ÿWPCP µN lç;@~w•¯½ÞL~CYàxç;@e5BžÖØüo¡q+Åù)7­® Ôf¥XïöÛ cpøûvaùäÇmÄlÙi6Si_¿^Dg”Ú‰õ3gYŠ_»)¿§]Íœƒ°²in×D:Œiü¶ç%Ä6Öŧ$¶;ñߨs# t¾êà„¬¢ð5Õ©pû\.@ÃÇqªÅº7/7ª¿_´;U‹E$Òøg±aªRØdl£?gñªj¿ñ¯)qâëªÆ43ÃLÍQÊâ0I«óó ¶±oK°ŠœuuŠø˜¥œùž·¦Æf—ùÜcÛT5)T&»×?¬“ú¥„ŠÂRt$Z¬³wRŒJu)‘šfæÇe9Bx¡•ŠÓX“¬â u‘úÙÂì¡ëOár™ÒÜ°nïèJ×µ;¼X^×äÑ͘WæmP¡@N Ö ðŒXaesu¾NÓõ´æP´OÈTÇ­±Ä´þ&wyV!0GnaÐê^š@›š½!‘k  ÎˉÞ)Tu¤—ÃË8ã/wh#x7H?LJÝ{}ŒÑ{´¬ }Èh׎î7W‹~4M§pà[ê9‘5$둳IÔ4˜;ÄCfj ðM5aÜkù+„·mmF ´˜Ùa#ÉNUN %e 0:k ^ ¥ w± 4µ É Ø mÚ àZñ àZK 0©¥ ¥ EN KP 0D›NßÆáN§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ Bõ ASÆe 0V+ 0V 0D×× D5˜Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet P3010 SeriesÈÈÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô-¤J;E•JntFold3|xÿU‹ÿÿÿÿ8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE(Y(2Î$¤¤Ý ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ô„òXXÔÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó AÝ ƒ Î$ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÔ€ôôòXXÔÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ_ÔThe€Ô_ÔSORÔ_Ô€alleged€a€delinquent€€charge€account.€€Ô_ÔSORÔ_Ô€ðð€1b.€€Applicant€initially€denied€knowing€anything€aboutÐ ° Ðit.€€ð ðI€deny€because€this€is€incorrect.€€There€is€no€balance.€€I€do€not€even€know€who€or€what€company€[creditor]€is,€andÐ tÄ Ðso€I€do€not€believe€that€I€owe€that€unidentified/unknown€company€anything.ðð€€Answer€to€Ô_ÔSORÔ_Ô.€€Compare€with€theÐ 8ˆ Ðfollowing:€€ð ðMy€wife€returned€items€she€purchased€and€the€credit€was€not€applied€as€it€should€have€been.€€The€amountÐ üL Ðowed€is€incorrect.ðð€€€Response€to€FORM.€€€(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 DÝ ƒ Î$ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÔ€ôôòXXÔÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ_ÔDirective,€Enclosure€2€ðððð€19(a):€ð ðinability€or€unwillingness€to€satisfy€debts;ðð€and€(c):€ð ða€history€of€not€meetingÐ ° Ðfinancial€obligations[.]ðð€€ d[\]^`Eþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(.3½Þ$¢¢Ý ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  Ý(.3½Þ$££Ý ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óYYYY)ÿÿ!dxdxÝ ƒüœ!ÝÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔKEYWORD:€Guideline€FÐ ° ÐÌDIGEST:€Applicantððs€history€of€delinquent€debt,€coupled€with€a€paucity€of€evidence€of€debtÐ ˆØ Ðresolution,€support€the€Judgeððs€conclusion€that€Applicantððs€financial€problems€raise€securityÐ tÄ Ðconcerns.€Applicant€has€not€rebutted€the€presumption€that€there€is€a€connection€between€theÐ `° Ðrecord€evidence€of€his€financial€delinquencies€and€a€concern€that€he€may€fail€to€protect€classifiedÐ L œ Ðinformation.€Adverse€decision€affirmed.Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌÔ_ÔCASENOÔ_Ô:€15„04953.a1Ð  ` ÐÌDATE:€05/04/2017Ð è 8  ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àDATE:€May€4,€2017Ð À  ÐÌÌÌÒ.؉ð7r°(#°(#.