Lies Catch Up With Security Clearance Applicant

Many enlistees going into the military provide false or erroneous information on security clearance applications in order to get past the screeners. Often times they are told by a recruiter or someone else to not disclose information such as illegal drug use which might be disqualifying. This is understandable and would be mitigated if the person was forthright on all future security clearance applications. However, continuing to lie on subsequent background investigations creates a pattern of dishonesty and is more difficult to provide excuses as to why. Here is a summary of an appeals case in which a DoD contractor was denied security clearance eligibility and subsequently appealed to the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA):

The applicant served in the military for eight years (2006-14) and had a security clearance during that time. When he submitted his application for enlistment in 2005 he answered “No” to all of the questions in the illegal drug use section. In 2010 he submitted another security clearance application and again denied any involvement with illegal drugs. In 2015 the applicant underwent a polygraph for SCI access during which he self-admitted to having used and sold drugs prior to his enlistment and afterwards, and didn’t disclose it because it would have prevented him from joining and staying in the military. His access was subsequently revoked after failing the polygraph and he was escorted out of the facility.

Later that same year, for his current DoD contractor job, he filled out another security clearance application and denied having had his access/clearance revoked. Now we have three separate security clearance applications on which the applicant provided false information. The DoD CAF denied his eligibility for a clearance and the DOHA judge upheld the denial based on his continued falsifications. This case is a good example that shows all previous applications are up for review and when applicants continue to perpetuate falsehoods it will eventually catch up to them.