Summary
A 33-year-old mechanical technician was denied a security clearance under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The denial stemmed from unresolved delinquent debts and the applicant's false statements on his February 12, 2015, security clearance application (SF 86), where he knowingly and intentionally denied having these debts.
The Statement of Reasons detailed several financial issues, including a credit card account placed for collection totaling $17,166, two charged-off credit card accounts for $7,485 and $3,137, and eight delinquent student loan accounts placed for collection amounting to $29,410. Disqualifying conditions F.19(a), F.19(c), and E.16(a) were raised.
Despite the application of mitigating conditions F.20(a-e) and E.17(a, c-f), the judge found insufficient evidence of progress in resolving the debts. The applicant's lack of candor regarding his financial situation on the security clearance application was a significant concern, leading to the denial based on his failure to address the debts and his intentional false statements.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- Applicant did not make sufficient progress resolving the debts alleged in the SOR.
- Applicant knowingly and intentionally denied having delinquent debts on his security clearance application.
Conditions Referenced
- F.19(a)raisedInability or Unwillingness to Satisfy Debts
- F.19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations
- E.16(a)raisedDeliberate Omission, Concealment, or Falsification of Relevant Facts
- F.20(a)rejectedBehavior Happened so Long Ago, Was Infrequent, or Occurred Under Circumstances Unlikely to Recur
- F.20(b)rejectedConditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person’s Control
- F.20(c)rejectedReceived or Receiving Counseling for the Problem
- F.20(d)rejectedInitiated a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors
- F.20(e)rejectedReasonable Basis to Dispute the Legitimacy of the Past-due Debt
- E.17(a)rejectedMade Prompt, Good-faith Efforts to Correct the Omission
- E.17(c)rejectedOffense Is Minor or Unlikely to Recur
- E.17(d)rejectedAcknowledged the Behavior and Obtained Counseling
- E.17(e)rejectedTaken Positive Steps to Reduce Vulnerability to Exploitation
- E.17(f)rejectedInformation Was Unsubstantiated or From a Questionable Source
Key Rule Quoted
“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedApr 15, 2016
- Answer filedJun 3, 2016
- Hearing heldOct 26, 2016
- Decision dateNov 2, 2016
Cite For
- Insufficient Progress in Resolving Debts Under Guideline F
- Lack of Candor in Security Clearance Application Under Guideline E
- Criteria for Evaluating Financial Considerations and Personal Conduct Security Concerns