ÒßA€Y) °°xdE°ogAßÐ pÀ ÐÌIn€Re:Ð k» ÐÌà  à„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„„Ìà  à€Ð / ÐÌApplicant€for€Security€ClearanceÐ W ÐÌßA€Y) °°xdE°ÞgAßÐ ß/ Ð)Ð pÀ Ð)Ð \¬ Ð)Ð H˜ Ð)Ð 4„ Ð)Ð  p Ð)Ð  \ Ð)Ð øH Ð)Ð ä4  ÐÐ Ð ! ÐÓp°œXÓÌÌÌà p àÔ_ÔISCRÔ_Ô€Case€No.€15„04953Ð 4„$ ÐÐ  p% ÐÒ.؉ð7r°°.ÒÓ °\X›XpÓÐ ¨ø% Ðò òÓ  ÓAPPEAL€BOARD€DECISIONÐ ”ä& ÐÌÌòòAPPEARANCESóóÐ X ¨) Ðó óÌÔ‡&ø{%XXÔò òFOR€GOVERNMENTó óÐ 0"€+ ÐJames€B.€Norman,€Esq.,€Chief€Department€CounselÐ #X, ÐÌò òFOR€APPLICANTó óÐ ¸$ . Ðòòò òPro€seó óóóÔ#†XøX%&ø{ñ#ÔÐ %à / ÐÌÌÓ  Óà  àThe€Department€of€Defense€(DoD)€declined€to€grant€Applicant€a€security€clearance.€€OnÐ >(Ž#2 ÐDecember€7,€2015,€DoD€issued€a€statement€of€reasons€(Ô_ÔSORÔ_Ô)€advising€Applicant€of€the€basis€for€thatÐ *)z$3 Ðdecisionð!ðsecurity€concerns€raised€under€Guideline€F€(Financial€Considerations)€of€Department€ofÐ *f%4 ÐDefense€Directive€5220.6€(Jan.€2,€1992,€as€amended)€(Directive).€€Applicant€requested€a€decisionÐ +R&5 Ðon€the€written€record.€€On€March€15,€2017,€after€considering€the€record,€Defense€Office€of€HearingsÐ î+>'6 Ðand€Appeals€(DOHA)€Administrative€Judge€Carol€G.€Ô_ÔRicciardelloÔ_Ô€denied€Applicantððs€request€forÐ Ú,*(7 Ða€security€clearance.€€Applicant€appealed€pursuant€to€Directive€ðððð€€E3.1.28€and€E3.1.30.Ð Æ-)8 ÐÔ_Ô‡à  àApplicant€raised€the€following€issues€on€appeal:€whether€the€Judgeððs€findings€of€factÐ ° Ðcontained€errors€and€whether€the€Judgeððs€adverse€decision€was€arbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€toÐ œì Ðlaw.€€Consistent€with€the€following,€we€affirm.Ð ˆØ ÐÌà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Findings€of€Factó óÐ `° ÐÌà  àApplicant€retired€from€the€U.S.€military.€€He€has€worked€for€contractors€since€at€least€2003Ð 8 ˆ Ðand€for€his€current€employer€since€2011.€€Applicant€has€experienced€periods€of€unemployment€fromÐ $ t Ðone€to€six€months€between€contracts€and€was€unemployed€from€January€2004€to€January€2005.€€HeÐ  ` Ðhas€performed€his€duties€almost€exclusively€overseas.Ð ü L  ÐÌà  àApplicantððs€SOR€alleges€nearly€$70,000€in€delinquents€debts,€for€credit€cards,€a€repossessedÐ Ô$  Ðvehicle,€a€disputed€rental€agreement,€etc.€€Applicant€denied€certain€debts€and€attributed€others€toÐ À  Ðidentify€theft.€€Applicant€did€not€provide€documentary€evidence€of€the€basis€for€his€disputes€nor€didÐ ¬ü  Ðhe€demonstrate€that€any€of€the€SOR€debts€had€been€paid.€€In€addition,€Applicant€and€his€wifeÐ ˜è  Ðpurchased€a€house€as€an€investment.€€He€contended€that€the€second€mortgage€on€the€house€was€soldÐ „Ô  Ðand€that€he€did€not€know€whom€to€pay,€so€he€advised€his€wife€to€make€no€payments€until€someoneÐ pÀ Ðcontacted€them.€€The€lender€foreclosed€on€the€house.€€This€debt€was€not€alleged€in€the€SOR.€€TheÐ \¬ ÐJudge€stated€that€she€was€considering€it€for€limited€purposes,€such€as€mitigation,€the€whole„personÐ H˜ Ðanalysis,€etc.