Summary
A 55-year-old Army veteran and security officer was denied a security clearance due to financial considerations under Guideline F. The Statement of Reasons (SOR) detailed five delinquent debts totaling $27,719. These included collection accounts for $12,638, $6,439, and $3,005, along with a charged-off bank debt of $3,637. Additionally, the SOR alleged a delinquent child support debt of $2,000.
Disqualifying conditions under Guideline F, specifically AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c), were raised due to the applicant's history of not meeting financial obligations and an inability or unwillingness to satisfy debts. While mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(b) and AG ¶ 20(d) were applied, acknowledging that the applicant's debts were not recent and that he had resolved the child support obligation, these were insufficient to overcome the concerns.
The denial was based on the applicant's failure to demonstrate sufficient progress in resolving the remaining delinquent debts. He did not provide adequate documentation of efforts to address the debts listed in the SOR, and his argument that some debts were absent from his current credit report was not accepted as meaningful evidence of resolution.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant did not make sufficient progress resolving his delinquent debts.
- He failed to provide documentation showing efforts to address the debts in the Statement of Reasons (SOR).
- The applicant's reliance on the absence of debts from his current credit report was not considered meaningful evidence of debt resolution.
Conditions Referenced
- AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability or Unwillingness to Satisfy Debts
- AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person’s ControlThe applicant did not provide sufficient specifics about how circumstances adversely affected his finances.
- AG ¶ 20(d)rejectedThe Individual Initiated a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors or Otherwise Resolve DebtsThe applicant did not show evidence of a good-faith effort to resolve the debts.
Key Rule Quoted
“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedJan 8, 2016
- Answer filedMar 10, 2016
- Hearing heldSep 15, 2016
- Decision dateOct 5, 2016
Cite For
- Failure to Demonstrate Sufficient Progress in Resolving Delinquent Debts Under Guideline F
- Reliance on the Absence of Debts From a Credit Report Does Not Mitigate Financial Concerns
- Insufficient Evidence of Good-faith Efforts to Resolve Financial Obligations