PSH-19-0023 - In the Matter of Personnel Security Hearing

On July 16, 2019, an Administrative Judge issued a decision in which she determined that an individual’s DOE access authorization should not be granted. The local security office (LSO) denied the Individual access authorization pursuant to Guidelines G. The LSO cited the DOE Psychologist’s conclusion that the Individual meets the DSM-5 criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder-Moderate and the Individual’s five alcohol-related arrests as security concerns. During the hearing, the Individual testified that he had not consumed alcohol in approximately two and half months and had recently began attending Alcohol Anonymous meetings. The Individual stated that he had no future intentions to consume alcohol, but acknowledged that, in the past, he has returned to consuming alcohol even after long periods of sobriety. The DOE Psychologist also testified that, although she believed the Individual was on the right path, the period of sobriety and treatment had not been long enough for her to change her diagnosis.  The Administrative Judge found, based on the Individual’s history of alcohol use and pattern of abstinence following an alcohol-related arrest and then eventual relapse, that none of the applicable mitigating factors applied to the security concerns in this case. Accordingly, the Administrative Judge determined that the Individual’s access authorization should not be granted. OHA Case No. PSH-19-0023 (Brooke A. DuBois)