Sometimes, security clearance appeals cases read a little something like a country song – a recent security clearance case included all the major actors – a soldier, a dog, a truck, and a (couple of) repossessions.
The applicant was a 28-year old defense contractor who had previously served in the military and received a ‘general under honorable conditions’ discharge in 2015. He submitted his SF-86 in May 2021, listing at least six delinquent accounts totaling at least $23,800. One was a $5,000 loan for the purchase of a dog, and two were deficient balances from vehicles that had been repossessed, including a truck.
True or False: It’s the Amount of Debt that Matters, Not the Cause.
In the applicant’s response, he noted that he made poor financial and budgeting errors when he was younger. Records also indicated that despite having a vehicle repossessed in 2014, he went on to purchase another luxury vehicle in 2017, and then a truck in 2018, because ‘where he lived, most people owned trucks.’ The applicant kept the first luxury vehicle he purchased so his sister could get to work and school (which, if she had been his girlfriend could have been another country song in and of itself).
The devil is in the details, and the details can make all the difference when it comes to a successful security clearance appeal. Unfortunately, patterns of behavior are one of the most difficult factors to overcome in the security clearance process, whether it’s a string of DUIs or a series of delinquent debts. In this case, the initial vehicle being repossessed likely could have been mitigated. But the greater factor became when the applicant failed to learn from his previous repo mistakes and ended up buying not just one -but two vehicles with loans that were later defaulted on.
Unfortunately, the applicant was unable to outline any reason behind the financial issues other than poor judgment. And while poor judgment can be mitigated, that would probably take more time, particularly considering the most recent repossessions took place after 2020.
The debt I found most curious was the $5,000 loan related to the purchase of a dog. In the end it appears the applicant lost his truck and his security clearance – but I hope he was able to keep the dog.
False: Cause of Debt is Always a Factor
It is not having debt that’s an issue, it’s what finances display about your trustworthiness and reliability. You’re not necessarily more likely to fall into the hands of a hostile intelligence service because you have a lot of debt – but maybe you have an overall immaturity that isn’t suitable toward a national security career – yet. With passage of time and a displayed period of being more responsible (buying a cheaper car, paying off existing debts), the applicant would stand a good chance of obtaining a security clearance after a year.
