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      2B     ;Æ9½ÃbGðú9IJÏ³n
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  0   D     N      T     U  V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V            V  	B      «   ˜H P   L a s e r J e t   P 3 0 0 5   P C L   6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        È È È È 0                                                                                                                                                                 ( ÖÃ9  	   Z  ‹6 T i m e s   N e w   R o m a n   R e g u l a r           X    (                  üœ$ ¡   ¡   Ô   USUS. ,  Ôõrë>5         UHž=    ê:i¢× +003| x                     ÿU‹ÿ  ÿÿÿ      (   Y   (           2e.$ ¤   ¤   Ý
 ƒ  üœ! ÝÔ   USUS. ,  ÔÝ    ÝÓ     ÓÔ €  ô ˆ ò  X X   Ôà     àòòÚ    Ú0Ú
   
 Úóó    (                 #Ã$       òòÚ    Ú0Ú
   
 Úóó   
   K  Ý
 ƒ  e.$ ÝÔ   USUS. ,  ÔÓ     ÓÔ €  ô ˆ ò  X X   Ôà     àòòÚ    Ú1Ú
   
 ÚóóÝ    ÝÔ_        ÔWe€note€Applicantððs€testimony€that€his€and€his€wifeððs€401(k)€plans€were,€at€the€time€of€the€hearing,€worthÐ   	 °      Ðapproximately€$120,000.€€Tr.€at€84.€€Even€assuming,€as€Applicant€testified,€that€not€all€of€that€amount€could€beÐ   	 tÄ    Ðwithdrawn,€a€reasonable€person€could€conclude€that€Applicant€had€at€his€disposal€funds€that€could€be€used€to€pay€offÐ   	 8ˆ   Ðdebts€but€which€were€not€being€so€used.€                 d  Ý
 ƒ  üœ! ÝÔ   USUS. ,  ÔÝ    ÝÔ_        ÔKEYWORD:€Guideline€FÐ   	 °      ÐÌDIGEST:€The€Board€evaluates€any€particular€sentence€in€a€Judgeððs€decision€in€light€of€the€recordÐ   	 ˆØ   Ðas€a€whole.€€Applicant€failed€to€demonstrate€that€he€was€precluded€from€presenting€evidence€inÐ   	 tÄ   Ðhis€behalf.€€Judgeððs€statement€that€this€was€a€close€case€is€consistent€with€his€adverse€holding,Ð   	 `°   Ðbecause€a€Judge€must€resolve€close€cases€in€favor€of€national€security.€€Adverse€decisionÐ   	 L	œ   Ðaffirmed.Ð   	 8
ˆ   ÐÌCASE€NO:€10„04562.a1Ð   	 `   ÐÌDATE:€07/11/2011Ð   	 è8	
   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àà     àà    p àDATE:€July€11,€2011Ð   	 Ô$
   ÐÌÌÌÒ.       Ø‰   ð   7r     °(#°(#. ÒßA €V  )                 °° x         d  E°ƒ gA ßÐ   	 „Ô   ÐÌIn€Re:Ð   	 Ï   ÐÌà     à„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„Ìà     à€Ð   	 C“   ÐÌApplicant€for€Security€ClearanceÐ   	 k   ÐÌßA €V  )                 °° x         d  E°ò gA ßÐ   	 óC   Ð)Ð   	 „Ô   Ð)Ð   	 pÀ   Ð)Ð   	 \¬   Ð)Ð   	 H˜   Ð)Ð   	 4„   Ð)Ð   	  p   Ð)Ð   	 \   Ð)Ð   	 øH   ÐÐ   	 ä4    ÐÌÌÌà    ç àÔ_        ÔISCRÔ_        Ô€Case€No.€10„04562Ð   	 H˜#   ÐÐ   
 4„$   ÐÒ.            Ø‰   ð   7r °°. ÒÐ   	 ¼$   ÐòòÓ     ÓAPPEAL€BOARD€DECISIONÐ   	 ¨ø%   ÐÌÌòòAPPEARANCESóóÐ   	 l¼(   ÐóóÌÔ ‡  &ì %  X X   ÔòòFOR€GOVERNMENTóóÐ   	 D!”*   ÐJames€B.€Norman,€Esq.,€Chief€Department€CounselÐ   	 "l+   ÐÌòòFOR€APPLICANTóóÐ   	 Ì#-   ÐòòòòPro€seóóóóÔ# †  Xã$  X % &ì}  # ÔÐ   	 ¤$ô.   ÐÓ     ÓÌà     àÌÌÓ     Óà     àThe€Defense€Office€of€Hearings€and€Appeals€(DOHA)€declined€to€grant€Applicant€a€securityÐ   	 >(Ž#2   Ðclearance.€€On€October€27,€2010,€DOHA€issued€a€statement€of€reasons€(Ô_        ÔSORÔ_        Ô)€advising€ApplicantÐ   	 *)z$3   Ðof€the€basis€for€that€decisionð!ðsecurity€concerns€raised€under€Guideline€F€(Financial€Considerations)Ð   	 *f%4   Ðof€Department€of€Defense€Directive€5220.6€(Jan.