WPCd  -ZLH@p1n@tw=6_ .!@ Hr4Ć'u _X #'ݻ־LZϔ3$>Any=J -`DGadn^]'zM?|7('Is`-cݳ6iDЗ;a(.4khCwn񭗞@%>%MrgiO2v#/,3AipOhT&up(L;]]+ ϻ0݌_+ҮsIkF~%S}OKҖ=uok&RW` 9:a DhX͗-$f%Z޺]& uFRZu8cVNHa?^ KrA{U2~ ^4KiI AQDKTS^)GeAZ#UN % 0: ZC ^ w 4   m Z NC C C EE E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E BG Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet P3010 Series0(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularX($USUS.,8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUEtoK;=J:i+003|xU8DocumentManagement::ModifiedBooleanTRUE d !USUS.,  _KEYWORD:GuidelineB  DIGEST:Applicantarguesthathehas shownthatheiscompletelyloyaltotheUnitedStates[.]  AstheJudgenoted,ExecutiveOrder10865emphasizedthatadversedecisions shallinnosense t beadeterminationastotheloyaltyoftheapplicantconcerned.Adversedecisionaffirmed. ` _CASENO_:1601434.a1 8  DATE:11/15/2017  ` __________________________   `     h      p DATE:November15,2017  L  .؉7r(#(#.AY) xdEgA   InRe:        k ApplicantforSecurityClearance C AY) xdEgA k )   )   )   ) p ) \ ) H ) 4 )  p   \ pX p _ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1601434 p!  \" .؉7r. \XXp 4"    APPEALBOARDDECISION  # APPEARANCES &  &%XX FORGOVERNMENT  l( JamesB.Norman,Esq.,ChiefDepartmentCounsel D )  FORAPPLICANT  !D+ RyanC._Nerney_,Esq.#XDX%&# ",     TheDepartmentofDefense(DoD)declinedtograntApplicantasecurityclearance.On |% / September12,2016,DoDissuedastatementofreasons(_SOR_)advisingApplicantofthebasisfor h&!0 thatdecision!securityconcernsraisedunderGuidelineB(ForeignInfluence)ofDepartmentof T'"1 DefenseDirective5220.6(Jan.2,1992,asamended)(Directive).Applicantrequestedahearing. @(#2 OnSeptember1,2017,afterthehearing,DefenseOfficeofHearingsandAppeals(DOHA) ,)|$3 AdministrativeJudgeDavidM.WhitedeniedApplicantsrequestforasecurityclearance.Applicant *h%4 appealedpursuanttoDirectiveE3.1.28andE3.1.30. +T&5   Applicantraisedthefollowingissueonappeal:whethertheJudgesadversedecisionwas ,,(7 arbitrary,capricious,orcontrarytolaw.Consistentwiththefollowing,weaffirm. -)8 Ї  TheJudgesFindingsofFact     ApplicantprovidedsupportforU.S.militaryoperationsintheMiddleEast,asaconsequence t ofwhichhisfamilyreceivedthreats.ApplicantandhiswifeweregrantedrefugeestatusintheU.S. ` andbecameU.S.citizensseveralyearsago.Applicanthasnumerousclosefamilymembers, L  includingparents,siblings,andinlaws,whoarecitizensandresidentsofIraq.Applicantsfather 8  receivesapensionfromtheIraqigovernment.Applicantspeakstohisrelativesonatleastamonthly $ t basis.Applicantenjoysanexcellentreputationforthequalityofhisworkperformanceaswellas  ` forhistrustworthiness.  L    Iraqfaceschallengesduetosectarianviolence.Terroristgroupsoperatewithinitsborders $  andtheIslamicStatecontrolssomeofthecountrysterritory.TheU.S.StateDepartmentwarnsthat   traveltoIraqshouldbeavoided.     TheJudgesAnalysis      ApplicantsclosefamilyconnectionswithinIraq,viewedinconjunctionwiththethreats \ againsthimandhisfamilythatpromptedhimtoleavethecountry,establishthatthereisa H heightenedriskthatApplicantcouldbesubjectedtopressureorcouldbeplacedinaconflictof 4 interest.TheJudgenotedApplicantssupportforU.S.interests,butheconcludedthatthis brave  p andhonorableservicedidnotoutweighconcernsarisingfromtheheightenedriskofcoercion.  \   Discussion  4   ApplicantsbriefconsistsinlargemeasureofachallengetotheJudgesweighingofthe   evidence.HisargumentsarenotenoughtoshowthattheJudgeweighedtheevidenceinamanner  thatwasarbitrary,capricious,orcontrarytolaw.See,e.g.,_ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1508711at3(App.Bd.  Aug.24,2017).WegivedueconsiderationtotheHearingOfficecasethatApplicanthascited.  However,HearingOfficedecisionsarenotbindingonotherHearingOfficeJudgesorontheAppeal l Board.See,e.g.,_ISCR_ԀCaseNo.1601941at2(App.Bd.Aug.9,2017). X    Applicantarguesthathehas shownthatheiscompletelyloyaltotheUnitedStates[.]As 0"  theJudgenoted,ExecutiveOrder10865emphasizedthatadversedecisions shallinnosensebea #l! determinationastotheloyaltyoftheapplicantconcerned.Decisionat4. $X"   TheJudgeexaminedtherelevantevidenceandarticulatedasatisfactoryexplanationforthe %0!$ decision.Thedecisionissustainableonthisrecord. Thegeneralstandardisthataclearancemay &"% begrantedonlywhenclearlyconsistentwiththeinterestsofthenationalsecurity.Department '#& oftheNavyv.Egan,484U.S.518,528(1988).SeealsoDirective,Encl.2,App.A2(b): Any (#' doubtconcerningpersonnelbeingconsideredfornationalsecurityeligibilitywillberesolvedinfavor )$( ofthenationalsecurity. |*%)  @-(, @( Order     TheDecisionis AFFIRMED.      `     h   Signed:Michael_Raanan_Ԁ <     `     h   Michael_Raanan_ ( x    `     h   AdministrativeJudge  d    `     h   Chairperson,AppealBoard  P     `     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___