@kevincollier The rule about debt dates back to the Cold War in general for security positions; a debt that can be settled is a pressure point for turning an asset. It's something I was advised about when I was younger and might have ended up in a role that included security clearance: "use credit cards so your credit score goes up, but pay them consistently so the OPM doesn't have any pointed questions during a background check."

... but I think that's a rule that can and should be revisited in a nation where we've basically decided to debt-finance the way we all live.