ÿWPCf  P9›.‹Ln Š~>Ož”Måb†n Š~€Øb5©M• @¶‹LlˆjV«ç †Iªè™Öö|£SWÎi‘šj»l&뫸G:«Ì0äŸÿÑ4ˆ!Õ…B$|_¨ô‡(hbßi§\äjçÀ þÒš7ÈB戜(Èò‘5OYû4ŽHôá;z!QÏ_”°IÀT\ªwf…#¶Çf÷¡j>]›+»0%¯ÁG´WŠ@šVS¿ÌwûøÑD˜ôb¥C´Ø™*¥"[*»àzPlwpÇÆ/ÚI‚cA”WÃc˨ƒÊ-ÔMø÷*%ªß¥Fÿs¼G–:Åû¢U K«’VFo!¹f€ÈÇ íB~>éÿLJm8ó M*‡kÒΠd‘ °dÞ¶S§Û|¨²(‡’P!iÖo:X\ü“±—ž¶T'yÌg„CB¯†<–|ýî6/rÖe`ÅÓÞ •·.Κ§qXoošAõâÖõA9OfcpÄjþ¹&-çhê~Žóý¯Ï¹ôsáÛþg”r&ÏwÍÝ]/Èwbø_zjŽR„¶ãè7"bô«bŽHñT,Gýgs„+´·Œ+ÀƒüIÐqʘ28®€ûxC‰à8µ£Ê[gâ4|3¶tËZ#ÉìUNµ % 0: àZC ^ w© 4­ Á Ð mÒ àZé NC C NE EG G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G BI ˜Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet P3010 SeriesÈÈÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE œ˜J;E•JntFold3|xÿU‹ÿÿÿÿ8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE dÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔKEYWORD:€Guideline€FÐ ° ÐÌDIGEST:€We€find€no€error€in€the€Judgeððs€findings€of€fact€regarding€Applicantððs€taxes.€€TheÐ ˆØ ÐJudgeððs€material€findings€are€supported€by€substantial€evidence.€€Adverse€decision€affirmed.Ð tÄ ÐÌÔ_ÔCASENOÔ_Ô:€15Ô_Ô„03995.a1Ð L œ ÐÌÌÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àDATE:€April€24,€2017Ð Ô$  ÐÌÌÌÒ.؉ð7r°(#°(#.ÒßA€Y) °°xdE°ƒgAßÐ „Ô  ÐÌIn€Re:Ð Ï ÐÌà  à„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„Ìà  à€Ð C“ ÐÌApplicant€for€Security€ClearanceÐ k ÐÌßA€Y) °°xdE°ògAßÐ óC Ð)Ð „Ô  Ð)Ð pÀ Ð)Ð \¬ Ð)Ð H˜ Ð)Ð 4„ Ð)Ð  p Ð)Ð  \ Ð)Ð øH ÐÐ ä4  ÐÓp°œXÓÌÌÌà p àÔ_ÔISCRÔ_Ô€Case€No.€15„03995Ð H˜# ÐÐ 4„$ ÐÒ.؉ð7r°°.ÒÓ °\X›XpÓÐ ¼ $ Ðò òÓ  ÓAPPEAL€BOARD€DECISIONÐ ¨ø% ÐÌÌòòAPPEARANCESóóÐ l¼( Ðó óÌÔ‡&èw%XXÔò òFOR€GOVERNMENTó óÐ D!”* ÐJames€B.€Norman,€Esq.,€Chief€Department€CounselÐ "l+ ÐÌò òFOR€APPLICANTó óÐ Ì#- ÐÔ_ÔCrystinaÔ_Ô€M.€OððBrien,€Esq.Ô#†XèTX%&èw½#ÔÐ ¤$ô. ÐÌÌÓ  Óà  àThe€Department€of€Defense€(DoD)€declined€to€grant€Applicant€a€security€clearance.€€OnÐ T'¤"1 ÐJanuary€17,€2016,€DoD€issued€a€statement€of€reasons€(Ô_ÔSORÔ_Ô)€advising€Applicant€of€the€basis€for€thatÐ @(#2 Ðdecisionð!ðsecurity€concerns€raised€under€Guideline€F€(Financial€Considerations)€of€Department€ofÐ ,)|$3 ÐDefense€Directive€5220.6€(Jan.€2,€1992,€as€amended)€(Directive).€€Applicant€requested€a€hearing.€Ð *h%4 ÐOn€February€1,€2017,€after€the€hearing,€Defense€Office€of€Hearings€and€Appeals€(DOHA)Ð +T&5 ÐAdministrative€Judge€Ô_ÔLeRoyÔ_Ô€F.€Foreman€denied€Applicantððs€request€for€a€security€clearance.€Ð ð+@'6 ÐApplicant€appealed€pursuant€to€Directive€ðððð€E3.1.28€and€E3.1.30.Ð Ü,,(7 ÐÐ È-)8 Ðà  àApplicant€raised€the€following€issues€on€appeal:€whether€the€Judgeððs€findings€of€factÐ ° Ðcontained€errors;€whether€the€Judge€failed€to€consider€significant€favorable€record€evidence;€andÐ œì Ðwhether€the€Judgeððs€adverse€decision€was€arbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€Consistent€withÐ ˆØ Ðthe€following,€we€affirm.€€Ð tÄ ÐÌÔ_Ôà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Findings€of€Factó óÐ L œ ÐÌà  àApplicant€has€held€a€clearance€since€2004.€€Divorced,€he€has€two€adult€children.€€His€wifeÐ $ t Ðleft€him€in€2004,€leaving€him€with€a€number€of€marital€debts.€€His€daughter€was€diagnosed€with€aÐ  ` Ðserious€autoimmune€disorder,€his€father€was€killed€in€an€accident,€his€mother€died,€and€his€brotherÐ ü L  Ðcontracted€a€serious€illness,€all€within€a€relatively€short€period€of€time.€€Ð è 8  ÐÌà  àApplicant€stated€that€the€stress€of€these€events€resulted€in€his€delaying€to€file€Federal€and€stateÐ À  Ðtax€returns€for€tax€years€2007€through€2015.