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ISCR Case 24-01962 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 24-01962

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

Case Profile
Decision Date11/28/2025
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Judge: Ross D. Hyams
Government Counsel: George A. Hawkins
Applicant's Counsel: Matthew J. Thomas
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 37-year-old engineer employed by a defense contractor since 2018, with prior military service in the Army from 2009 to 2018. The Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) addressed security concerns under Guideline G (alcohol consumption) and Guideline E (personal conduct) in the Statement of Reasons (SOR). The core allegations included multiple incidents of alcohol-related offenses, including DUIs and domestic violence incidents, as well as failure to report a DUI arrest.
The applicant admitted to several allegations in the SOR, including past alcohol consumption and DUI arrests, but asserted that he had abstained from alcohol since 2019 after realizing the need for change following his last DUI incident. He provided evidence of his abstinence, including character letters from friends and testimony regarding his improved lifestyle and community involvement. The applicant denied any wrongdoing in the domestic violence incidents, claiming they were mischaracterized and that he had taken steps to address his behavior through counseling programs.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that he had successfully mitigated the security concerns related to alcohol consumption and personal conduct. The judge noted the applicant's significant period of abstinence, positive character references, and proactive steps taken to improve his life, which demonstrated a commitment to responsible behavior and a reduced risk to national security. Consequently, the applicant was granted eligibility for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · For Applicant
- Guideline GAlcohol Consumption · For Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01962

grantedNov 28, 2025· Hon. Ross D. Hyams· hearing

Summary

A 37-year-old defense contractor and former Army service member was granted a security clearance despite concerns under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption) and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The Statement of Reasons detailed multiple alcohol-related incidents, including DUI arrests in March 2013, February 2017, and November 2019. The applicant also failed to report the 2019 DUI arrest.

Further allegations included consuming alcohol to the point of intoxication from age 17 to at least November 2022, and receiving alcohol treatment from February to November 2017. Non-alcohol-related incidents included an arrest in May 2015 for holding a firearm during an altercation, and domestic violence incidents in January and August 2017.

The administrative judge ultimately granted the clearance, finding that the applicant had maintained complete abstinence from alcohol since 2019. This commitment to sobriety was corroborated by character references. The judge concluded that the applicant's past conduct was unlikely to recur and did not undermine his current reliability and trustworthiness.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant has maintained complete abstinence from alcohol since 2019, demonstrating a commitment to sobriety.
Character references confirmed the applicant's sobriety and reliability since 2019.
The applicant's past incidents were deemed unlikely to recur and did not cast doubt on his current judgment.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 22(a)raisedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
AG ¶ 22(c)raisedHabitual or Binge Consumption of Alcohol

Mitigating

AG ¶ 23(a)appliedTime Has Passed or Behavior Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 23(b)appliedAcknowledgment of Alcohol Use and Evidence of Actions Taken
AG ¶ 17(c)appliedBehavior Unlikely to Recur Due to Time Passed or Unique Circumstances
AG ¶ 17(d)appliedAcknowledgment of Behavior and Positive Steps Taken

Key Rule Quoted

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

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJan 17, 2025
Answer filedMar 24, 2025
Hearing heldApr 28, 2025
Decision dateNov 28, 2025Decision delayed due to federal government shutdown.

Cite For

Mitigation of Alcohol Consumption Concerns Under Guideline G
Mitigation of Personal Conduct Concerns Under Guideline E
Importance of Character References in Demonstrating Reliability and Trustworthiness

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: Decision on RecordDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant failed to report a 2019 DUI arrest as required and that there were cross-allegations of alcohol consumption incidents. However, the judge concluded that the applicant had mitigated the personal conduct concerns by demonstrating a commitment to abstinence from alcohol since the last incident in 2019, resulting in a favorable decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant failed to report the 2019 DUI arrest as required.	For Applicant	Failure to Report Required Information	Criminal Conduct	Admitted	—	—	—
2.b	Cross-allegation of alcohol consumption incidents.	For Applicant	Questionable Judgment General	—	Admitted	—	—	Claimed Abstinence Period Documented Claimed Acknowledgment and Remorse

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 G (Alcohol Consumption) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: grantedAUD DIAGNOSEDTREATMENT COMPLETED · FAVORABLE

The judge found that the applicant had a history of alcohol consumption, including multiple DUI arrests, but successfully mitigated the concerns by demonstrating complete abstinence from alcohol since November 2019. The applicant's commitment to sobriety and positive changes in his life were credited, leading to a favorable decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Incident	Response	Disqualifying (¶22)	Mitigating applied (¶23)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant consumed alcohol, at times in excess and to the point of intoxication, from age 17 to at least November 2022.	For Applicant	Binge or Intoxication Pattern	Admitted	—	(a) so much time has passed / so infrequent that it is unlikely to recur (b) acknowledges the pattern and has established modified use or abstinence	—
1.b	Applicant was arrested in November 2019 and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI).	For Applicant	DUI or DWI Alcohol	Admitted	—	—	—
1.c	Applicant was arrested in February 2017 and charged with DUI.	For Applicant	DUI or DWI Alcohol	Admitted	—	—	—
1.d	Applicant was arrested in March 2013 and charged with DUI.	For Applicant	DUI or DWI Alcohol	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	Applicant received alcohol treatment at Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care (SUDCC) from February 2017 to November 2017.	For Applicant	Treatment Non Compliance	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	In May of 2015, Applicant was arrested for holding a firearm during an altercation with another person.	For Applicant	Unspecified Alcohol Incident	Denied	—	—	—
1.g	In January 2017, Applicant was involved in a domestic violence incident that resulted in the police being called.	For Applicant	Unspecified Alcohol Incident	Denied	—	—	—
1.h	In August 2017, Applicant was involved in a domestic violence incident with the mother of his children.	For Applicant	Unspecified Alcohol Incident	Denied	—	—	—

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

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.