Originally published at: https://www.clearancejobsblog.com/alcohol-issues-more-prevalent-in-doe-security-clearance-denials/
The Department of Energy (DOE) Appeals Board has published the results of twenty-four security clearance appeals so far this year and among them were fifteen cases (62%) involving alcohol consumption issues. That is an astonishingly high percentage of total cases considering the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) only had 6% of total cases…
Wow. Some folks are so afraid of giving up their vice they go to great lengths to keep them. Logic dictates, if we want our job…and our clearance…knowing the standards…we ought comply fully to the requested steps to include counseling. I can’t imagine being given the opportunity to save my job and clearance eligibility and attempt to argue an alternative, particularly when the tests showed a relapse. I had an employee in same situation. Same testing and he could not grasp the tests didn’t test for alcohol that day…he was drinking Friday nights, sober Monday morning for tests. Could not understand how he failed tests. His agreement required he abstain from alcohol. He wasn’t. I suppose when you have that thirst…it is a big demon to wrestle.