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ISCR Case 24-02077 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-02077

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

Case Profile
Decision Date12/17/2025
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Candace Le'i Garcia
Government Counsel: Tovah A. Minster
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 32-year-old male, married with two children, who had served nearly nine years in the U.S. military and held a security clearance since approximately 2013. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing a security concern under Guideline H (drug involvement and substance misuse), which was cross-alleged under Guideline E (personal conduct). The core allegation involved the applicant's admission to using marijuana in July 2024 while holding a sensitive position.
The applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR, explaining that he used marijuana on a single occasion after consuming alcohol with his spouse. He expressed immediate regret for this lapse in judgment and emphasized that it was out of character for him. He provided evidence of his military service and stated that he does not associate with individuals who use illegal substances. Although he did not submit a signed statement of intent to abstain from drug use, he conveyed a clear intention not to repeat the behavior in the future.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that he had mitigated the security concerns. The judge noted that the applicant's drug use was infrequent and occurred under circumstances unlikely to recur. The applicant's forthrightness in disclosing his drug use during various stages of the security clearance process, along with his expressed remorse and commitment to abstain from illegal substances, supported the decision to grant eligibility for access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · For Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-02077

grantedDec 17, 2025· Hon. Candace Le'i Garcia· hearing

Summary

A 32-year-old former U.S. military member was granted eligibility for a security clearance despite concerns under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The case stemmed from a single instance of marijuana use in July 2024, which occurred while the applicant held a sensitive position and an existing security clearance. This conduct raised questions regarding judgment and compliance with regulations.

Disqualifying conditions cited included questionable judgment regarding drug use, specifically the purchase and use of marijuana. However, several mitigating factors were applied. The applicant demonstrated forthrightness by consistently disclosing the incident during multiple security clearance processes.

Furthermore, the judge noted the applicant's genuine remorse and regret for his lapse in judgment. His honorable military service and a stated commitment to abstain from illegal substances were also favorably considered, leading to the decision to grant eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated forthrightness by disclosing his one-time marijuana use during multiple security clearance processes.
He expressed genuine remorse and regret for his lapse in judgment regarding drug use.
The applicant's honorable military service and commitment to abstain from illegal substances were favorably considered.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(f)raisedIllegal Drug Use While Holding a Security Clearance
AG ¶ 16(e)raisedPersonal Conduct Creating Vulnerability
AG ¶ 16(e)(1)raisedConduct Affecting Personal Standing

Mitigating

AG ¶ 26(a)appliedBehavior Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 26(b)(1)appliedAcknowledgment of Drug Involvement
AG ¶ 17(c)appliedMinor Offense Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 17(d)appliedAcknowledgment and Positive Steps Taken
AG ¶ 17(e)appliedReduction of Vulnerability to Exploitation

Key Rule Quoted

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

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJan 3, 2025
Answer filedJan 8, 2025Applicant elected to have the case decided on the written record.
Hearing held—Decision made based on written record.
Decision dateDec 17, 2025

Cite For

Mitigation of Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Consideration of Personal Conduct Under Guideline E
Impact of Military Service on Security Clearance Eligibility

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's conduct involving questionable judgment regarding drug use was mitigated. The applicant admitted to a one-time use of marijuana while holding a security clearance and expressed remorse, indicating it was out of character for him. The judge concluded that the applicant's actions did not raise ongoing security concerns, resulting in a favorable decision for the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
2.a	Conduct involving questionable judgment regarding drug use.	For Applicant	Questionable Judgment General	—	Admitted	—	(a) prompt, good-faith correction before being confronted (b) omission/refusal followed advice of counsel; later cooperated fully (c) offense is minor, long ago, infrequent, or unique circumstances	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 H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant purchased and used marijuana in July 2024 while holding a sensitive position. However, the applicant mitigated the security concern by demonstrating remorse, a commitment to abstain from illegal drug use in the future, and a lack of a history of substance misuse. The outcome was granted, affirming the applicant's eligibility for a security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant purchased and used marijuana in July 2024 while holding a sensitive position.	For Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Not Applicable	Admitted	—	(a) behavior happened long ago / infrequent / unlikely to recur (b) acknowledges involvement; evidence of action; established abstinence	Credited Acknowledgment and Remorse Claimed Abstinence Period Documented

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.