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ISCR Case 25-01121 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-01121

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/26/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Richard A. Cefola
Government Counsel: Rhett E. Petcher
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 51-year-old engineer employed by a Department of Defense contractor since May 2022. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) on September 10, 2025, citing security concerns under Guideline H (Drug Involvement and Substance Misuse) due to the applicant's long history of marijuana use spanning over 28 years. The applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR, acknowledging sporadic use of marijuana from December 1996 through November 2022, and continued use into 2023 despite pledging to stop.
The administrative judge found that the applicant's admissions and the evidence presented did not sufficiently mitigate the security concerns. The applicant's continued marijuana use after initiating the security clearance process and his failure to provide documentation supporting his claims of medical necessity were significant factors. The judge noted that the applicant's history of drug use, including a prior positive drug test and termination for refusing a drug test, raised doubts about his reliability and trustworthiness. Ultimately, the judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that granting national security eligibility was not consistent with the national interest due to the unresolved concerns regarding the applicant's drug involvement.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-01121

deniedFeb 26, 2026· Hon. Richard A. Cefola· hearing

Summary

A 51-year-old engineer was denied national security eligibility under Guideline H (Drug Involvement) due to extensive marijuana use over a 28-year period. The government alleged the applicant's ineligibility based on this prolonged drug use, citing Disqualifying Conditions AG ¶ 25(a) and AG ¶ 25(g).

The applicant admitted to the illegal marijuana use spanning 28 years. Despite expressing a desire to cease use and pledging to stop during the security clearance application process, the applicant continued to use marijuana.

Ultimately, the applicant failed to provide sufficient evidence of rehabilitation or a firm commitment to abstain from drug use. The judge concluded that granting eligibility would not align with national security interests, resulting in the denial of the security clearance.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant admitted to illegal marijuana use for over 28 years.
The applicant continued to use marijuana after pledging to stop during the security clearance application process.
The applicant failed to provide evidence of rehabilitation or a commitment to abstain from drug use.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(g)raisedExpressed Intent to Continue Drug Involvement

Key Rule Quoted

“Any doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedSep 10, 2025
Answer filedOct 22, 2025Requested decision on written record.
Hearing held—Decision based on written record.
Decision dateFeb 26, 2026

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Long-term Drug Involvement
Failure to Demonstrate Rehabilitation or Commitment to Abstain From Drug Use
Impact of Continued Drug Use on National Security 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 H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant used marijuana for over 28 years, with continued use acknowledged up to April 2023. Despite the applicant's claims of intent to cease use for the sake of obtaining a security clearance, the judge ruled against the applicant due to ongoing drug involvement issues.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	The Government alleged that Applicant is ineligible for a security clearance because he used marijuana for over a 28-year span.	Against Applicant	Marijuana	Regular	Admitted	—	—	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.