Guideline E – Personal Conduct

Lies, Omissions, and Missteps: The #1 Reason People Lose Their Security Clearance

You don’t have to be a criminal, a spy, or in financial ruin to lose your security clearance. Sometimes, a single lie or omission is enough. That’s the power—and danger—of Guideline E: Personal Conduct.

Guideline E is one of the most frequently cited adjudicative guidelines for clearance denials. It covers everything from incomplete SF-86 forms and false statements to patterns of dishonesty, questionable behavior, and rule violations—whether inside or outside the workplace.

At National Security Law Firm, we understand how easily good people can get tripped up by Guideline E. We’ve helped hundreds of clients overcome personal conduct allegations by crafting clear, compelling narratives, building mitigation strategies, and fighting aggressively for their careers.

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What Is Guideline E?

Guideline E – Personal Conduct is a catch-all category used to evaluate your honesty, reliability, and judgment—especially in your interactions with the government or your employer.

Even a minor mistake, if not corrected, can become a major problem. This guideline applies to:

• Dishonesty or false statements (especially on the SF-86)

• Omissions of required information

• Failure to follow rules, orders, or laws

• Violation of employer policies

• Pattern of questionable judgment or irresponsibility

• Refusal to cooperate with an investigation

• Association with others engaged in misconduct

You don’t have to break the law to violate Guideline E. Sometimes, a pattern of small missteps can be just as damaging.

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Real-World Hypotheticals – Could This Be You?

• Scenario 1: An applicant forgets to disclose a decades-old arrest on the SF-86, thinking it was “expunged” and wouldn’t show up.

• Scenario 2: A contractor marks “no” on foreign contacts but fails to list a foreign-born girlfriend.

• Scenario 3: A federal employee is fired for timecard fraud and later applies for a clearance, omitting the termination.

• Scenario 4: A service member denies drug use on the SF-86 but admits to past marijuana use during the polygraph.

• Scenario 5: A clearance holder receives counseling for viewing adult content on a government computer but doesn’t self-report the incident.

In all of these cases, the problem wasn’t necessarily the conduct—it was the lack of honesty, disclosure, or responsibility.

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How the Government Evaluates Guideline E

When determining whether personal conduct poses a security risk, adjudicators look for:

• Intentional falsification or concealment

• Pattern of dishonesty or misrepresentation

• Failure to follow reporting requirements

• Unreliable or erratic behavior

• Refusal to cooperate during the clearance process

• Conduct demonstrating lack of judgment or trustworthiness

They will apply the whole-person concept, but unlike other guidelines, one lie may be enough to deny or revoke your clearance.

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Mitigating Factors That Can Save Your Clearance

✅ The omission or false statement was unintentional or misunderstood
✅ You self-reported the issue before discovery
✅ The conduct occurred a long time ago and has not recurred
✅ You’ve taken responsibility, shown remorse, and demonstrated changed behavior
✅ The issue is isolated, not part of a larger pattern
✅ You’ve received counseling or training to prevent future incidents

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How National Security Law Firm Can Help

Guideline E is unique—it’s not just about what you did, but how you explain it. At NSLF, we’ve helped clients clear up past mistakes, correct misstatements, and present the full picture in a way adjudicators understand and respect.

We help clients:

✅ Draft powerful, fact-driven responses to Statements of Reasons (SORs)
✅ Review and correct SF-86 disclosures before submission
✅ Guide self-reporting of prior conduct to reduce the risk of revocation
✅ Represent you in DOHA hearings and investigative interviews
✅ Frame conduct in context using proven mitigating arguments
✅ Rebuild credibility when honesty has come into question

If your integrity has been called into question, we’ll help you prove that one mistake doesn’t define your future.

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Flat Fee Security Clearance Pricing

• SF-86 Review: $950

• LOI Response: $3,500

• SOR Response: $5,000 (includes $3,000 LOI credit)

• DOHA Hearing: $7,500 (includes travel)

💳 Legal financing options available
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FAQ – Personal Conduct & Security Clearances

What’s the most common Guideline E issue?
Failing to fully disclose prior arrests, terminations, or foreign contacts on the SF-86. Even honest mistakes can trigger concerns.

Will a single lie cost me my clearance?
Potentially—but with a strong legal defense, context, and remediation, we’ve helped many clients recover.

I forgot to list something—should I correct it now?
Yes, and quickly. Voluntary correction is almost always better than waiting for investigators to find it. We can guide you on how to disclose it properly.

Can I recover from a previous revocation under Guideline E?
Yes. We’ve helped clients reapply after a revocation by building a fresh case showing reliability, maturity, and change.

Does a past issue automatically disqualify me from future clearances?
No. The government cares about patterns and risk, not just past mistakes. We’ll help you prove you’ve moved on.

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🔍 Want the Full Playbook?

Don’t leave your clearance to chance. Click here to visit our Security Clearance Strategy Center — your go-to resource for:

• Proven strategies to win your case
• A complete cost breakdown
• Tips to avoid common clearance-killing mistakes
• Secrets to maximizing your chances of approval
• Answers to “What if I already got denied?”

👉 You’ve got questions. We’ve got insider answers.

🛡️ Why Choose NSLF?

At National Security Law Firm, we’re not your average clearance attorneys—we’re the elite unit for national security representation:

• Every case is reviewed by our internal attorney board
• Staffed by former DOHA attorneys, Security Threat Assessment experts, and military lawyers
• Located in Washington, D.C. — where clearance decisions are made
• We’re insiders who’ve worked behind the curtain—now we fight for you
• Founded by and staffed with disabled veterans
• One of the fastest-growing national security law firms in the U.S.

💵 Transparent, Flat-Fee Pricing

No surprise bills. No hourly rates. Just mission-focused pricing.

• SF-86 Review: $950 flat fee
• Letter of Interrogatory (LOI) Response: $3,500 flat fee
  This covers everything you need to respond and start defending your clearance.
• Statement of Reasons (SOR): $5,000 flat fee
  Already paid for your LOI response? You’ll get a $3,000 credit applied here.
• Hearing Representation: $7,500 flat fee (includes all travel)
  One fee covers it all—prep, travel, hearing. No hidden costs.

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Worried about cost? Don’t be. We offer financing through Pay Later by Affirm — break payments into 3, 6, 12, or 24 months.

• No credit impact for checking eligibility
• We get paid up front. You pay over time.
• Keep your cash flow. Get the legal help now.

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Our success is measured in saved careers, restored clearances, and lives back on track.

⚠️ Don’t Wait. The Clock Is Ticking.

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