adjudicative guidelines

The Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) has resumed their pre-COVID-19 pace on security clearance appeals hearings and published summaries of 943 cases that were reviewed. As usual, financial issues outnumbered all other issues combined and resulted in most of the denials. Interestingly, the number of cases involving use of illegal

The adjudicative guidelines for national security investigations are applied the same across the board. It matters not whether it is for a Secret or Top Secret clearance. The additional checks and information gathered for the Top Secret is reviewed the same as for a Secret. Take for instance, smoking marijuana while you

I have noticed an uptick in the number of Defense Office of Hearing an Appeals (DOHA) cases involving security clearance applicants who unwittingly fell for scams involving foreign nationals from China. How does this happen? Here are two actual DOHA case scenarios: This security clearance applicant meets a Chinese woman online in

In total, 37 states have now legalized medical or recreational marijuana use and others have changed laws to decriminalize use or possession. However, under federal law, security clearance applicants and holders must still refrain from any use involving cannabis. This also applies to those who are thinking about investing in stocks or