€€The€Judge€noted€that€the€SOR€alleged€delinquent€filingÐ ¬ü  Ðfor€2009€and€2010.€€He€stated€that€he€would€consider€the€non„alleged€conduct€for€such€limitedÐ ˜è  Ðpurposes€as€extenuation,€mitigation,€rehabilitation,€and€the€whole„person€analysis.€€Applicant€hiredÐ „Ô  Ðan€accountant,€who€filed€the€past„due€returns€in€2016.€€Applicant€did€not€actually€owe€taxes€for€2007Ð pÀ Ðthrough€2015,€but€he€forfeited€his€refunds€due€to€his€failure€to€file€in€a€timely€manner.€€Ð \¬ ÐÌà  àIn€addition,€Applicant€took€out€student€loans€on€behalf€of€his€daughter.€€He€fell€behind€onÐ 4„ Ðone€loan€in€about€2006€and€paid€it€off€in€2016,€shortly€before€the€hearing.€€He€used€some€proceedsÐ  p Ðfrom€his€motherððs€estate€as€well€as€his€own€saving€to€pay€the€debt.€€Ð  \ ÐÌà  àApplicant€makes€about€$105,000€a€year€and€has€a€net€monthly€remainder€of€about€$1,000.€Ð ä4 ÐHe€has€about€$17,000€in€savings.€€He€is€current€on€his€expenses€and€his€credit€report€discloses€noÐ Ð  Ðadverse€entries.€€€Applicant€enjoys€a€good€reputation€for€his€professionalism.€€His€character€witnessesÐ ¼  Ðstated€that€he€has€never€shown€irresponsible€behavior€and€is€not€a€threat€to€national€security.Ð ¨ø ÐÌà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Analysisó óÐ €Ð ÐÌà  àThe€Judge€resolved€one€allegation€in€Applicantððs€favor,€a€relatively€small€one€for€cell€phoneÐ X ¨ Ðservices.€€However,€he€characterized€Applicantððs€financial€problems€as€numerous€and€recent.€€HeÐ D!” Ðconcluded€that€the€underlying€circumstances€did€not€suggest€that€the€problems€were€unlikely€to€recur.€Ð 0"€  ÐThough€noting€Applicantððs€divorce€and€the€medical€problems€that€his€family€suffered,€the€JudgeÐ #l! Ðfound€that€Applicant€had€not€demonstrated€responsible€effort€in€regard€to€his€delinquent€debts.€Ð $X" ÐThough€noting€that€Applicant€has€filed€his€tax€returns€and€paid€the€student€loan,€he€stated€that€pastÐ ô$D # Ðfinancial€irresponsibility€cannot€be€mitigated€by€payment€of€debts€under€threat€of€loss€of€a€clearance.€Ð à%0!$ Ðà  àÌà  àò òDiscussionó óÐ ¸'#& ÐÌà  àApplicant€challenges€some€of€the€Judgeððs€findings.€€He€argues€that€he€has€held€a€clearanceÐ )à$( Ðsince€1979€rather€than€2004,€as€the€Judge€found.€€The€Judgeððs€finding€appears€to€be€based€uponÐ |*Ì%) ÐApplicantððs€answer€on€his€security€clearance€application.€€Government€Exhibit€1€at€24.€€We€note€thatÐ h+¸&* Ðduring€his€clearance€interview,€Applicant€stated€that€he€had€previously€been€investigated€by€the€DoDÐ T,¤'+ Ðin€1979.€€Government€Exhibit€2€at€2.€€This€summary€does€not€elaborate€on€whether€Applicant€hasÐ @-(, Ðheld€a€clearance€continuously€since€then.€€Even€if€the€challenged€finding€is€erroneous,€however,€itÐ ° Ðdid€not€likely€affect€the€outcome€of€the€case.€€Therefore,€it€was€harmless€error.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€CaseÐ œì ÐNo.€15„00535€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Mar.€13,€2017).€€Ð ˆØ ÐÌà  àApplicant€also€states€that€he€did€not€fail€to€pay€his€taxes,€only€to€file€his€returns,€although€theÐ `° ÐJudge€entered€an€adverse€finding€under€the€SOR€allegation€that€he€had€failed€to€file€and€pay€taxesÐ L œ Ðfor€2009€and€2010.€€We€note€first€of€all€that€Applicant€admitted€this€allegation€in€his€Response€toÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€SOR,€without€any€qualification€or€explanation.€€In€any€event,€the€Judgeððs€findings€and€analysisÐ $ t Ðaddress€only€Applicantððs€failure€to€file€his€returns.