WPC dT ZK4ڛ'{zzxa%̮9WuKTSI,l"QѲܼ\_=^KaUٛr368ND _ot®4yG@sٺ?$hڂ-4SIĩN2g14U'I(D[[xx(sýbl׵ w䓔\ZeBNܕdp̍+3v ^8~dK E$צ )NF!J(s98FqGw'OSnH&Fc؋+[@NaHJFAQƒI]HgӇXM^_l\b*4 WZ5Tb(W@2Md0SКkH&LϬ>oJȝD7mbYpB} gr/,!(~{CɎOZ`aUmU< }]t<7a5foHW#UN % 0: Z ^ s w 4   m N N 0 0 DM Z E   $FnDsn~ BHP LaserJet 400 color M451dn UPD PCL 60(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularX($USUS.,8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE̥HJ|7J:i+003|xU(:(2x$ !USUS.,        0  (#$  0  8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE  x$USUS.,      5    _xXXԀDirective,Enclosure27(d)states, sharinglivingquarterswithapersonorpersons,regardlessofcitizenship  status,ifthatrelationshipcreatesaheightenedriskofforeigninducement,manipulation,pressure,orcoercion[.]  x$USUS.,      1    _xXXԀThe_SOR_ԀallegedthatApplicantsgirlfriendisacitizenofChinaandherparentsarecitizensandresidentsof  thatcountry.Atthetimethe_SOR_Ԁwasissued,thePersonnelSecuritySpecialistwhosignedthatdocumentwas t apparentlyunawareofApplicantsmarriage.  x$USUS.,      3    _ԀxXXDirective,Enclosure27(a)states, contactwithaforeignfamilymember,businessorprofessionalassociate,  friend,orotherpersonwhoisacitizenoforresidentinaforeigncountryifthatcontactcreatesaheightenedriskof  foreignexploitation,inducement,manipulation,pressure,orcoercion[.]#X<Xxr#Ԁ x$USUS.,      7    _xXXԀDecisionat7. < x$USUS.,      4    _ԀxXXDirective,Enclosure27(b)states, connectionstoaforeignperson,group,government,orcountrythat  createapotentialconflictofinterestbetweentheindividualsobligationstoprotectsensitiveinformationortechnology  andtheindividualsdesiretohelpaforeignperson,group,orcountrybyprovidingthatinformation[.]#X<Xxr# : x$USUS.,      2    _xXXԀTheevidencereflectsthatApplicantsfatherinlawisnotageneralcontractor,butageneralmanagerofa  U.S.companysfacilityinChina. x$USUS.,      8    _xXXԀInhisclosingstatement,DepartmentCounselreferredtoApplicantas ayoungmanofintegrity. i x$USUS.,      6    _xXXԀDirective,Enclosure28(b)states, thereisnoconflictofinterest,eitherbecausetheindividualssenseof  loyaltyorobligationtotheforeignperson,group,government,orcountryissominimal,ortheindividualhassuchdeep t andlongstandingrelationshipsandloyaltiesintheU.S.,thattheindividualcanbeexpectedtoresolveanyconflictof 8 interestinfavoroftheU.S.interest[.]  x$USUS.,      9    _xXXԀWenotethattheJudgehasusedthesamelanguageinanothercase(_ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1504340at23(App.  Bd.Jan.30,2017))wheretherewasnoevidencetosupportanadverseconclusionregardingApplicantscandor. t x$USUS.,      10    _xXXԀDirective,Enclosure28(a)states, thenatureoftherelationshipwithforeignpersons,thecountryinwhich  thesepersonsarelocated,orthepositionsoractivitiesofthosepersonsinthatcountryaresuchthatitisunlikelythe t individualwillbeplacedinapositionofhavingtochoosebetweentheinterestsofaforeignindividual,group, 8 organization,orgovernmentandtheinterestsoftheU.S.[.] d !USUS.,  _KEYWORD:GuidelineB  DIGEST:WefindtheJudgecommittedharmfulerrorbymakingawholepersonassessmentthat  runscontrarytotherecordevidence.Adversedecisionremanded. t CASENO:1507242.a1 L  DATE:02/09/2017 $ t    `     h      p DATE:February9,2017  8  .؉7r(#(#.AV) xdEgA   InRe:       ApplicantforSecurityClearance / AV) xdEgA W )   )   ) p ) \ ) H ) 4 )  p )  \  H pX p _ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1507242 \"  H# .؉7r. \XXp  #    APPEALBOARDDECISION  $ APPEARANCES '  &%XX FORGOVERNMENT  X ) JamesB.Norman,Esq.,ChiefDepartmentCounsel 0!*  FORAPPLICANT  "0, AlanK.Hahn,Esq.