WPC  :Cp>HS9;مG3|Q)O7 :%!s@x-`6*boi%CJygqg'f a .(L<RyL+*WR}O~*+n$LTŘ\xm`y.:BtX;}T$ *8B>Њ|幹| A{V~fmFb[(#2 thatdecision!securityconcernsraisedunderGuidelineF(FinancialConsiderations)ofDepartment *)z$3 ofDefenseDirective5220.6(Jan.2,1992,asamended)(Directive).Applicantrequestedadecision *f%4 onthewrittenrecord.OnMarch7,2017,afterconsideringtherecord,DefenseOfficeofHearings +R&5 andAppeals(DOHA)AdministrativeJudgeGreggA._Cervi_ԀdeniedApplicantsrequestforasecurity +>'6 clearance.ApplicantappealedpursuanttoDirectiveE3.1.28andE3.1.30. ,*(7  -)8   Applicantraisedthefollowingissuesonappeal:whetherApplicantreceiveddueprocessand  whethertheJudgeweighedtheevidenceinamannerthatwasarbitrary,capricious,orcontraryto  law.Consistentwiththefollowing,weaffirm.  _  TheJudgesFindingsofFact  `   ApplicanthasbeenemployedbyaDefensecontractorsince2012.Shehasadaughter,who 8  is16yearsofage.ShewasunemployedfromOctober2011toSeptember2012. $ t   ApplicantsSORlistsseveralfinancialproblems.In2004,herinabilitytopayherbillsled  L  hertofileforChapter7bankruptcyprotection,resultinginadischargeofherdebtslaterthatyear.  8  Sheandherboyfriendboughtahousein2007,andshereliedonhisincomeforsupport.Afterhe $  leftin2008,shefellbehindonthemortgage,havinglostajob.Shecontinuedtoliveinthehouse   until2010.Thelenderforeclosedonthehouseandsolditin2014,leavingadeficiencyofabout   $35,000.     Applicanthasotherdebts,totalingover$12,000.TheJudgefoundthatshehadresolved p someofthem.However,hefoundthatshehadnotresolvedacollectionaccountbasedupona \ personalloanofover$8,800;adebttoasatellitetelevisionservice;oracollectionaccounttoacell H _phoneprovider.TheJudgefoundthatApplicanthadsubmittednoevidenceoffinancialcounseling, 4 jobperformance,orcharacter.  p   TheJudgesAnalysis  H   Asstatedabove,theJudgeresolvedsomeofApplicantsSORdebtsinherfavor.However,   forthoseshehadnotpaid,heenteredadversefindings.Henotedthatshehadbeengainfully   employed,exceptforherunemploymentthatbeganinlate2011.Hestatedthatshehadnotpaidher  largestdebt,norshownanyefforttoattemptasettlementorseekadvicefromacreditcounselor.He  notedthattherewasnoinformationinthefileaboutApplicantscurrentfinancialstatus.When  consideredalongsideevidenceofApplicantsbankruptcyandforeclosure,Applicantsunresolved l debtscastdoubtuponherreliabilityandjudgment. X    Discussion  0"    Applicantstatesthat $X" 8  IwasunawarethatafterIhadsubmittedmySORin2016thatIwouldneedtokeep %0!$ awrittenrecordofthedebtsthathavebeenresolvedandresubmittheupdatedstatus &"% ...DuringthisprocessitwasnotsuggestedthatIgotocreditcounseling,orprovide '#& evaluationsofcharacter.IfithadbeensuggestedtomeIwouldhavedonethis. (#' AppealBriefat1.)$(     WenotethatApplicantsSORwasaccompaniedbyacopyoftheDirective,thatdescribes h+&* anapplicantsdutytoprovideevidenceinmitigationofconcernsarisingfromherconductor T,'+ circumstances,herrighttoahearingortoadecisionontherecord,etc.Italsoincludesguidanceon @-(, thesortofconditionsthatcouldraiseconcernsundereachGuideline,aswellasthosewhichwould  mitigateanysuchconcerns.Inaddition,theFileofRelevantMaterial(FORM)advisedApplicant  ofherrighttoprovideadocumentaryresponse,asdidthecoverletterthatDOHAattachedto_the  FORM.Totheextentthathercomplaintraisesanissueaboutherselfrepresentation,theDirective t andthecoverletteralsoadvisedherofherrighttoreceiveadvicefromcounselorsomeother ` personalrepresentative.Allinall,Applicantreceivedreasonablenoticeofherrightsand L  responsibilities.ShewasnotdeniedthedueprocessaffordedbytheDirective.See,e.g.,ISCRCase 8  No.1504472at3(App.Bd.Feb.9,2017).Althoughproseapplicantscannotbeexpectedtoact $ t likelawyers,theyareexpectedtotaketimely,reasonablestepstoprotecttheirrightsunderthe  ` Directive.See,e.g.,ISCRCaseNo.1202371at3(App.Bd.Jun.30,2014).  L     `     h     ApplicantarguesthatshehasresolvedthedebtsthattheJudgefoundagainsther,submitting $  insupportacreditreportthatpostdatestheDecision.Wecannotconsidernewevidenceonappeal.   DirectiveE3.1.29.Evenso,aJudgeisexpectedtoconsidernotonlytheextentthatdebtsmayhave   beenpaidbutalsothecircumstancesunderlyingthem(oralackofevidencethereof)inevaluating   theapplicantsjudgmentandreliability.See,e.g.,ISCRCaseNo.1402394at34(App.Bd.Aug.   17,2015). p   ApplicantcontendsthattheJudgemadeerrorsaboutcertainthings,suchastheageofher H daughter,heremploymenthistory,etc.EveniftheJudgemadeerrorsofthisnature,theydidnot 4 likelyaffecttheoutcomeofthecase.Therefore,anysucherrorsareharmless.See,e.g.,ISCRCase  p No.1500535at3(App.Bd.Mar.13,2017).Applicantscontentionthatshehasworkedtoaddress  \ herdebtsand,therefore,hasshownmitigationisnotenoughtoshowthattheJudgeweighedthe H evidenceinamannerthatwasarbitrary,capricious,orcontrarytolaw.See,e.g.,ISCRCaseNo.15 4 08842at3(App.Bd.Feb.14,2017).     TheJudgeexaminedtherelevantevidenceandarticulatedasatisfactoryexplanationforthe  decision.Thedecisionissustainableonthisrecord. Thegeneralstandardisthataclearancemay  begrantedonlywhenclearlyconsistentwiththeinterestsofthenationalsecurity.Department  oftheNavyv.Egan,484U.S.518,528(1988).SeealsoDirective,Enclosure22(b): Anydoubt l concerningpersonnelbeingconsideredforaccesstoclassifiedinformationwillberesolvedinfavor X  ofthenationalsecurity. D! @( Order  #l!   TheDecisionis AFFIRMED .   $D #    `     h   XXXX   `     h   Signed:MichaelY.Raanan (#' _   `     h   MichaelY._Raanan_ )$(    `     h   AdministrativeJudge *%)    `     h   Chairperson,AppealBoard l+&*  D-(, Ї   `     h   Signed:JamesE.Moody     `     h   JamesE.Moody     `     h   AdministrativeJudge     `     h   Member,AppealBoard t    `     h   Signed:JamesF.Duffy__ $ t    `     h   JamesF.Duffy  `    `     h   AdministrativeJudge  L     `     h   Member,Appeal_Board#XXXX5(#_  8  ____