DATE: March 15, 2004

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SSN: -----------

Applicant for Security Clearance

DECISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE

ROBERT ROBINSON GALES

APPEARANCES

FOR GOVERNMENT

Erin C. Hogan, Esquire, Department Counsel

FOR APPLICANT

Pro Se

SYNOPSIS

Fifty-year-old Applicant's 1971 arrest for a felony identified in various police and court records as possession of a narcotic, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of a narcotic, to wit: marijuana, when he was an 18-year-old high school student, and his subsequent conviction, led to a sentence of imprisonment for four years, suspended, along with probation, a fine, and court costs. The clear evidence of successful rehabilitation, and the absence of any subsequent criminal conduct, would normally mitigate the government's security concerns. However, the application of 10 U.S.C. § 986 disqualifies him from such eligibility. Clearance is denied. Further consideration of this case for a waiver of 10 U.S.C. § 986 is recommended.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On September 15, 2003, the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), pursuant to Executive Order 10865, Safeguarding Classified Information Within Industry, dated February 20, 1960, as amended and modified, and Department of Defense Directive 5220.6, Defense Industrial Personnel Security Clearance Review Program (Directive), dated January 2, 1992, as amended and modified, issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) to Applicant. The SOR detailed reasons why DOHA could not make the preliminary affirmative finding under the Directive that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue a security clearance for Applicant, and recommended referral to an Administrative Judge to determine whether a clearance should be granted, continued, denied, or revoked.

In a sworn written statement, dated October 2, 2003, Applicant responded to the allegations set forth in the SOR, and elected to have his case decided on the written record, in lieu of a hearing. Department Counsel submitted the government's written case on November 24, 2003. A complete copy of the file of relevant material (FORM) ⁽¹⁾ was provided to Applicant, and he was afforded an opportunity to file objections and submit material in refutation, extenuation, or mitigation. Any such submissions were due by February 6, 2004, and it appears he chose not to do so. The case was assigned to this Administrative Judge on arch 9, 2004.

Applicant has admitted the factual allegations pertaining to criminal conduct under Guideline J. Those admissions are incorporated herein as findings of fact.

After a complete and thorough review of the evidence in the record, and upon due consideration of same, I make the following additional findings of fact:

Applicant is a 50-year-old employee of a defense contractor, and is seeking to retain a security clearance, a clearance held since 1981. ⁽²⁾

Applicant has been involved in one criminal incident which occurred 32 years ago. On September 25, 1971, when he was an 18-year-old high school senior, Applicant was arrested and charged with a felony identified in various police and court records as possession of a narcotic, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of a narcotic, to wit: marijuana. ⁽³⁾ Not wishing to serve any jail time, he entered a plea of no contest to the charge and, on February 11, 1972, was convicted and sentenced to four years confinement, suspended, and four years probation, and assessed $150.00 fine and court costs. ⁽⁴⁾

The only other evidence regarding the incident which led to the arrest was that there was a party and the drugs were not in Applicant's actual possession. ⁽⁵⁾ There is also insufficient evidence to indicate that Applicant was a substance abuser. Since the arrest, Applicant has had no further association or correspondence with any of the other people involved in the incident and has not used illegal drugs. ⁽⁶⁾ Applicant is "extremely sorry and remorseful for errors in [his] teenage judgment." ⁽⁷⁾

There is no evidence that Applicant has ever undergone rehabilitation treatment or therapy for substance abuse.

Applicant attended a community college from 1979 until 1992, but never received a degree. ⁽⁸⁾ He has been employed by the same government contractor since August 1997, where he now serves as an electronic technician. The quality of his performance has not been developed in the record. He has been married twice and is currently separated from his second wife. ⁽⁹⁾

Enclosure 2 of the Directive sets forth adjudicative guidelines which must be considered in the evaluation of security suitability. In addition to brief introductory explanations for each guideline, the adjudicative guidelines are divided into those that may be considered in deciding whether to deny or revoke an individual's eligibility for access to classified information (Disqualifying Conditions) and those that may be considered in deciding whether to grant an individual's eligibility for access to classified information (Mitigating Conditions).

An administrative judge need not view the adjudicative guidelines as inflexible ironclad rules of law. Instead, acknowledging the complexities of human behavior, these guidelines, when applied in conjunction with the factors set forth in the Adjudicative Process provision in Section E2.2., Enclosure 2, of the Directive, are intended to assist the administrative judge in reaching fair and impartial common sense decisions.

