ÿWPC:  Î=EbÜ7kt*,7!öpFܽÔîyXã0œÚ„eÈç݈"çšÌCí”ðËÛWBoS:°ýy¥‚UlrI6›“&þ¬yc“ˆ¿Âüë¨Ë£¡tj^ä2‹ÜŽ“ÞYù–´BpßÓnÕØ2Ð!×Çúþç´¥0”þôx5•‹2§Õ.±CÉ%*IÇ!ª>Oœ7Ñ8ÎÊ„£c÷ °èJûmmß—æhmlëðŠÒ1çû¤ À<úþÎ42]W5þ2<y” ¤5ù) JNÞ’°ÓŸƒÓvÙ¹q—`ÙõQyŠXêê‡å‰Y^…oN!JÕõË6VÙ* gx•Ã_']þ#ƒ\œeb6³õI>Q„÷ºPÿòòa¼ “6²®å®ìÚߪ”«ÿŒêq•L÷ÍO]ø~Í4Ó œÒµWšT>Tû»ëù¦ø°N×6l·àÐ^$LJ—=Öá#ÄØ**1Ô#nÏøe[yT—¾úñºÅ!ÂZÚÚTºjú~•ãKÖô•öª‹Ä9Ú*xò®š~»gPZµã0’À6§#:$y(0²R±¨Xl¼IOÖEaH:‹/ì1e…½w¾]"1²3;”†{ W#ÉÂUN‹ %Ù 0:ß àZ ^ s w 4ƒ — ¦ m¨ N¿ ¿ àZÁ E                                                                       B ˜Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet P3010 SeriesÈÈÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE|œJ;E•Jê:i¢Ø+003|xÿU‹ÿÿÿÿ 8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE dÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔKEYWORD:€Guideline€F;€Guideline€EÐ ° ÐÌDIGEST:€Applicant€contends€the€amount€of€the€delinquent€debt€was€too€small€to€create€securityÐ ˆØ Ðconcerns€when€he€has€consistently€met€other€financial€obligations.€We€note€the€amount€of€theÐ tÄ ÐFederal€tax€lien€was€over€$14,000.€€Nothing€in€Guideline€F€indicates€there€must€be€any€particularÐ `° Ðthreshold€amount€of€delinquent€or€unresolved€debts€to€raise€security€concerns.Ð L œ ÐÌÔ_ÔCASENOÔ_Ô:€15„08676.a1Ð $ t ÐÌDATE:€04/28/2017Ð ü L  ÐÌÔ_ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ ÔÔ_ Ôà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àDATE:€April€28,€2017Ð Ô$  ÐÌÌÌÒ.؉ð7r°(#°(#.ÒßA€V) °°xdE°ƒgAßÐ „Ô  ÐÌIn€Re:Ð Ï ÐÌà  à„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„Ìà  à€Ð C“ ÐÌApplicant€for€Security€ClearanceÐ k ÐÌßA€V) °°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„08676Ð H˜# ÐÐ 4„$ ÐÒ.؉ð7r°°.ÒÓ °\X›XpÓÐ ¼ $ Ðò òÓ  ÓAPPEAL€BOARD€DECISIONÐ ¨ø% ÐÌÌòòAPPEARANCESóóÐ l¼( Ðó óÌÔ‡&àÓ%XXÔò òFOR€GOVERNMENTó óÐ D!”* ÐJames€B.€Norman,€Esq.,€Chief€Department€CounselÐ "l+ ÐÌò òFOR€APPLICANTó óÐ Ì#- ÐRichard€L.€Morris,€Esq.Ô#†Xô X%&àÓ?#ÔÐ ¤$ô. ÐÌÌÓ  Óà  àThe€Department€of€Defense€(DoD)€declined€to€grant€Applicant€a€security€clearance.€€On€JuneÐ T'¤"1 Ð2,€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)€and€Guideline€EÐ ,)|$3 Ð(Personal€Conduct)€of€Department€of€Defense€Directive€5220.6€(Jan.€2,€1992,€as€amended)Ð *h%4 Ð(Directive).€€Applicant€requested€a€hearing.€€On€February€17,€2017,€after€the€hearing,€Defense€OfficeÐ +T&5 Ðof€Hearings€and€Appeals€(DOHA)€Administrative€Judge€Ô_ ÔLeRoyÔ_ Ô€F.€Foreman€denied€ApplicantððsÐ ð+@'6 Ðrequest€for€a€security€clearance.€€Applicant€appealed€pursuant€to€Directive€ðððð€E3.1.28€and€E3.1.30.Ð Ü,,(7 ÐÐ È-)8 Ðà  àApplicant€raised€the€following€issue€on€appeal:€whether€the€Judgeððs€adverse€decision€wasÐ ° Ðarbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€Consistent€with€the€following,€we€affirm.Ð œì Ðà  àÌÌÔ_ Ôà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Findings€of€Fact€ó ó€Ð `° Ðà  àÌà  àApplicant,€who€is€47€years€old,€served€on€active€duty€for€about€seven€years€and€received€aÐ < Œ Ðgeneral€discharge€under€honorable€conditions€due€to€a€pattern€of€misconduct.€€During€dischargeÐ ( x Ðprocessing,€he€acknowledged€he€was€ineligible€to€reenlist.€€He€had€attained€the€grade€of€E„5,€but€leftÐ  d Ðmilitary€service€as€an€E„2.€€His€misconduct€included€alcohol„related€driving€offenses.