#X<X%&{# #-         TheDepartmentofDefense(DoD)declinedtograntApplicantasecurityclearance.OnMay h&!0 12,2016,DoDissuedastatementofreasons(_SOR_)advisingApplicantofthebasisforthat T'"1 decision!securityconcernsraisedunderGuidelineB(ForeignInfluence)ofDepartmentofDefense @(#2 Directive5220.6(Jan.2,1992,asamended)(Directive).Applicantrequestedahearing.On ,)|$3 November8,2016,afterthehearing,DefenseOfficeofHearingsandAppeals(DOHA) *h%4 AdministrativeJudgeDarleneD._Lokey_ԀAndersondeniedApplicantsrequestforasecurity +T&5 clearance.ApplicantappealedpursuanttoDirectiveE3.1.28andE3.1.30. +@'6   Applicantraisedthefollowingissuesonappeal:whethertheJudgeerredinherwholeperson -)8 assessment;whethertheJudgefailedtoconsideramitigatingcondition;andwhethertheJudges  adversedecisionwasarbitrary,capricious,orcontrarytolaw.Consistentwiththefollowing,we  remandthedecision.  _  TheJudgesFindingsofFact  `   Applicantisa34yearoldemployeeofadefensecontractor.HebecameaU.S.citizenin 8  1994andearnedabachelorsdegreeandmastersdegreeintheUnitedStates. $ t   ApplicantswifewasborninChinaandgrewupthere.ShecametotheUnitedStatesin  L  2008topursueamastersdegree.Theymarriedinearly2016 #  1      ׀andresidetogetherintheUnited  8  States.SheworksforaU.S.corporationandfrequentlytravelstoChinatoperformworkthere.As $  partofherjob,shedealswithChinesegovernmentalandnongovernmentalentities.Sherecently   appliedforagreencardtobecomeapermanentresidentalien,buthasnoplanstobecomeaU.S.   citizen.TheyrecentlypurchasedahomeintheUnitedStatesandplantoraiseafamilyhere.     ApplicantsfatherinlawandmotherinlawarecitizensandresidentsofChina.Theyown p propertyinChina.Astheironlychildren,ApplicantswifestandstoinheritthepropertyinChina. \ ApplicantsfatherinlawisageneralcontractorforaU.S.company. #  2      ׀Atonepoint,hewasa H memberoftheCommunistParty,butnolongerconsidershimselfapartofitbecausehehasnotpaid 4 duesin20years.Applicantsmotherinlawisahomemaker.Applicantswifecommunicateswith  p herparentsafewtimesaweek.  \     TheJudgesAnalysis  4   ApplicantswifeisaChinesecitizen,travelstoChinaonafrequentbasis,worksdirectlywith   theChinesegovernment,andhasnoplanstobecomeaU.S.citizen.Shemaintainsregularcontact  withherparents,andherfatherwasatonetimeamemberoftheCommunistParty.These   circumstancesposeapotentialthreattotheUnitedStates.UnderGuidelineB,disqualifying  conditions7(a), #  3      ׀7(b),, #  4      ׀and7(d)h #  5      ׀apply.     TheJudgeconcludedthatmitigatingcondition8(b)  #  6      ׀applied,butwasnotcontrollingbecause  Applicantswifecouldbeapotentialtargetforforeigninfluence.TheJudgealsostated: t 8  Ihavealsoconsideredthe wholepersonconceptinevaluatingtheApplicants L  eligibilityforaccesstoclassifiedinformation.Undertheparticularfactsofthiscase, 8  thetotalityoftheconductsetforthabove,whenviewedunderalloftheguidelines $ t asawholesupportsawholepersonassessmentofpoorjudgment,untrustworthiness,  ` unreliability,alackofcandor,andunwillingnesstocomplywithrulesand  L  regulations,and/orothercharacteristicsindicatingthatthepersonmaynotproperly  8  safeguardclassifiedinformation.  #  7      $      Discussion      AJudgeisrequiredto examinetherelevantdataandarticulateasatisfactoryexplanation   forthedecision, includingarationalconnectionbetweenthefactsfoundandthechoicemade. p MotorVehicleMfrs.AssnoftheUnitedStatesv.StateFarmMut.Auto.Ins.Co.,463U.S.29,43 \ (1983)(quotingBurlingtonTruckLines,Inc.v.UnitedStates,371U.S.156,168(1962)). The H generalstandardisthataclearancemaybegrantedonlywhenclearlyconsistentwiththeinterests 4 ofthenationalsecurity.DepartmentoftheNavyv.Egan,484U.S.518,528(1988). Anydoubt  p concerningpersonnelbeingconsideredforaccesstoclassifiedinformationwillberesolvedinfavor  \ ofthenationalsecurity.Directive,Enclosure22(b).TheAppealBoardmayreversetheJudges H decisiontogrant,deny,orrevokeasecurityclearanceifitisarbitrary,capricious,orcontrarytolaw. 