€2,€1992,€as€amended)€(Directive).€€ApplicantÐ   	 +R&5   Ðrequested€a€hearing.€€On€May€4,€2011,€after€the€hearing,€Administrative€Judge€Robert€RobinsonÐ   	 î+>'6   ÐGales€denied€Applicantððs€request€for€a€security€clearance.€€Applicant€appealed€pursuant€to€DirectiveÐ   	 Ú,*(7   Ððððð€€E3.1.28€and€E3.1.30.à     àÐ   	 Æ-)8   Ð‡à     àApplicant€raised€the€following€issues€on€appeal:€whether€the€Judge€mis„weighed€the€recordÐ   	 °      Ðevidence;€whether€the€Judge€denied€Applicant€his€due€process€rights;€and€whether€the€JudgeððsÐ   	 œì    ÐÔ_        ÔadverseÔ_        Ô€security€clearance€decision€was€arbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€Consistent€with€theÐ   	 ˆØ   Ðfollowing,€we€affirm€the€Judgeððs€decision.€€Ð   	 tÄ   ÐÌà     àThe€Judge€made€the€following€pertinent€findings€of€fact:€Applicant€is€a€senior€systemsÐ   	 L	œ   Ðintegration€and€test€engineer€seeking€to€retain€his€security€clearance.€€Married€since€1984,€he€has€noÐ   	 8
ˆ   Ðchildren.€€Ð   	 $t   ÐÌà     àApplicant€and€his€wife€both€lost€their€jobs€in€2006.€€They€lived€off€their€savings€and€offÐ   	 üL	   Ðwithdrawals€from€their€401(k)€plans.€€A€different€employer€offered€Applicant€a€job€in€DecemberÐ   	 è8	
   Ð2006,€though€at€a€lower€salary€than€his€previous€one.€€Additionally,€the€new€job€required€him€toÐ   	 Ô$
   Ðmove€to€another€part€of€the€state.€€Ð   	 À   ÐÌà     àApplicant€owns€three€pieces€of€real€estate.€€One€of€them€is€the€house€he€and€his€wife€livedÐ   	 ˜è   Ðin€before€they€lost€their€jobs.€€Another€is€a€piece€of€rental€property€in€another€town.€€The€third€is€theÐ   	 „Ô   Ðhouse€they€purchased€when€they€moved€to€accept€the€new€job.€€Applicant€and€his€wife€had€hopedÐ   	 pÀ   Ðto€profit€from€the€real€estate€boom.€€However,€a€combination€of€job€losses€and€the€decline€of€theÐ   	 \¬   Ðhousing€market€resulted€in€circumstances€in€which€they€did€not€make€payments€on€their€rentalÐ   	 H˜   Ðproperty€and€were€unable€to€sell€it.€€Additionally,€Applicant€had€delinquent€debts€resulting€from:€Ð   	 4„   Ð(1)€his€having€taken€a€second€mortgage€on€his€primary€residence;€(2)€the€use€of€a€credit€card€to€payÐ   	  p   Ðordinary€living€expenses;€and€(3)€a€signature€loan€which€he€obtained€to€enable€him€to€installÐ   	 \   Ðprotective€windows€on€one€of€his€houses.€€€€Ð   	 øH   ÐÌà     àIn€2007,€Applicant€purchased€the€house€in€which€he€and€his€wife€currently€reside.€€He€leasedÐ   	 Ð    Ðan€automobile€and€purchased€another,€resulting€in€monthly€payments€of€$286€and€$570€respectively.€Ð   	 ¼   ÐHe€has€engaged€the€services€of€two€attorneys€to€negotiate€settlements€of€his€existing€debts.€€TheseÐ   	 ¨ø   Ðattorneys€have€been€successful€in€securing€the€cancellation€of€certain€non„Ô_        ÔSORÔ_        Ô€debts.€€Applicant€hasÐ   	 ”ä   Ða€monthly€remainder€of€$1,714€after€expenses€for€discretionary€expenditures.€€He€is€putting€$1,200Ð   	 €Ð   Ðeach€month€in€his€and€his€wifeððs€401(k)€accounts.€€Applicant€is€involved€in€community€activities€andÐ   	 l¼   Ðenjoys€a€good€reputation€for€his€work€performance€and€integrity.Ð   	 X ¨   ÐÌà     àApplicant€contends€that€the€Judge€did€not€properly€weigh€the€record€evidence.