You never expected to have your loyalty to the United States questioned. Yet here you are – maybe you’ve received a Statement of Reasons (SOR) alleging “Guideline A: Allegiance to the United States” concerns, or an investigator raised red flags about your patriotism. It’s a shocking, confusing, and downright frightening situation. You’re likely asking yourself, “Is this the end of my career?” The thought of losing your security clearance – and with it, your job, livelihood, and reputation – is keeping you up at night.

The good news: it doesn’t have to be. Guideline A concerns can be addressed and mitigated with the right approach. At National Security Law Firm (NSLF), we help clients in your exact position every day. We understand the panic and uncertainty you’re feeling, and we know how to fight back so you can clear your name, protect your clearance, and get back to your mission with confidence. This comprehensive guide will explain what Guideline A is, why you might be facing it, how to mitigate these allegations, and how our team can help you achieve the best possible outcome.

What is Guideline A: Allegiance to the United States?

Security clearance decisions rely on trust – the government must trust that you have unwavering loyalty. Guideline A (Allegiance to the U.S.) is the first of the 13 adjudicative guidelines used to evaluate clearance applicants and holders. The core concern is straightforward: “Is there any reason to suspect this person’s allegiance to the United States?” If the answer is yes, then “the willingness to safeguard classified information is in doubt.” In other words, any hint that you might betray your country’s interests is a serious red flag.

Guideline A issues often involve allegations of extreme cases – things like espionage, treason, terrorism, or attempts to overthrow the government. These are obviously grave offenses. Fortunately, such extreme disloyalty cases are rare. More commonly, people facing Guideline A concerns are dealing with misunderstandings or past associations that look bad on paper but have explanations. For example, you might have joined a political group years ago out of curiosity, or posted something online that was taken out of context. The government has to investigate anything that even remotely hints at disloyalty. But if you’re a patriot at heart, there are ways to prove it and put these concerns to rest.

What Can Trigger a Guideline A Security Concern?

Behaviors that raise a Guideline A alarm basically boil down to acts or affiliations that call your loyalty into question. According to the official adjudicative guidelines, examples include:

  • Acts of treason or espionage: Involvement in any attempt to spy, sabotage, commit sedition, engage in terrorism, or overthrow the U.S. government by unconstitutional means.

  • Supporting those who do: Any association or sympathy with individuals who are themselves involved in espionage, terrorism, or efforts to overthrow the government.

  • Affiliating with anti-U.S. groups: Membership or sympathy with an organization that advocates the use of force or violence to overthrow the government (at the federal, state, or local level).

  • Using unlawful violence against others’ rights: Involvement in any activity that uses force or violence to deny other people their constitutional rights (for example, participating in politically motivated violence or hate crimes).

As you can see, these are very serious allegations – essentially accusing someone of disloyalty, subversion, or even terrorism. It’s no wonder that a Guideline A Statement of Reasons can send a shockwave through your life. However, it’s critical to remember that allegations are not facts. Sometimes a perfectly innocent action can be misinterpreted as “sympathy” for America’s enemies. For instance, simply knowing or being Facebook friends with the wrong person could be construed as a suspicious association. The good news is that the security clearance process gives you a chance to tell your side of the story and mitigate these concerns – which we’ll cover next.

How to Mitigate Guideline A Security Clearance Concerns

If you’ve been hit with a Guideline A concern, don’t lose hope. The adjudicative guidelines themselves list specific mitigating factors – essentially, conditions that, if true, can lessen the government’s fears and show that you are trustworthy. In plain English, you need to demonstrate that whatever happened in your case does not reflect any intention to harm the United States. Key mitigating circumstances include:

  • You didn’t know and cut ties: You were completely unaware of the person or organization’s unlawful aims and severed all contact as soon as you learned the truth.

  • Your involvement was innocent: Your involvement was strictly limited to the lawful, humanitarian, or purely academic aspects of the activity – you were never involved in or supportive of any anti-U.S. agenda.

  • It was a brief lapse in judgment: Any questionable activity was very limited in time (a one-time or short-lived thing) and was driven by curiosity, youth, or intellectual exploration – not ideology.

  • No ongoing problem: You have had no recent involvement or association with that individual or group – in other words, whatever it was, it’s firmly in your past.

In addition to the above, you can bolster your case with positive evidence of your loyalty. Security clearance adjudicators use a “whole person” approach – they look at your character and history as a whole, not just one incident. So, highlight your good record: Do you have years of honorable military or government service? Have you earned commendations, awards, or other proof of patriotism? Character references can help too – statements from supervisors, commanders, or colleagues attesting that you are loyal, reliable, and committed to U.S. interests.

Also, consider the nature of the activity in question. Were you exercising your First Amendment rights (such as participating in a peaceful protest or academic discussion) rather than engaging in any anti-American plotting? Simply holding or expressing unpopular opinions is not disqualifying – it’s when speech crosses into inciting or supporting violence that it becomes a problem. If your alleged “disloyal” conduct was really just free speech, make that clear.