4 DirectiveE3.1.32.3andE3.1.33.3.       Thereisastrongpresumptionagainstthegrantormaintenanceofasecurityclearance.See  Dorfmontv.Brown,913F.2d1399,1401(9thCir.1990),cert.denied,499U.S.905(1991).After  theGovernmentpresentsevidenceraisingsecurityconcerns,theburdenshiftstotheapplicantto  rebutormitigatethoseconcerns.SeeDirectiveE3.1.15. Theapplicationofdisqualifyingand  mitigatingconditionsandwholepersonfactorsdoesnotturnsimplyonafindingthatoneormore  ofthemapplytotheparticularfactsofacase.Rather,theirapplicationrequirestheexerciseof  sounddiscretioninlightoftherecordevidenceasawhole.See,e.g.,ISCRCaseNo.0503635at t 3(App.Bd.Dec.20,2006). `   IndecidingwhethertheJudgesrulingsorconclusionsareerroneous,wewillreviewthe 8  Judgesdecisiontodeterminewhether:itdoesnotexaminerelevantevidence;itfailstoarticulate $ t asatisfactoryexplanationforitsconclusions,includingarationalconnectionbetweenthefactsfound  ` andthechoicemade;itdoesnotconsiderrelevantfactors;itreflectsaclearerrorofjudgment;it_fails  L  toconsideranimportantaspectofthecase;itoffersanexplanationforthedecisionthatrunscontrary  8  totherecordevidence;oritissoimplausiblethatitcannotbeascribedtoameredifferenceof $  opinion.See,e.g.,_ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1402563at3(App.Bd.Aug.28,2015).       ApplicantcontendstheJudgecommittedharmfulerrorinherwholepersonanalysis.   Specifically,hearguesthatthereisnoevidenceintherecordsupportingtheJudges wholeperson   assessmentofpoorjudgment,untrustworthiness,unreliability,alackofcandor,andunwillingness p tocomplywithrulesandregulations,and/orothercharacteristicsindicatingthatthepersonmaynot \ properlysafeguardclassifiedinformation.Intheappealbrief,Applicantpointstonumerous H referencelettersofferedintoevidenceaswellasthetestimonyofasupervisorthatattesttohisgood 4 characterandprofessionalism.Thesubstanceofthereferencelettersandthesupervisorstestimony  p wasnotaddressedintheJudgesdecision.Basedonourreviewoftherecord,wefoundnoevidence  \ supportingthenegativecommentsintheJudgeswholepersonassessment. #  8      ׀Accordingly,wefind H theJudgecommittedharmfulerrorbymakingawholepersonassessmentthatrunscontrarytothe 4 recordevidence.T #  9      ׀     ApplicantalsocontendsthattheJudgedidnotaddressmitigatingcondition8(a) #  10      ׀inher  decision.Basedontherecordevidence,weagreewithApplicantscontentionmitigatingcondition  8(a)shouldhavebeenanalyzedinthiscase.Applicantraisedotherappealissues,butitwouldbe  prematuretoaddressthoseotherissuesatthistime. l    `    Applicanthasdemonstratederrorthatwarrantsremand.PursuanttoDirectiveE3.1.33.2., D! theBoardremandsthecasetotheAdministrativeJudgefortheissuanceofanewdecisionthat 0"  correctstheerrorsidentifiedabove. #l!  $D # Ї   `     h @( Order  $ t   TheDecisionis REMANDED .  L     `     h   Signed:Michael_Raanan_Ԁ      `     h   Michael_Raanan_      `     h   AdministrativeJudge      `     h   Chairperson,AppealBoard t    `     h   Signed:JamesE.Moody $t    `     h   JamesE.Moody `    `     h   AdministrativeJudge L    `     h   Member,AppealBoard 8    `     h   Signed:JamesF.Duffy__Ԁ     `     h   JamesF.Duffy     `     h   AdministrativeJudge p    `     h   Member,Appeal_Board___ \