Summary
A 54-year-old former defense contractor employee was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant had approximately $89,000 in delinquent debts, including past-due student loans, consumer credit, and medical debts, as well as issues with a forfeited time-share, a voluntarily repossessed vehicle, and mortgages. Additionally, a 2013 state tax lien and unpaid traffic tickets from a foreign country were noted.
Under Guideline E, the applicant was found to have falsified security clearance applications from 2012 and 2016 by failing to disclose his termination from a government contractor in December 2012, multiple civil court actions against him, a 2013 state tax lien, and the revocation of a corporate credit card for misuse. These omissions demonstrated a lack of candor.
The judge determined that the applicant failed to mitigate these concerns. Specifically, there was a long history of unresolved financial delinquencies, and the applicant intentionally omitted relevant financial information and civil court actions from his applications. Furthermore, the applicant did not provide sufficient evidence of efforts to resolve his financial issues or to seek financial counseling. Consequently, the security clearance was denied.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant had a long history of unresolved financial delinquencies totaling about $89,000.
- The applicant intentionally omitted relevant financial information and civil court actions from his security clearance applications, demonstrating a lack of candor.
- The applicant did not provide sufficient evidence of efforts to resolve his financial issues or to seek financial counseling.
Conditions Referenced
- F.19.araisedInability to Satisfy Debts
- F.19.braisedUnwillingness to Satisfy Debts Regardless of the Ability to Do So
- E.16.aappliedDeliberate Omission, Concealment, or Falsification of Relevant Facts
- F.20.brejectedConditions That Resulted in the Financial Problem Were Largely Beyond the Person's ControlWhile the applicant attributed his financial issues to unemployment, he failed to demonstrate responsible actions to address these issues.
- F.20.crejectedReceived or Is Receiving Financial CounselingThe applicant did not provide evidence of financial counseling.
- F.20.drejectedInitiated and Is Adhering to a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue CreditorsThe applicant's financial delinquencies remain unresolved.
- E.17.arejectedPrompt, Good-faith Efforts to Correct the OmissionThe applicant did not make efforts to correct omissions before being confronted.
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 issuedMay 2, 2017
- Answer filedMay 15, 2017
- Hearing heldJul 12, 2017
- Decision date—
Cite For
- Failure to Mitigate Financial Considerations Under Guideline F
- Intentional Omission of Relevant Facts Under Guideline E
- Lack of Evidence for Good-faith Efforts to Resolve Debts