Summary
A 37-year-old senior quality control analyst was denied a security clearance under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption) due to a history of alcohol-related offenses and ongoing consumption. Allegations included consuming alcohol to excess from approximately 1986 to at least March 2007, a 1996 nonjudicial punishment for DUI, and a license suspension for failing a breathalyzer following a DUI arrest between 1996 and 2006. Additionally, he was fined for an open container offense around 2001 and pleaded guilty to November 2006 charges of DUI and operating under suspension-alcohol, resulting in a suspended six-month jail sentence and 18 months probation.
The applicant sought treatment for alcohol abuse through an employee assistance program from November 2006 to April 2007, and for alcohol dependence at a behavioral health facility from February 2007 to July 2007. He was also in treatment at a community and family services center as of March 2008.
Despite these efforts, the application was denied because the applicant continued to consume alcohol, including during his probation, despite being diagnosed as alcohol dependent. He failed to complete a rehabilitation program and showed insufficient insight into his problem, claiming he was not an alcoholic despite recent drinking.
Why the applicant was denied
- The applicant continued to consume alcohol despite being diagnosed as alcohol dependent.
- He failed to complete an alcohol rehabilitation program and relapsed during his probation period.
- The applicant showed insufficient insight into his alcohol problem, claiming he was not an alcoholic despite recent drinking.
Conditions referenced
- AG ¶ 22(a)appliedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
- AG ¶ 22(c)appliedHabitual or Binge Consumption of Alcohol
- AG ¶ 22(d)appliedDiagnosis of Alcohol Dependence
- AG ¶ 22(g)appliedFailure to Follow Any Court Order Regarding Alcohol Education, Evaluation, Treatment, or Abstinence
- AG ¶ 23(b)rejectedAcknowledgment of Alcoholism and Actions Taken to Overcome the ProblemThe applicant has not abstained from alcohol for any significant period.
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 untrustworthiness.”
Procedural posture
- SOR issuedJul 21, 2008
- Answer filedSep 10, 2008
- Hearing heldDec 19, 2008
- Decision dateFeb 27, 2009
Cite for
- Denial of Security Clearance Due to Ongoing Alcohol Consumption
- Insufficient Evidence of Rehabilitation Under Guideline G
- Impact of Alcohol-related Incidents on Security Clearance Eligibility