mitigation

The adjudicative guidelines use mitigating factors in making security clearance determinations. One of those factors is the amount of time elapsed since the conduct occurred. In rare instances even administrative judges get it wrong in applying mitigating factors, which is exactly what happened in a security clearance appeal last month. The Defense

I have noticed an uptick in the number of cases reviewed by the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) involving foreign influence concerns. Security clearance applicants were denied eligibility under a variety of factors listed under Guideline B; Foreign Influence. Here are some examples of the concerns involved: Applicant’s