€€The€Judge€made€no€reference€to€any€allegedÐ  ` Ðfailure€to€have€paid€taxes.€€We€find€no€error€in€this€aspect€of€the€Judgeððs€findings€of€fact.€€ApplicantÐ ü L  Ðalso€argues€that€his€personal€difficulties€extended€over€a€longer€period€of€time€than€the€Judge€found.€Ð è 8  ÐAll€in€all,€the€Judgeððs€material€findings€are€supported€by€substantial€evidence.€€Applicant€has€citedÐ Ô$  Ðto€no€harmful€error€in€the€Judgeððs€findings.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„01285€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Dec.Ð À  Ð22,€2016).€€€Ð ¬ü  ÐÌà  àApplicant€cites€to€evidence€such€as€his€having€finally€resolved€his€financial€delinquencies,Ð „Ô  Ðthe€many€difficulties€that€Applicant€experienced€affecting€his€situation,€etc.€€He€also€cites€toÐ pÀ Ðcomments€in€the€interview€summary€to€the€effect€that€Applicant€lives€within€his€means,€intends€toÐ \¬ Ðpay€his€debts,€and€that€there€is€nothing€in€his€background€that€would€leave€him€open€to€blackmail.€Ð H˜ ÐThese€statements€are€the€investigatorððs€summary€of€Applicantððs€answers€during€the€interview,€notÐ 4„ Ðthe€investigatorððs€own€findings€of€fact,€as€Applicant€contends.€€In€any€event,€even€if€an€investigatorÐ  p Ðoffered€such€opinions€they€would€not€bind€the€DoD€in€its€evaluation€of€an€applicantððs€case.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,Ð  \ ÐISCR€Case€No.€15„00535,€òòsupraóó,€at€4.€€Applicantððs€arguments€are€not€enough€to€rebut€theÐ øH Ðpresumption€that€the€Judge€considered€all€of€the€evidence€in€the€record.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.Ð ä4 Ð13„00502€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Mar.€7,€2017).€€Ð Ð  Ѐ€Ð ¼  Ðà  àThe€Judge€examined€the€relevant€evidence€and€articulated€a€satisfactory€explanation€for€theÐ ¨ø Ðdecision,€both€as€to€the€mitigating€conditions€and€the€whole„person€factors.€€The€decision€isÐ ”ä Ðsustainable€on€this€record.€€ð ðThe€general€standard€is€that€a€clearance€may€be€granted€only€whenÐ €Ð Ðððclearly€consistent€with€the€interests€of€the€national€security.ðððð€€òòDepartment€of€the€Navy€v.€Eganóó,€484Ð l¼ ÐU.S.€518,€528€(1988).€€òòSee€alsoóó€Directive,€Enclosure€2€ðð€2(b):€€ð ðAny€doubt€concerning€personnelÐ X ¨ Ðbeing€considered€for€access€to€classified€information€will€be€resolved€in€favor€of€the€nationalÐ D!” Ðsecurity.ððÐ  0"€  Ðà@ââ(ìàò òOrderó óˆÐ ° ÐÌà  àThe€Decision€is€ò òAFFIRMEDó ó.Ð ˆØ ÐÌÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€Michael€Raððanan€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ ( x Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMichael€RaððananÐ  d Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ  P  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àChairperson,€Appeal€BoardÐ ì <  ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€James€E.€Moody€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ œì  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àJames€E.€MoodyÐ ˆØ  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ tÄ Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ `° ÐÌÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€James€F.€Duffy€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ ` Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àJames€F.€DuffyÐ üL Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ è8 Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ Ô$ ÐÌÌDATE:€04/24/2017Ð ˜è ÐÌ