€€He€points€toÐ   	 0"€    Ðthe€following€comment€in€the€Analysis€portion€of€the€decision€which,€he€believes,€is€based€upon€aÐ   	 #l!   Ðmisunderstanding€of€the€evidence:€ð ð[Ô_        ÔO]nceÔ_        Ô€[Applicant]€calculated€the€economic€realities€and€decidedÐ   	 $X"   Ðnot€to€continue€using€his€protected€assets€to€pay€the€respective€accounts€associated€with€[the€first€twoÐ   	 ô$D #   Ðproperties]€.€.€.€he€failed€to€act€responsibly.ðð€€Decision€at€11.€€Applicant€contends€that€the€Judge€didÐ   	 à%0!$   Ðnot€understand€Applicantððs€true€financial€situation,€that€Applicant€in€fact€did€not€have€a€substantialÐ   	 Ì&"%   Ðamount€of€liquid€assets€left€and€that€what€he€did€have€was€necessary€to€pay€his€legal€fees.Ð   	 ¸'#&   ÐÌà     àIn€evaluating€any€particular€sentence€by€a€Judge,€we€must€consider€it€in€light€of€the€recordÐ   	 )à$(   Ðas€a€whole,€rather€than€in€isolation.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€Ô_        ÔISCRÔ_        Ô€Case€No.€05„07983€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Oct.€1,€2007).€Ð   	 |*Ì%)   ÐThe€challenged€sentence€at€issue€here€is€one€found€in€the€Judgeððs€analysis€of€Applicantððs€case€forÐ   	 h+¸&*   Ðmitigation.€€The€Judge€acknowledged€that€Applicantððs€financial€problems€originated€fromÐ   	 T,¤'+   Ðunemployment,€which€was€beyond€Applicantððs€control.€€However,€he€concluded€that€ApplicantððsÐ   	 @-(,   Ðconduct€in€regard€to€his€debts€had€not€evidenced€responsibility.€€In€support€of€this€conclusion,€heÐ   	 °      Ðmade€the€statement€at€issue€here.€€He€also€noted€Applicantððs€purchase€of€a€third€house,€his€lease€andÐ   	 œì    Ðpurchase€of€two€cars,€and€his€efforts€to€diminish€the€amounts€due€his€creditors€rather€than€try€toÐ   	 ˆØ   Ðdevelop€a€reasonable€means€for€paying€the€debts€off.€€The€record,€viewed€as€a€whole,€supports€theÐ   	 tÄ   ÐJudgeððs€evaluation€of€the€evidence€and€provides€no€reason€to€question€the€propriety€of€the€challengedÐ   	 `°   Ðstatement.×  ƒ         ×Ý
 ƒ  #Ã ÝòòÚ    Ú1Ú
   
 ÚóóÝ     Ý×
   
 ×€€Applicant€has€not€demonstrated€that€the€Judge€considered€Applicantððs€circumstancesÐ   	 L	œ   Ðoutside€of€the€proper€context€or€that€he€weighed€the€evidence€in€a€manner€that€was€arbitrary,Ð   	 8
ˆ   Ðcapricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€Ð   	 $t   ÐÌà     àApplicant€has€raised€a€due€process€issue.€€He€states€that€he€was€deprived€of€an€opportunityÐ   	 üL	   Ðto€discuss€the€automobile€purchase€that€the€Judge€had€found€to€be€irresponsible.€€He€contends€thatÐ   	 è8	
   ÐDepartment€Counsel€had€objected€to€his€efforts€to€explain€this€matter,€although€the€purchase€wasÐ   	 Ô$
   Ðalready€in€evidence.€€We€have€examined€the€entire€record,€including€the€transcript,€and€can€find€noÐ   	 À   Ðinstance€in€which€Department€Counsel€objected€to€Applicantððs€efforts€to€discuss€this€purchase.€Ð   	 ¬ü   ÐMoreover,€although€Applicant€briefly€discussed€the€car€purchase,€he€never€stated€to€the€Judge€thatÐ   	 ˜è   Ðhe€wanted€to€provide€more€information€on€the€topic€than€he€already€had.€€While€at€one€point€towardÐ   	 „Ô   Ðthe€end€of€the€hearing€the€Judge€cautioned€Applicant€against€launching€into€his€closing€argumentÐ   	 pÀ   Ðprematurely,€there€is€no€basis€to€conclude€that€he€prevented€Applicant€from€presenting€anyÐ   	 \¬   Ðdocuments€or€testimony€or€that€he€otherwise€improperly€restricted€Applicantððs€efforts€to€present€hisÐ   	 H˜   Ðcase.