Ignorance of Laws or Rules is No Excuse

Originally published at: https://www.clearancejobsblog.com/ignorance-of-laws-or-rules-is-no-excuse/

In the national security world, ignorance or mistake of law is generally not an excuse for failing to abide by legal obligations. This opinion has been established long ago by appeals board judges in upholding security clearance denials. There are various adjudicative guidelines where claiming ignorance of the rules or laws is just not plausible.…

I believe that I read that you can apply for a waiver on Selectiver Service registation (if your 26th birthday has passed) and it is at the discretion of the agency to grant the waiver.

From SSS:
Pursuant to federal law, a person required to register with Selective Service, but who failed to register, may not be denied any federal right or benefit if he can show by a preponderance of the evidence (e.g. more-likely-than-not) that his failure to register was not knowing and willful . See 50 U.S.C. 3811(g). The final decision regarding a non-registrant’s eligibility for employment lies with the department or agency granting the right or benefit.

Good luck proving that though.

I didn’t even know about selective service, until I was looking at some SF86 forms in my early 20s…
When I called the US embassy at the time, they didn’t even know what it was (maybe because they were women).
I registered just in time…

I’ve got a lot of stories about the excuses I’ve heard over the years about why Jim Bob did not register with SSS; or why Joe Apple says he doesn’t have to register because he doesn’t believe in the military. The nut comes off the bolt with that section.

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