1 
 
 
                                                              
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
DEFENSE OFFICE OF HEARINGS AND APPEALS 
           
             
 
 
In the matter of: ) 
 ) 
 REDACTED )  ISCR Case No. 15-02826 
 ) 
Applicant for Security Clearance ) 
 
 
Appearances 
 
For Government: Rhett Petcher, Esq., Department Counsel 
For Applicant: Pro se 
 
 
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Decision 
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MENDEZ, Francisco, Administrative Judge: 
 
On October 27, 2015, the Department of Defense (DOD) Consolidated 
Adjudications Facility (CAF) sent Applicant a Statement of Reasons (SOR) alleging that 
her circumstances raised security concerns under the financial considerations 
guideline.1 Applicant answered the SOR and requested a decision on the written record.  
 
 On December 9, 2015, Department Counsel prepared its written case, a file of 
relevant material (FORM), and sent it to Applicant. Applicant filed a response, including 
providing additional documentary evidence of her efforts to address and resolve the 
delinquent debts listed on the SOR.  
 
 On August 11, 2016, I received the case assignment and subsequently provided 
notice to the parties of my intent to resolve the case through a summary disposition in 
Applicant’s favor. Department Counsel indicated that the Government did not object to 
my proposed resolution of the matter in this fashion. See Appellate Exhibit I. 
                                                          
1 This action was taken under Executive Order (E.O.) 10865, Safeguarding Classified Information within 
Industry (February 20, 1960), as amended; Department of Defense Directive 5220.6, Defense Industrial 
Personnel Security Clearance Review Program (January 2, 1992), as amended (Directive); and the 
Adjudicative Guidelines (AG) implemented by the Department of Defense on September 1, 2006. 
 
2 
 
 
 Applicant mitigated security concerns raised by her past financial problems, 
which were, in part, attributable to matters beyond her control (husband's 
unemployment). She presented substantial evidence, including documentation to 
substantiate her claims of having addressed, paid, settled, or currently paying the 
delinquent debts listed on the SOR (or, reasonable basis to dispute the accuracy of the 
debt). Additionally, Applicant presented documentation of a track record of debt 
payments towards satisfying the last remaining SOR debt. Applicant also demonstrated 
that she has taken fiscally prudent steps to manage her finances going forward, notably, 
downsizing to a smaller home. After a thorough review of the record evidence, I find that 
the mitigating conditions listed at AG ¶¶ 20(a) – 20(e) apply.  
 
The security concerns over Applicant’s past financial problems do not create 
doubt about her current reliability, trustworthiness, good judgment, and ability to protect 
classified information. In reaching this conclusion, I weighed the evidence as a whole 
and considered if the favorable evidence outweighed the unfavorable evidence or vice 
versa. I also gave due consideration to the whole-person concept. Accordingly, I 
conclude that Applicant met her burden of persuasion to show that it is clearly 
consistent with the national interest to grant her eligibility for access to classified 
information. Applicant’s request for a security clearance is granted. 
 
 
 
____________________ 
Francisco Mendez 
Administrative Judge