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ISCR Case 24-01986 — CASE

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ISCR Case 24-01986

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/11/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Pamela C. Benson
Government Counsel: Cynthia Ruckno
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 25-year-old individual employed as a subcontract buyer for a federal contractor. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline H, which pertains to drug involvement and substance misuse. The core allegations included the applicant's admission of marijuana use from age 15 until October 2024 and her expressed intent to continue using marijuana, despite being aware of its prohibition under federal law.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to using marijuana on several occasions, particularly for insomnia, but denied the frequency of use reported in her background interview. She claimed her last use was in October 2024 and provided a statement of intent to abstain from illegal drug use in the future. However, the administrative judge found inconsistencies in her testimony and previous statements, leading to concerns about her credibility and reliability.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that she failed to mitigate the security concerns related to drug involvement. The judge noted that the applicant's actions demonstrated a lack of candor and good judgment, which are essential for individuals entrusted with classified information. Consequently, the applicant's request for national security eligibility was denied.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 24-01986

deniedFeb 11, 2026· Hon. Pamela C. Benson· hearing

Summary

A 25-year-old subcontract buyer was denied a U.S. security clearance under Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The denial stemmed from allegations that she used marijuana from age 15 until October 2024. A key concern was her inconsistent statements regarding future drug use; she initially expressed an intent to continue using marijuana but later claimed she would abstain.

The judge identified several disqualifying conditions, specifically citing concerns about the applicant's reliability and judgment. The primary reasons for denial were her inconsistent testimony and a perceived lack of credibility. The judge concluded that the applicant failed to demonstrate sufficient rehabilitation or a firm commitment to abstain from illegal drug use.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant's inconsistent statements regarding marijuana use raised significant reliability issues.
The judge found the applicant lacked credibility and did not demonstrate sufficient rehabilitation or commitment to abstain from illegal drug use.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
AG ¶ 25(g)raisedExpress Intent to Continue Drug Involvement

Key Rule Quoted

“The illegal use of controlled substances . . . can raise questions about an individual’s reliability and trustworthiness, both because such behavior may lead to physical or psychological impairment and because it raises questions about a person’s ability or willingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJan 2, 2025
Answer filedJan 8, 2025
Hearing heldSep 11, 2025via online video teleconferencing
Decision dateFeb 11, 2026

Cite For

Issues of Credibility in Drug Involvement Cases
The Importance of Consistent Statements Regarding Substance Use
The Burden of Proof on the Applicant to Demonstrate Rehabilitation

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 H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found against the applicant regarding her marijuana use, which began at age 15 and continued until October 2024. Although the applicant stated an intention to abstain from illegal drug use, the judge concluded that her actions and inconsistent statements demonstrated a lack of reliability and good judgment, leading to a denial of her security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant used marijuana the first time at age 15 and continued to use it until October 2024.	Against Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Regular	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	Applicant stated she intended to use marijuana in the future, but later claimed she would abstain from illegal drug use.	For Applicant	Stated Intent to Use AgainWHILE CLEARED	Not Applicable	Denied	—	—	Claimed Other

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.