Because the entire process is a conscientious scrutiny of a number of variables known as the "whole person concept," all available, reliable information about the person, past and present, favorable and unfavorable, should be considered in making a meaningful decision. The Adjudicative Process factors which an administrative judge should consider are: (1) the nature, extent, and seriousness of the conduct; (2) the circumstances surrounding the conduct, to include knowledgeable participation; (3) the frequency and recency of the conduct; (4) the individual's age and maturity at the time of the conduct; (5) the voluntariness of participation; (6) the presence or absence of rehabilitation and other pertinent behavioral changes; (7) the motivation for the conduct; (8) the potential for pressure, coercion, exploitation, or duress; and (9) the likelihood of continuation or recurrence.

Based upon a consideration of the evidence as a whole, I find the following adjudicative guidelines most pertinent to an evaluation of the facts of this case:

Criminal Conduct - Guideline J: A history or pattern of criminal activity creates doubt about a person's judgment, reliability and trustworthiness.

Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying, as well as those which could mitigate security concerns, are set forth and discussed in the Conclusions section below.

On June 7, 2001, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a Memorandum, Implementation of Restrictions on the Granting or Renewal of Security Clearances as Mandated by the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. The memorandum provides policy guidance for the implementation of Section 1071 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, which amended Title 10, United States Code, to add a new section (10 U.S.C. § 986) that precludes the initial granting or renewal of a security clearance by the Department of Defense under specific circumstances. The situation described above involves one of those specific circumstances.

The statutory mandate applies to any DoD officer or employee, officer, director, or employee of a DoD contractor, or member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or arine Corps on active duty or in an active status, who is under consideration for the issuance or continuation of eligibility for access to classified information and who falls under one or more of the following provisions of the statute:

(1) has been convicted in any court of the United States of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;

(2) is an unlawful user of, or is addicted to, a controlled substance (as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802));

(3) is mentally incompetent, as determined by a mental health professional approved by the Department of Defense; or

(4) has been discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions.

The statute also "provides that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Military Departments concerned may authorize a waiver of the prohibitions concerning convictions, dismissals and dishonorable discharges from the armed forces in meritorious cases."

Implementing guidance attached to the memorandum indicates that provision 1, described above, "disqualifies persons with convictions in both State and Federal courts, including UCMJ offenses, with sentences imposed of more than one year, regardless of the amount of time actually served."

Since the protection of the national security is the paramount consideration, the final decision in each case must be arrived at by applying the standard the issuance of the clearance is "clearly consistent with the interests of national security," ⁽¹⁰⁾ or "clearly consistent with the national interest." For the purposes herein, despite the different language in each, I have concluded both standards are one and the same. In reaching this Decision, I have drawn only those conclusions that are reasonable, logical and based on the evidence contained in the record. Likewise, I have avoided drawing inferences grounded on mere speculation or conjecture.

In the decision-making process, the burden of producing evidence initially falls on the government to establish a case which demonstrates, in accordance with the Directive, it is not clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue an applicant's access to classified information. If the government meets its burden, the heavy burden of persuasion then falls upon the applicant to present evidence in refutation, explanation, extenuation or mitigation sufficient to overcome the doubts raised by the government's case, and to ultimately demonstrate it is clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue the applicant's clearance.

A person who seeks access to classified information enters into a fiduciary relationship with the government predicated upon trust and confidence. It is a relationship that transcends normal duty hours and endures throughout off-duty hours as well. It is because of this special relationship the government must be able to repose a high degree of trust and confidence in those individuals to whom it grants access to classified information. Decisions under this Directive include, by necessity, consideration of the possible risk an applicant may deliberately or inadvertently fail to protect or safeguard classified information. Such decisions entail a certain degree of legally permissible extrapolation as to potential, rather than actual, risk of compromise of classified information.

One additional comment is worthy of note. Applicant's allegiance, loyalty, and patriotism are not at issue in these proceedings. Section 7 of Executive Order 10865 specifically provides industrial security clearance decisions shall be "in terms of the national interest and shall in no sense be a determination as to the loyalty of the applicant concerned." Security clearance decisions cover many characteristics of an applicant other than allegiance, loyalty, and patriotism. Nothing in this Decision should be construed to suggest I have based this decision, in whole or in part, on any express or implied decision as to Applicant's allegiance, loyalty, or patriotism.

