DODMERB Screw Up - will I lose my placement?

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throwaway62

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Hi all. I am going in as an ROTC member this fall. When I completed the DODMERB months ago I was told by my parents and medical examiner that I only needed to include marijuana and alcohol use if it was something I had an addiction to or a frequent habit of using. So of course I put no for those questions. The truth is I tried marijuana once in my life years ago. I've read elesewhere however that if I come clean on the SF-86 now that I am screwed. I don't know if I was technically dishonest or not on the DODMERB because I was told by someone who dealt with ROTC medical forms frequently that I would not be. Now I'm scared I'll lose my placement in the program if I come clean or if I don't. Am I screwed?
 
Trying it once is considered experimental and they will not have a problem with it. Now if you change it to never to trying it 3, 4 or 5 times it changes from experimental to habitual. Habitual is not an addiction. Now if you change it to 10 times over 2 years, well than you are looking at problems.

Don't worry you are not the 1st that tried it 1x and didn't put it on their DoDMERB. Just say on your SF86 1 time, and when it happened.

That being said what you don't want to do is to keep changing those numbers. There have been cadets/mids disenrolled because their numbers kept changing (getting higher). I don't know which branch you are joining, but I can tell you that when my DS, as an AFROTC cadet going for his TS clearance for a rated (pilot) slot it was @ 60+ pages of questions, with many questions asking in various ways about drug use. Not only that, but they interview references and this question will be asked directly. If your answers don't match up to the references answers, flags will go up. Hence, come clean with the 86 now regarding how many times because it can come back and bite you.
 
Pima said:
Trying it once is considered experimental and they will not have a problem with it. Now if you change it to never to trying it 3, 4 or 5 times it changes from experimental to habitual. Habitual is not an addiction. Now if you change it to 10 times over 2 years, well than you are looking at problems.

Don't worry you are not the 1st that tried it 1x and didn't put it on their DoDMERB. Just say on your SF86 1 time, and when it happened.

That being said what you don't want to do is to keep changing those numbers. There have been cadets/mids disenrolled because their numbers kept changing (getting higher). I don't know which branch you are joining, but I can tell you that when my DS, as an AFROTC cadet going for his TS clearance for a rated (pilot) slot it was @ 60+ pages of questions, with many questions asking in various ways about drug use. Not only that, but they interview references and this question will be asked directly. If your answers don't match up to the references answers, flags will go up. Hence, come clean with the 86 now regarding how many times because it can come back and bite you.
Click to expand...

It truly was only once and I never ever intend to try it again as long as I live. I was all set to just put it on the SF-86 and come clean but then I saw a thread where people told someone that for not admitting it on the DODMERB that their scholarship was gone and they'd be kicked out for sure. I really don't know what to do. I'm terrified I'll lose everything I've worked for all for some dumb mix up. I was outright told that one time use didn't have to be documented, and now that misinformation could ruin me.
 
Contact your CoC and get direct guidance from them. Do not do this over an email. Do it over the phone at the worst, preferably in person. They get it. You are 18, and have yet to understand everything, or for many that take the exam with the folks standing over their shoulder while filling out the DoDMERB intake as a HS senior (17 yrs old) will lie about trying marijuana or alcohol due to the fact that they don't want to disappoint the folks.

Don't fret, you are in front of the 8 ball. You are not the 1st or last 18 yr incoming freshmen that now has that fear.
 
Pima said:
Contact your CoC and get direct guidance from them. Do not do this over an email. Do it over the phone at the worst, preferably in person. They get it. You are 18, and have yet to understand everything, or for many that take the exam with the folks standing over their shoulder while filling out the DoDMERB intake as a HS senior (17 yrs old) will lie about trying marijuana or alcohol due to the fact that they don't want to disappoint the folks.

Don't fret, you are in front of the 8 ball. You are not the 1st or last 18 yr incoming freshmen that now has that fear.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this. I'm going to call and explain my confusion, my regret, the parental pressure, etc. Here's hoping it all goes well.
 
agree, do not email. whatever you do you do not want it written down anywhere.
 
On my AFROTC scholarship application I checked No on whether or not I used Marijuana. At the interview I checked yes because I wanted to be honest and also thought I had checked yes on my application. Am I screwed now for the scholarship? Help!!!
 
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