€Ð  P  ÐÌà  àWhen€Applicant€submitted€a€security€clearance€application€(SCA)€in€2015,€he€stated€that€heÐ Ø(  Ðreceived€an€honorable€discharge.€€€He€denied€intentionally€falsifying€his€SCA.€€He€testified€that€heÐ Ä  Ðwas€distracted€by€another€worker€when€answering€the€question€about€the€characterization€of€hisÐ °  Ðmilitary€discharge.€€He€does€not€recall€seeing€ð ðgeneral€under€honorable€conditionsðð€in€the€drop„downÐ œì  Ðmenu€for€the€types€of€discharges€and€thought€a€general€discharge€was€the€same€as€an€honorable.Ð ˆØ  ÐÌà  àThe€SOR€alleges€13€delinquent€debts,€including€child„support€arrearage,€a€Federal€tax€lien,Ð `° Ðand€three€state€tax€liens.€€Applicant€testified€that€he€works€at€sea€for€periods€of€four€or€five€monthsÐ Lœ Ðat€a€time.€€While€at€sea,€his€pay€is€deposited€in€a€joint€bank€account,€and€he€counts€on€his€wife€to€payÐ 8ˆ Ðthe€bills.€The€SOR€was€an€ð ðeye€openerðð€because€he€was€unaware€of€the€derogatory€information€inÐ $t Ðhis€credit€reports.€€€He€earned€about€$105,000€in€2015.€€€Ð ` ÐÌà  àApplicant€is€making€regular€payments€on€the€child€support€arrearage.€€For€five€debts,Ð è8 Ðincluding€two€state€tax€liens€and€a€Federal€tax€lien,€Applicant€provided€no€documentary€evidenceÐ Ô$ Ðof€either€payments€or€payment€agreements.€€Two€of€the€alleged€state€tax€liens€are€duplicate€debts.€Ð À ÐApplicant€denied€other€debts€that€have€been€remove€from€his€credit€report.Ð ¬ü Ðà  àÌà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Analysisó óÐ „Ô Ðà  àÌà  àApplicantððs€debts€are€numerous,€recent,€and€were€not€incurred€under€circumstance€makingÐ \ ¬ Ðthem€unlikely€to€recur.€€He€encountered€several€conditions€beyond€his€control,€including€his€wifeÐ H!˜ Ðopening€accounts€without€his€knowledge.€€He€acted€responsibly€in€handling€the€child€supportÐ 4"„  Ðarrearage,€but€not€regarding€other€debts.€€He€made€no€effort€to€monitor€his€finances€or€determine€hisÐ  #p! Ðfinancial€situation€until€he€received€the€SOR.€€He€appears€to€have€made€payment€agreements€for€twoÐ  $\" Ðdebts,€but€submitted€no€evidence€of€any€payments.€€He€took€no€meaningful€action€to€resolve€the€taxÐ ø$H # Ðlien€until€after€the€hearing.€€He€continues€to€trust€his€wife€to€manage€the€family€finances€without€anyÐ ä%4!$ Ðmeaningful€involvement.€€The€Judge€found€in€favor€of€Applicant€on€the€child€support€arrearage,€oneÐ Ð& "% Ðduplicate€debt,€and€the€denied€debts€removed€from€his€credit€report.€€While€Applicant€has€takenÐ ¼' #& Ðsome€steps€to€resolve€the€other€debts,€he€had€done€too€little€too€late.€€Ð ¨(ø#' ÐÌà  àWhen€Applicant€submitted€his€SCA,€he€was€a€responsible€adult€and€knew€his€military€serviceÐ €*Ð%) Ðwas€terminated€because€of€his€misconduct.€€The€Judge€found€Applicantððs€explanation€that€hisÐ l+¼&* Ðdischarge€was€the€equivalent€of€an€honorable€discharge€implausible€and€unpersuasive.€€HisÐ X,¨'+ Ðfalsification€was€not€minor€and€did€not€happen€under€unique€circumstances.€Ð D-”(, Ðà  àÌÌÌà  àò òDiscussionó óÐ tÄ Ðà  àÌà  àApplicant€asserts€the€Judgeððs€conclusion€that€Applicant€made€no€effort€to€correct€hisÐ L œ Ðfalsification€was€contrary€to€the€record€evidence.€€Appeal€Brief€at€11.€€However,€he€does€not€identifyÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€record€evidence€that€contradicts€the€Judgeððs€conclusion.€€This€assertion€of€error€fails€for€lack€ofÐ $ t Ðspecificity.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€ISCR€Case€No.