Summary
A 37-year-old defense contractor and former U.S. Air Force member was denied a security clearance under Guideline F, Financial Considerations. The denial stemmed from eight delinquent debts totaling $29,822, which were detailed in the Statement of Reasons. These debts raised disqualifying conditions under Adjudicative Guidelines Paragraphs 19(a) and 19(c).
The applicant attributed his financial difficulties to personal circumstances, including a divorce and a family death. While he admitted to the debts, he did not provide documentation to show they had been settled or were current. This lack of substantiation for his claims regarding his financial situation led to doubts about his reliability and judgment.
Although mitigating conditions under Adjudicative Guidelines Paragraphs 20(a), 20(b), and 20(d) were considered, the applicant failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his claims of debt resolution. Consequently, the security concerns were not mitigated, resulting in the denial of his security clearance.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- Applicant has eight delinquent debts totaling $29,822, which he admitted but did not document as settled or current.
- Applicant's claims regarding his financial situation were not substantiated by evidence, leading to doubts about his reliability and judgment.
Conditions Referenced
- AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
- AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- AG ¶ 20(a)rejectedBehavior Happened so Long Ago, Was Infrequent, or Occurred Under Circumstances Unlikely to RecurApplicant's debts are current and not infrequent.
- AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions That Resulted in Financial Problems Were Largely Beyond the Person's ControlApplicant did not demonstrate responsible action under adverse circumstances.
- AG ¶ 20(d)rejectedInitiated and Is Adhering to a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue CreditorsApplicant did not provide documentation supporting claims of debt resolution.
Key Rule Quoted
“the clearly consistent standard indicates that security clearance determinations should err, if they must, on the side of denials.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedJul 21, 2017
- Answer filedAug 15, 2017Requested decision based on written record without a hearing.
- Hearing held—No hearing; decision based on written record.
- Decision dateFeb 22, 2018
Cite For
- Denial of Security Clearance Due to Unresolved Financial Obligations Under Guideline F
- Importance of Providing Documentation to Support Claims of Debt Resolution
- Application of the Clearly Consistent Standard in Security Clearance Determinations