€€There€is€no€reason€to€conclude€that€the€Judge€denied€Applicant€the€due€process€afforded€byÐ   	 4„   Ðthe€Directive.€€Ð   	  p   ÐÌà     àApplicant€cites€to€certain€language€by€the€Judge€to€the€effect€that€this€was€a€close€case.€€HeÐ   	 øH   Ðargues€that€the€evidence,€properly€understood,€should€have€resulted€in€a€favorable€decision.€Ð   	 ä4   ÐHowever,€Applicant€has€not€demonstrated€the€Judge€erred.€€The€Judgeððs€statement€about€the€caseÐ   	 Ð    Ðbeing€a€close€one€does€not€undermine€his€adverse€decision,€in€light€of€Directive,€Enclosure€2€ðð€2(b):Ð   	 ¼   Ðð ðAny€doubt€concerning€personnel€being€considered€for€access€to€classified€information€will€beÐ   	 ¨ø   Ðresolved€in€favor€of€the€national€security.ðð€€òòSee€also€óóÔ_        ÔISCRÔ_        Ô€Case€No.€08„04990€at€2€(App.€Bd.€Mar.Ð   	 ”ä   Ð18,€2010)€(ð ðThis€is€a€close€case,€and€as€such€the€Judge€was€obligated€to€resolve€it€in€favor€of€nationalÐ   	 €Ð   Ðsecurity€rather€than€in€favor€of€Applicantðð).€€Ð   	 l¼   ÐÌà     àThe€record€supports€a€conclusion€that€the€Judge€examined€the€relevant€data€and€articulatedÐ   	 D!”   Ða€satisfactory€explanation€for€the€decision,€ð ðincluding€a€ððrational€connection€between€the€facts€foundÐ   	 0"€    Ðand€the€choice€made.ðððð€€òòMotor€Vehicle€Ô_        ÔMfrsÔ_        Ô.€Ô_        ÔAssððnÔ_        Ô€of€the€United€States€v.€State€Farm€Mut.€Auto.€Ins.Ð   	 #l!   ÐCo.óó,€463€U.S.€29,€43€(1983)(quoting€òòBurlington€Truck€Lines,€Inc.€v.€United€Statesóó,€371€U.S.€156,€168Ð   	 $X"   Ð(1962)).€€The€Judgeððs€adverse€decision€is€sustainable€on€this€record.€€ð ðThe€general€standard€is€thatÐ   	 ô$D #   Ða€clearance€may€be€granted€only€when€ððclearly€consistent€with€the€interests€of€the€national€security.ðððð€Ð   	 à%0!$   ÐòòDepartment€of€the€Navy€v.€Eganóó,€484€U.S.€518,€528€(1988).€€Ð   	 Ì&"%   ÐÔ_        Ôà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àÔ_        Ôà    À àà     àÌÐ   	 ¤(ô#'   Ðà@    ââ( ì àòòOrderóóˆÐ   	 °      ÐÌà     àThe€Judgeððs€adverse€security€clearance€decision€is€AFFIRMED.€€Ð   	 ˆØ   ÐÌÌÌà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àòòSigned:€Jean€E.€Ô_        ÔSmallinÔ_        Ô€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ   	 8
ˆ   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àJean€E.€Ô_        ÔSmallinÔ_        ÔÐ   	 $t   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ   	 `   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ   	 üL	   ÐÌÌÌà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àòòSigned:€William€S.€Fields€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ   	 ¬ü   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àWilliam€S.€FieldsÐ   	 ˜è   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ   	 „Ô   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ   	 pÀ   ÐÌÌÌà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àòòSigned:€James€E.€Moody€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ô_        ÔóóÔ_        ÔÐ   	  p   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àJames€E.€MoodyÐ   	 \   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ   	 øH   Ðà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ   	 ä4   Ðà     àÌÌà     àÔ_        ÔÔ_        ÔÔ_        ÔÔ_        ÔÌ