Summary
A 30-year-old former Marine with a secret security clearance was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guidelines E (Personal Conduct), F (Financial Considerations), and G (Alcohol Consumption). The Statement of Reasons cited a delinquent medical debt of $210, another medical debt of $612, and a third medical debt of $134. Additionally, the applicant was convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in October 2011. A significant concern was the applicant's failure to disclose illegal drug use on his December 29, 2011, Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP), where he answered "no" to a question about illegal drug use in the past seven years.
While the applicant successfully mitigated the financial issues, the security concerns under Guidelines E and G remained. The denial was primarily based on the applicant's serious alcohol-related incident, specifically the DUI conviction and subsequent continued alcohol consumption in violation of probation. This failed to mitigate concerns under Guideline G.
Furthermore, the applicant's failure to disclose illegal drug use on his e-QIP was determined to be intentional and deliberate. This raised significant questions about his reliability and trustworthiness, leading to unmitigated concerns under Guideline E. Consequently, the security clearance was denied.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant failed to mitigate security concerns under Guideline G due to a serious alcohol-related incident, including a DUI conviction and continued alcohol consumption in violation of probation.
- The applicant's failure to disclose illegal drug use on his e-QIP was deemed intentional and deliberate, raising questions about his reliability and trustworthiness under Guideline E.
Conditions Referenced
- G 22(a)appliedAlcohol-related Incidents Away From Work
- E 16(a)appliedDeliberate Omission, Concealment, or Falsification of Relevant Facts
- F 20(b)appliedConditions That Resulted in Financial Problems Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
- F 20(c)appliedReceived Counseling for the Problem And/or Clear Indications That the Problem Is Being Resolved
- F 20(d)appliedInitiated a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors or Resolve Debts
Key Rule Quoted
“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedOct 17, 2012
- Answer filedDec 5, 2012
- Hearing heldFeb 7, 2013
- Decision dateMar 12, 2013
Cite For
- Failure to Disclose Illegal Drug Use on E-qip Under Guideline E
- Serious Alcohol-related Incidents Impacting Security Clearance Under Guideline G
- Mitigating Financial Issues Under Guideline F but Not Sufficient to Outweigh Other Concerns