicant's actions demonstrated a commitment to financial responsibility, which alleviated the initial security concerns.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-00923

grantedFeb 3, 2025· Hon. Darlene Lokey Anderson· hearing

Summary

A 46-year-old retired Navy Commander was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant faced allegations of approximately $68,000 in delinquent debts, stemming from poor financial decisions and excessive spending. Specific debts included a credit union account of about $26,055, a delinquent credit card account of approximately $14,368, a brokerage account of about $13,030, a charged-off student loan of roughly $28,000, and another charged-off credit union account of approximately $14,881.

Disqualifying conditions related to financial irresponsibility were raised, but mitigating conditions were ultimately applied. The applicant admitted to the debts and demonstrated a commitment to resolving them.

The clearance was granted because the applicant showed a good faith effort to repay overdue creditors and resolve the debts. He had made systematic monthly payments towards his delinquent debts for the four months preceding the decision, and his current financial situation allowed him to comfortably manage these payments. The decision emphasized the importance of financial responsibility.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a good faith effort to repay overdue creditors and resolve debts.
He has made systematic monthly payments towards his delinquent debts for the past four months.
The applicant's current financial situation allows him to comfortably pay his delinquent debts.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability or Unwillingness to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
AG ¶ 19(e)raisedConsistent Spending Beyond One’s Means

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)appliedBehavior Happened Long Ago or Infrequently
AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Resulting in Financial Problems Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedIndividual Initiated and Is Adhering to a Good Faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors

Key Rule Quoted

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

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJul 12, 2024
Answer filedSep 20, 2024
Hearing heldDec 12, 2024
Decision dateFeb 3, 2025

Cite For

Good Faith Effort to Resolve Financial Issues Under Guideline F
Importance of Financial Responsibility in Security Clearance Eligibility
Application of Mitigating Conditions for Financial Considerations

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 delinquent accounts totaling approximately $68,000, but ruled in favor of the applicant on all allegations under Guideline F. The applicant demonstrated efforts to settle debts and mitigate financial concerns, leading to a favorable decision regarding his security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant is indebted to a credit union for an account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $26,055. $26,055	For Applicant	Personal Loan Debt	Admitted	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.b	Applicant is indebted to a credit union for a delinquent credit card account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $14,368. $14,368	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	Claimed Debt Paid in Full
1.c	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a brokerage account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $13,030. $13,030	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	Claimed Debt Paid in Full
1.d	Applicant is indebted to a creditor for a student loan that was charged-off in the approximate amount of $28,000. $28,000	For Applicant	Student Loan Debt	Admitted	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Documented Debt Paid in Full
1.e	Applicant is indebted to a credit union for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $14,881. $14,881	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	(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.