Hypothetical Scenario: Imagine a young defense contractor, “Alex,” who in college joined an international political discussion club. Unbeknownst to Alex, a few members of that club secretly advocated anti-U.S. ideologies. As soon as Alex realized this, he quit the group. Fast forward a decade – Alex is now facing a Guideline A SOR because of that past association. This scenario is scary, but very much defensible. Alex can show that he had no idea about the group’s extremist ties and that he disassociated immediately once he found out (mitigating factor (1) above). He can also point to his clean record since then, including five years of service as a U.S. Army officer and glowing performance reviews from his federal employer. With a compelling response addressing every concern, Alex stands a strong chance of clearing this up and keeping his clearance.

The takeaway? Guideline A concerns can be overcome with a thorough, well-documented response. You’ll need to prove your allegiance through facts – but it’s absolutely possible to do so. In many cases, a convincing package of evidence and arguments will persuade the adjudicators that any past issues were isolated mistakes or misunderstandings, not true disloyalty. Given what’s at stake – your clearance, career, and reputation – it’s wise to get experienced help in preparing this response.

Our Pricing and Flexible Financing Options

We believe everyone should have access to top-notch legal help when their career is on the line, so we keep our pricing transparent and fair. In fact, we publish flat fees for all common security clearance services:

  • SF-86 Review: $950

  • LOI (Letter of Interrogatory) Response: $3,500

  • SOR (Statement of Reasons) Response: $5,000 (includes a $3,000 credit if you already paid for an LOI response)nationalsecuritylawfirm.com

  • Formal Hearing Representation: $7,500 (includes attorney travel)

We also offer legal financing through Pay Later by Affirm, allowing you to break payments into 3, 6, 12, or 24 monthly plans. It’s fast, easy to check, and won’t affect your credit score to explore this option.

Why Choose National Security Law Firm?

When it comes to defending your security clearance, you want the best team in your corner. NSLF is the go-to law firm for clearance matters, and here’s why:

  • We are clearance insiders. Our team includes former security clearance adjudicators, DOHA government attorneys, ex-JAG military officers, and even a former U.S. Attorney. We’ve worked inside the agencies that decide these cases, so we know exactly how the system works.

  • We operate at the heart of national security. Our firm is based in Washington, D.C. – the epicenter of security clearance proceedings – where many hearings and appeals occur. We’re in the mix every day.

  • We’ve been in your shoes. Each of our attorneys has held a security clearance (or still does), so we personally understand what you’re going through.

  • Team strategy, not just one lawyer. Tough cases don’t intimidate us – we regularly convene our internal Attorney Review Board (a panel of multiple senior attorneys) to brainstorm the best defense strategies for our clients. You get collective expertise, not just one person’s perspective.

  • Resources to strengthen your case. We have a network of trusted experts – from psychologists and polygraph examiners to financial analysts – who can provide supporting evidence and testimony to bolster your case.

  • Proven results and reputation. Our track record speaks for itself. Check out our 4.9-star Google Reviews from past clients – real people who we helped stay in the fight and win. When everything was on the line for them, we delivered.

National Security Law Firm: It’s Our Turn to Fight for You.

Additional Resources

Worried about other issues that could affect your clearance? We’ve got you covered. Be sure to visit our Security Clearance practice area page for a wealth of helpful resources. There, you can find articles on common mistakes that lead to clearance denial, guides on how to win your case (from responding to SORs to nailing your hearing), and deep dives into defenses and strategies for every type of security concern. It’s essentially a one-stop hub for security clearance knowledge – empowering you with insight to avoid pitfalls and strengthen your position.

You Have One Shot to Get This Right—Let’s Make It Count

Allegiance concerns are high stakes – your clearance, career, and reputation are on the line. But remember: you get an opportunity to respond and defend yourself, and it’s crucial to make that one chance count. Don’t risk your future by going it alone or waiting too long. As time passes, evidence can go stale and stress takes its toll. On the other hand, acting swiftly and strategically can make all the difference in the outcome.

✅ We’ll tell you exactly what evidence to gather and arguments to make to address each Guideline A allegation head-on.
✅ We’ll craft a tailored legal strategy grounded in our real-world national security experience to rebut the accusations.
✅ We’ll fight to preserve your clearance, your career, and your reputation – so you can move forward with confidence.

The sooner you act, the better your chances of success. Don’t lose another night’s sleep worrying about this. Take control of the situation now – it’s free and easy to get started. Simply book a consultation with our team today. It’s confidential, pressure-free, and will give you clear guidance on the path forward.

Go to sleep tonight knowing that your case is in good hands. You’ve defended your country – now let us fight for you.

National Security Law Firm: It’s Our Turn to Fight for You