€€Ð 4„ ÐÌà  àApplicant€claimed€that€his€problems€with€the€house€and€with€the€vehicle€originated€from€theÐ  \ Ðcreditors€having€made€mistakes€about€the€appropriate€interest€rates.€€He€contended€that€otherÐ øH Ðcreditors€closed€accounts€without€communicating€with€him€and€that€he€was€unfairly€charged€forÐ ä4 Ðdamage€to€rental€property.€€As€noted€above,€Applicant€provided€no€corroboration€for€his€claims.€€Ð Ð  ÐÌà  àApplicantððs€character€references€describe€him€as€diligent,€ethical,€reliable,€honest,€andÐ ¨ø Ðpatriotic.€€He€is€lauded€for€his€good€judgment€and€integrity.€€In€his€Response€to€the€File€of€RelevantÐ ”ä ÐMaterial,€Applicant€acknowledged€that€he€had€not€paid€sufficient€attention€to€his€finances,€devotingÐ €Ð Ðhis€energies€to€his€job.€€He€stated€that€he€is€dedicated€to€serving€his€country.Ð l¼ ÐÌà  àò òThe€Judgeððs€Analysisó óÐ D!” ÐÌà  àThe€Judge€concluded€that€Applicantððs€financial€problems€raised€two€disqualifying€conditions:€Ð #l! Ð19(a)€and€(c).׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€In€evaluating€Applicantððs€case€for€mitigation,€she€cited€to€a€paucity€of€evidence€ofÐ $X" Ðdebt€resolution€or€of€a€basis€to€dispute€the€debts.€€She€stated€that€Applicant€had€provided€no€evidenceÐ ô$D # Ðto€show€that€his€problems€originated€from€circumstances€outside€his€control€or€that€he€had€acted€inÐ à%0!$ Ða€responsible€manner€in€regard€to€them.€€She€noted€no€evidence€of€financial€counseling€and€statedÐ Ì&"% Ðthat€she€could€not€conclude€that€Applicantððs€difficulties€were€under€control.€€Although€ApplicantÐ ¸'#& Ðpresented€some€letters€to€his€creditors€challenging€his€debts,€she€stated€that€he€did€not€presentÐ ¤(ô#' Ðâ âevidence€substantiating€the€actual€basis€for€the€disputes.€€She€also€cited€to€certain€inconsistentÐ )à$( Ðstatements€that€Applicant€had€made.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€In€the€whole„person€analysis,€the€Judge€cited€to€evidence€ofÐ ° Ðâ âApplicantððs€military€career€and€his€years€of€service€to€the€Defense€industry.€€However,€she€stated€thatÐ œì Ðhis€2012€clearance€application€and€his€2014€clearance€interview€had€placed€him€on€notice€that€hisÐ ˆØ Ðfinances€were€of€security€concern,€yet€he€did€nothing€to€resolve€his€debts.Ð tÄ ÐÌà  àò òDiscussionó óÐ L œ ÐÌà  àApplicant€contends€that€the€Judgeððs€findings€of€fact€contain€ð ðegregious€errors.ðð€€For€example,Ð $ t Ðhe€denies€that€he€was€unemployed€from€2004€to€2005.€€However,€during€his€interview,€he€told€theÐ  ` Ðinvestigator€that€he€had€been€unemployed€from€ð ð01/2004€to€01/2005.ðð€€Item€8,€Interview€Summary,Ð ü L  Ðat€2.€€He€challenges€the€Judgeððs€finding€that€he€had€purchased€the€house€for€investment€purposes.€Ð è 8  ÐIn€his€security€clearance€application,€Applicant€stated€that€he€had€purchased€the€house€as€anÐ Ô$  Ðinvestment.€€Item€4€at€68.€€He€also€denies€that€he€had€told€his€wife€to€stop€paying€the€mortgage€onÐ À  Ðthe€property.