Ouroukov

MEMORANDUM ***

Vessel Ouroukov (“Ouroukov”), a native and citizen of Bulgaria, petitions for review of a final order of removal by the Board of *953 Immigration Appeals (“Board”), which summarily affirmed the decision of the Immigration Judge (“IJ”) denying his request for asylum. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence, Gonzalez v. INS, 82 F.3d 903, 907-08 (9th Cir.1996), and we deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the IJ’s conclusion that Ouroukov failed to establish that he was persecuted, or has a well-founded fear of future persecution, on account of an enumerated ground. See INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478, 481-82 , 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992). Ouroukov testified that his father was forced to change his middle name to a Bulgarian-sounding name and had trouble finding employment as a doctor. Ouroukov also testified that he had experienced difficulties in school on account of his ethnicity. This evidence does not compel a finding that Ouroukov experienced past persecution.

Ouroukov’s fear of future persecution is based on his desire to avoid military service. Military conscription, however,…