Upon consideration of all the facts in evidence, and after application of all appropriate legal precepts, factors, and conditions, including those described briefly above, I conclude the following with respect to the allegation set forth in the SOR:

With respect to Guideline J, the government has established its case. By his own admission, when he was a teenager, Applicant was arrested, charged, and convicted of a felony identified in various police and court records as possession of a narcotic, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of a narcotic, to wit: marijuana. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to four years confinement, suspended, and four years probation, along with a fine and costs. Applicant's criminal conduct in this regard clearly falls within Criminal Conduct Disqualifying Condition (CC DC) E2.A10.1.2.1. (allegations or admissions of criminal conduct, regardless of whether the person was formally charged), CC DC E2.A10.1.2.2. (a single serious crime or multiple lesser offenses), and CC DC E2.A10.1.2.3. (conviction in a Federal or State court, including a court-martial of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding one year).

It has been 32 years since the criminal conduct of September 1971. Since that time, Applicant has not been involved an any additional criminal conduct. Those facts would seem to activate Criminal Conduct Mitigating Condition (CC MC) E2.A10.1.3.1. (the criminal behavior was not recent). Moreover, by virtue of his spotless record since the arrest, there is clear evidence of successful rehabilitation, thus activating CC MC E2.A10.1.3.6. (there is clear evidence of successful rehabilitation). In addition, his subsequent maturity seems to have eliminated the otherwise undeveloped motivating factors leading to the incident which are not likely to recur, activating MC E2.A10.1.3.4. (the person did not voluntarily commit the act and/or the factors leading to the violation are not likely to recur). A person should not be held forever accountable for misconduct from the past, especially the indiscretions of his early adulthood, when there is a clear indication of subsequent reform, remorse, or rehabilitation. Under other circumstances, I would conclude Applicant had, through evidence of extenuation and explanation, successfully mitigated and overcome the Government's case, and the allegation of the SOR would be concluded in favor of Applicant.

However, Applicant's criminal conduct in this regard also falls within 10 U.S.C. § 986. He was convicted in a state court of a felony crime and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of four years, a term which obviously exceeds the one year period envisioned in the law. Furthermore, as noted above, the implementing guidance attached to the memorandum indicates such a sentence would disqualify persons with "sentences imposed of more than one year, regardless of the amount of time actually served." In this instance, Applicant was fortunate enough to have his prison term suspended rather than actually served in its entirety, but that fact does not help him in this issue. Consequently, by virtue of 10 U.S.C. § 986, I conclude Applicant is not eligible for a security clearance. Accordingly, allegations 1.a. and 1.b. of the SOR, are concluded against Applicant.

In this instance, I recommend further consideration of this case for a waiver of 10 U.S.C. § 986.

For the reasons stated, I conclude Applicant is not eligible for access to classified information.

Formal findings For or Against Applicant on the allegations set forth in the SOR, as required by Section E3.1.25 of Enclosure 3 of the Directive, are:

Paragraph 1. Guideline J: AGAINST THE APPLICANT

Subparagraph 1.a.: Against the Applicant

Subparagraph 1.b.: Against the Applicant

In light of all the circumstances presented by the record in this case, it is not clearly consistent with the national interest to grant or continue a security clearance for Applicant. Clearance is denied. However, I recommend further consideration of this case for a waiver of 10 U.S.C. § 986.

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1. The government submitted six items in support of its contentions.

2. Item 4, (Security Clearance Application (SF 86), dated August 17, 1998), at 8.

3. Item 5 (police, sheriff, court, and probation records, with various dates).

4. Id. (Notice of Disposition of a Felony Case, dated February 11, 1972; Sheriff's Transcript of the Record, dated February 11, 1972).

5. Item 3 (Response to SOR, dated October 2, 2003), at 3.

6. Id.

7. Id.

8. Item 4, supra note 2, at 1.

9. Id., at 2.

10. Exec. Or. 12968, "Access to Classified Information;" as implemented by Department of Defense Regulation 5200.2-R, "Personnel Security Program," dated January 1987, as amended by Change 3, dated November 8, 1995, and further modified by memorandum, dated November 10, 1998. However, the Directive, as amended by Change 4, dated April 20, 1999, uses both "clearly consistent with the national interest" (Sec. 2.3.; Sec.2.5.3.; Sec. 3.2.; and Sec. 4.2.; Enclosure 3, Sec. E3.1.1.; Sec. E3.1.2.; Sec. E3.1.25.; Sec. E3.1.26.; and Sec. E3.1.27.), and "clearly consistent with the interests of national security" (Enclosure 2, Sec. E2.2.3.); and "clearly consistent with national security" (Enclosure 2, Sec. E2.2.2.)