€€However,€during€his€clearance€interview,€he€told€the€investigator€that€ð ðhe€told€his€wifeÐ ¬ü  Ðto€stop€paying€both€mortgages€until€someone€contacted€them.ðð€€Item€8€at€4.€€The€Judgeððs€materialÐ ˜è  Ðfindings€are€based€upon€substantial€evidence€or€constitute€reasonable€inferences€that€could€be€drawnÐ „Ô  Ðfrom€the€evidence.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„01285€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Dec.€22,€2016).€Ð pÀ ÐÌà  àApplicant€contends€that€his€circumstances€do€not€raise€concerns€under€Guideline€F.€€HeÐ H˜ Ðdenies€that€he€has€committed€any€illegal€acts€or€that€he€has€acquired€any€unexplained€affluence.€Ð 4„ ÐHowever,€the€concern€under€this€Guideline€is€not€simply€that€an€applicant€might€be€tempted€toÐ  p Ðcommit€illegal€acts€in€order€to€pay€his€debts.€€A€Judge€should€also€consider€the€extent€to€which€anÐ  \ Ðapplicantððs€circumstances€cast€doubt€upon€his€judgment,€self€control,€and€other€characteristicsÐ øH Ðessential€to€protecting€national€security€information.€€This€obligation€is€rooted€in€the€language€of€theÐ ä4 ÐDirective,€which€states€that€failure€to€meet€financial€obligations€may€indicate€unwillingness€to€abideÐ Ð  Ðby€rules€and€regulations,€thereby€raising€questions€about€an€applicantððs€ability€to€protect€classifiedÐ ¼  Ðinformation.€€Directive,€Enclosure€2€ðð€18.€€òòSee€óóISCR€Case€No.€15„01737€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Feb.€14,€Ð ¨ø Ð2017).€€Applicantððs€history€of€delinquent€debt,€coupled€with€a€paucity€of€evidence€of€debt€resolution,Ð ”ä Ðsupport€the€Judgeððs€conclusion€that€Applicantððs€financial€problems€raise€security€concerns.€Ð €Ð ÐApplicant€has€not€rebutted€the€presumption€that€there€is€a€connection€between€the€record€evidenceÐ l¼ Ðof€his€financial€delinquencies€and€a€concern€that€he€may€fail€to€protected€classified€information.€€òòSee,Ð X ¨ Ðe.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„02903€at€2€(App.€Bd.€Mar.€9,€2017)€.€€€Ð D!” ÐÌà  àApplicant€challenges€the€Judgeððs€whole„person€analysis.€€He€cites€to€his€many€years€ofÐ #l! Ðservice€without€incident€or€concern,€his€character€references,€etc.€€He€notes€that€his€circumstancesÐ $X" Ðimplicate€only€one€of€the€several€Guidelines€set€forth€in€the€Directive,€arguing€from€this€that€his€goodÐ ô$D # Ðqualities€outweigh€his€unfortunate€financial€problems.€€Applicant€also€cites€to€a€prominent€personÐ à%0!$ Ðin€the€news€whose€circumstances,€Applicant€contends,€did€not€result€in€loss€of€access€to€classifiedÐ Ì&"% Ðinformation.€€On€this€last€point,€we€cannot€consider€new€evidence€on€appeal.€€Directive€ðð€E3.1.29.€Ð ¸'#& ÐFurthermore,€we€lack€jurisdiction€to€review€the€merits€of€cases€committed€to€another€GovernmentalÐ ° Ðbody.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€99„0007€(App.€Bd.€Nov.€28,€2000).