€14„05920€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Jan.€8,€2016).€€Ð  ` ÐÌà  àApplicant€also€essentially€contends€the€amount€of€the€delinquent€debt€was€too€small€to€createÐ è 8  Ðsecurity€concerns€when€he€has€consistently€met€other€financial€obligations.€€In€this€regard,€we€noteÐ Ô$  Ðthe€amount€of€the€Federal€tax€lien€was€over€$14,000.€€Nothing€in€Guideline€F€indicates€there€mustÐ À  Ðbe€any€particular€threshold€amount€of€delinquent€or€otherwise€unresolved€debts€that€must€be€reachedÐ ¬ü  Ðbefore€an€applicantððs€financial€difficulties€raise€security€concerns.€€The€Judge€must€consider€theÐ ˜è  Ðrecord€as€a€whole€in€reaching€a€common€sense€conclusion€about€whether€the€evidence€raises€suchÐ „Ô  Ðconcerns.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€02„10168€at€4€(App.€Bd.€Aug.€1,€2003).€€Based€on€our€reviewÐ pÀ Ðof€the€record,€we€find€no€error€in€the€Judgeððs€conclusion€that€some€of€Applicantððs€debts€raisedÐ \¬ Ðsecurity€concerns€under€Guideline€F.Ð H˜ ЀÌà  àApplicant€further€contends€that€the€Judge€did€not€consider€all€of€the€evidence.€€For€example,Ð  p Ðhe€argues€that€he€provided€a€reasonable€explanation€for€not€knowing€of€the€delinquent€debts€untilÐ  \ Ðhe€received€the€SOR€and€that€he€mistakenly€believed€his€military€discharge€was€honorable.€€TheÐ øH ÐJudge€made€findings€about€many€of€the€matters€that€Applicant€has€cited€and€addressed€them€in€hisÐ ä4 Ðanalysis.€€Applicant€has€not€rebutted€the€presumption€that€the€Judge€considered€all€of€the€evidenceÐ Ð  Ðin€the€record.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„02854€at€2€(App.€Bd.€Nov,€22,€2016).€€€€Ð ¼  ÐÌà  àThe€balance€of€Applicantððs€arguments€amount€to€a€disagreement€with€the€Judgeððs€weighingÐ ”ä Ðof€the€evidence.€€The€presence€of€some€mitigating€evidence€does€not€compel€the€Judge€to€make€aÐ €Ð Ðfavorable€security€clearance€decision.€€As€the€trier€of€fact,€the€Judge€has€to€weigh€the€evidence€as€aÐ l¼ Ðwhole€and€decide€whether€the€favorable€evidence€outweighs€the€unfavorable€evidence,€or€òòvice€versaóó.€Ð X ¨ ÐA€parties€disagreement€with€the€Judgeððs€weighing€of€the€evidence,€or€the€ability€to€argue€for€aÐ D!” Ðdifferent€interpretation€of€the€evidence,€is€not€sufficient€to€demonstrate€the€Judge€weighed€theÐ 0"€  Ðevidence€or€reached€conclusions€in€a€manner€that€is€arbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€òòSee,Ð #l! Ðe.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No€15„00650€at€2€(App.€Bd.€Jun.€27,€2016.)Ð $X" Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àÌà  àThe€Judge€examined€the€relevant€evidence€and€articulated€a€satisfactory€explanation€for€theÐ à%0!$ Ðdecision.€€The€decision€is€sustainable€on€this€record.€€ð ðThe€general€standard€is€that€a€clearance€mayÐ Ì&"% Ðbe€granted€only€when€ððclearly€consistent€with€the€interests€of€the€national€security.ðððð€€òòDepartmentÐ ¸'#& Ðof€the€Navy€v.€Eganóó,€484€U.S.€518,€528€(1988).€€òòSee€alsoóó€Directive,€Enclosure€2€ðð€2(b):€€ð ðAny€doubtÐ ¤(ô#' Ðconcerning€personnel€being€considered€for€access€to€classified€information€will€be€resolved€in€favor€Ð )à$( Ðof€the€national€security.ððÐ |*Ì%) Ðà  àÌÌÐ @-(, ЇÌà@ââ(ìàò òOrderó óˆÐ œì ÐÌà  àThe€Decision€is€ò òAFFIRMEDó ó.€€Ð tÄ ÐÌÌÌà  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€Board