GWU PNS (emeritus)
George Washington University Capital Battalion
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2021
- Messages
- 1,424
Prior to anyone beginning the application process for either a service academy or NROTC (I don't know about other service branches), the truth is they are governed by state and local laws in terms of drug use. In the states I know of which allow some form of recreational drug use, there are age limits. So, there is always the concern that a person used drugs in violation of those age limits. Because there are just too many states to try and decode on this forum, I won't try.I didn’t think so, i thought usage itself is governed at the local level. But I am just looking to educate myself, and to find any specific sourcing. My oldest is senior in high school with one appointment and one LOA, just looking to continue to guide him in life and back it up so it doesn’t become dad speak being tuned out. Edibles are so readily available to these kids it scares me, not to mention the fentanyl.
Putting that aside, when anyone starts filling out their applications, they need to be honest and transparent from day one. We would love to find that everyone obeys every rule. But the service branches are not filled with saints. Never have, likely never will be. Depending on the types of drugs used, and the amount used, those answers will be used by boards and committees to determine who gets accepted, and who gets put aside.
For NROTC, one the first day of our new student orientation, Midshipmen will be asked to sign a form declaring their drug use or their lack thereof. We do this for a couple reasons.......one: making sure the truth was told at initial application, and 2: did something occur over the summer between high school graduation and arriving on campus. As Mr. Mullen stated, if people are reading their applications and forms, none of this is a surprise. Random urinalysis is also not a surprise......other than when the random tests occur.
There is another opportunity for honesty in the process, and that occurs when Midshipmen fill out their security application via the SF86. That form goes into excruciating detail about everything. And people do follow up on these forms, meaning they do go to high schools and ask questions. They ask counselors, students, and friends.
I tell my folks....if you have been playing fast and loose with your answers on forms up to this point, DO NOT lie on the SF86. That form tells you up front that lying is tantamount to a false official statement and is subject to criminal penalties. Has that ever happened? I am not sure, but if I was 18, I wouldn't want to be the test case.
Last point here....while occasional or one time use of marijuana is typically waivered, it is not a guarantee. And even if it is waivered, it can be a deal breaker for highly sought service selection such as the nuclear field, aviation, and some others. When people try to get me to tell them the magic answer on a form so they can try to be just honest enough to get approved, while not being totally honest, my answer is that their "integrity low alarm" is going off, and maybe the career of a commissioned officer isn't for them.