Summary
A 52-year-old retired Navy member and defense contractor was denied a security clearance under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption) due to a documented history of alcohol dependency and multiple diagnoses. The applicant's record included a November 1987 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) conviction, which resulted in a license suspension and completion of an alcohol awareness course.
Further issues included a 28-day inpatient alcohol treatment program from May to June 1996, where he was diagnosed with alcohol dependency, leading to approximately nine years of sobriety before a relapse in 2005. In December 2009, he self-referred to a Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Program, receiving another alcohol dependency diagnosis and a recommendation for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which he attended for about three weeks before another year of sobriety and subsequent relapse.
Following his Navy retirement in November 2013 and difficulties transitioning to civilian life, the applicant sought counseling and was diagnosed with alcohol dependency for a third time in February 2014. Although he has not consumed alcohol since January 2014 and participates in "Rational Recovery," the judge found insufficient evidence to mitigate the security concerns, citing a history of relapses and doubts about long-term abstinence, ultimately leading to the denial of the security clearance.
Why the applicant was denied
- The applicant has a history of alcohol dependency with multiple diagnoses and relapses.
- The judge expressed doubts about the applicant's long-term abstinence from alcohol despite current remission.
- The applicant's past behavior raised concerns about reliability and trustworthiness.
Conditions referenced
- G.22(a)raisedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
- G.22(c)raisedHabitual or Binge Consumption of Alcohol
- G.22(d)raisedDiagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder
- G.22(e)raisedFailure to Follow Treatment Advice
- G.22(f)raisedAlcohol Consumption Not in Accordance with Treatment Recommendations
- G.23(a)rejectedTime Passed or Infrequent Behavior Unlikely to RecurThe judge found it too soon to determine that the applicant would not return to alcohol consumption.
- G.23(b)rejectedAcknowledgment of Alcohol Use and Evidence of Actions TakenThe applicant's past relapses undermined the claim of a clear pattern of modified consumption.
- G.23(d)rejectedSuccessful Completion of Treatment ProgramThe applicant's history of returning to alcohol use after treatment was a concern.
Key rule quoted
“Excessive alcohol consumption often leads to the exercise of questionable judgment or the failure to control impulses, and can raise questions about an individual's reliability and trustworthiness.”
Procedural posture
- SOR issuedJun 6, 2016
- Answer filedJul 14, 2016
- Hearing heldDec 1, 2016
- Decision dateAug 3, 2017
Cite for
- Evaluation of Alcohol Dependency Under Guideline G
- Consideration of Past Behavior in Security Clearance Decisions
- Impact of Treatment Compliance on Security Clearance Eligibility