€€Applicantððs€arguments€are€notÐ œì Ðsufficient€to€rebut€the€presumption€that€the€Judge€considered€all€of€the€evidence€in€the€record.€Ð ˆØ ÐNeither€are€they€sufficient€to€show€that€the€Judge€weighed€the€evidence€in€a€manner€that€wasÐ tÄ Ðarbitrary,€capricious,€or€contrary€to€law.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€13„00502€at€3€(App.€Bd.€Mar.€7,Ð `° Ð2017).€€Applicant€states€that€without€a€clearance€he€will€lose€his€job.€€The€Directive€does€not€permitÐ L œ Ðus€to€consider€the€impact€of€an€unfavorable€decision.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„06532€at€3€(App.Ð 8 ˆ ÐBd.€Feb.€16,€2017).€€Applicant€cites€to€a€portion€of€his€clearance€summary,€arguing€that€theÐ $ t Ðinvestigator€concluded€that€he€was€ð ðnot€susceptible€to€blackmail€or€coercion.ðð€€Item€8€at€5.€Ð  ` ÐHowever,€this€comment€reflects€Applicantððs€answer€to€the€investigatorððs€question,€not€theÐ ü L  Ðinvestigatorððs€independent€judgment€about€Applicantððs€eligibility€for€a€clearance.€€In€any€event,€evenÐ è 8  Ðif€an€investigator€offered€such€an€opinion,€it€would€not€bind€the€Government€on€a€matter€of€nationalÐ Ô$  Ðsecurity.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€ISCR€Case€No.€15„00535€at€4€(App.€Bd.€Mar.€13,€2017).€Ð À  ÐÌà  àThe€Judge€examined€the€relevant€evidence€and€articulated€a€satisfactory€explanation€for€theÐ ˜è  Ðdecision.€€The€decision€is€sustainable€on€this€record.€€ð ðThe€general€standard€is€that€a€clearance€mayÐ „Ô  Ðbe€granted€only€when€ððclearly€consistent€with€the€interests€of€the€national€security.ðððð€€òòDepartmentÐ pÀ Ðof€the€Navy€v.€Eganóó,€484€U.S.€518,€528€(1988).€€òòSee€alsoóó€Directive,€Enclosure€2€ðð€2(b):€€ð ðAny€doubtÐ \¬ Ðconcerning€personnel€being€considered€for€access€to€classified€information€will€be€resolved€in€favorÐ H˜ Ðof€the€national€security.ððÐ 4„ ÐÌà@ââ(ìàò òOrderó óˆÐ  \ ÐÌà  àThe€Decision€is€ò òAFFIRMEDó ó.€€Ð ä4 ÐÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€Michael€Y.€Raððanan€€€€€€€óóÐ ¬ü Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMichael€Y.€RaððananÐ ˜è Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ „Ô Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àChairperson,€Appeal€BoardÐ pÀ ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€James€E.€Moody€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ 4"„  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àJames€E.€MoodyÐ  #p! Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ  $\" Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMember,€Appeal€BoardÐ ø$H # ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àòòSigned:€William€S.€Fields€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ ¼' #& Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àWilliam€S.€FieldsÐ ¨(ø#' Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àAdministrative€JudgeÐ ”)ä$( Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àMember,€Appeal€Board