Experimented with Marijuana after Appointment (What Will Happen?)

One of the FIRST lessons beaten into me when I arrived at my first ops unit was to just shut up and stop digging the hole I was already in any further. That lesson seems to be getting harder to understand in these younger generations these days.

So, here is that lesson ONCE AGAIN. The correct answer is NOT to give an apology that includes ANYTHING that appears like quibbling or an excuse. If you're using ANY language that even hints of a "yeah, but...." You're WRONG. Your superiors don't want to hear an excuse, they just want to hear you're sorry and nothing else.

Bottonl line: the correct answer here is: "Sorry, my bad. I won't let it happen again".

And knowing is half the battle......
 
TheGrandInquisitor said:
I will be more cautious as to think before I speak in the future. So lesson learned.
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Hope so. I think that all of older folks forgot what it was like before we knew what we didn't know. In 5 years no one will remember this thread and the glorious waste of time it was. Thanks CC for the pie pics. Bullet - thanks for your concise eloquence.

In the words of President Reagan, "Mr. Moderator, lock this thread!"
 
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I was in his shoes

As once part of the Class of 2018, I was turned away during In-Processing due to me experimenting with marijuana after signing my 2030 form sometime earlier this year.
Since then, I have not slept. I can't sleep. I can't explain the regret towards initialing my name next to the "Yes" under marijuana. I understand that being part of the USAFA means having a strong moral character, but I was never addicted to drugs. I never bought drugs. I simply tasted it once, and am content with never touching it again. However, the punishment I received for simply telling the truth is too much. I am simply lost at this point in life. I've been told by too many (including Air Force officials) that my academic potential would be ruined if I just enlist, but it is too late to go to most colleges. I could try and apply to the USAFA again for the Class of 2019, but no one is really telling me what my chances are, if there is even a point to it. I know many of you reading this look at me with disgust and a "How could you!?" tone (at least after reading most of this thread), but you judge too harshly. Who I could've been after the academy, a person with his full academic and leadership potential unlocked, outweigh the simple act of huffing a drug that is slowly becoming legal. I am not advocating the use of marijuana, but I do not think an 18 year-old should be left stranded in the middle of his post-high school summer with no colleges left to apply to and nothing to show for all his hard work. Don't get me wrong, when I first found out about my appointment being rescinded, I did not cry like the other cadets. I accepted in a heartbeat, with all intentions of trying again next year. But I am lost on the short-term, what to do till applications finish and results are in. I am not asking for your pity, because I doubt most of you would give it. But as a ex-cadet who now lives by himself after pursuing the academy all on his own with no support, I am simply just tired.
I just needed somewhere to vent. With no one to talk to (everyone leaving for college and whatnot), it's hard to find someone who can understand what you're going through. And, honestly, I hope the original owner of this thread, my ex-fellow cadet, did NOT mention he smoked marijuana. Because it's not worth it.
 
Well, smoking pot was a dumb choice.

Having said that, relax, reset, and refocus. Your life is not over. You made a dumb choice and it had some negative consequences. That is not a terminal mistake. You aren't dead, in prison, unemployable, etc. You had the smarts and ability to get into one of the toughest schools in the country. You still have plenty of options, although this set-back will mean a bit of a delay--but delays happen.

What you need to do now is take care of your immediate needs and start taking steps to set yourself up for the next go. If you still want to make a career out of the Air Force, you need to figure out what your options are, evaluate them, and act. If you decide on another college route, look into that. If you are so upset that you are off the college route, there are plenty of skilled career fields that need people, too.

One of my instructors at USAFA was a recruited athlete. By the end of his second year, he was so pissed-off and cynical that he quit. He didn't have a back-up plan, and wound up working low-paying and tough jobs just to keep a roof over his head. Eventually, he realized the opportunity that he threw away, and begged to get back in. He graduated after being accepted a second time. I don't know if you'll get back into a commissioning program or not, but you need to keep moving. Forward or sideways, just don't go backwards!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."--Churchill
Any life worth living is going to have challenges. Now is your opportunity to take the consequences of a dumb decision and make it a learning point and springboard to better decision making and a better future.
 
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Well I suppose we have an answer to the following question:
aglages said:
Regardless of how forgiving/understanding some posters have suggested we should be.....will the powers that be at USAFA understand/forgive this one mistake and allow the OP to in-process on I-Day this year?
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USAFA doesn't seem to be leaning towards understanding and forgiveness when it comes to drug use, even one time use......especially after you have been awarded an Appointment.

Good Luck poptart1595 with your future choices/decisions. I'm sure there are many wonderful opportunities ahead for you.:thumb:
 
First, in the long run, you did the right thing by being honest. May not seem that way right now, but it will someday. You did the honorable thing. Unfortunately, it's not always (or usually) the easy thing nor does it always immediately produce the most ideal results. But in the long run, it speaks to the person you are.

The moral of this story is not that others should lie but that, in today's military, drugs are not tolerated. Period. My guess is that USAFA views receiving an appointment as akin to being in the military -- before that, there may be some latitude; after an appointment, it's as if you'd done drugs while at USAFA.

Having no experience with the USAF/USAFA, I can't tell you what your options are in terms of reapplying, entering another commissioning source, etc. If serving is still your dream, do the best you can this year in terms of college, work, sports, etc. and then at least reapply. Show them what you've learned from this experience. It might work; it might not.
 
My biggest problem is that the Air Force Admissions Office (even when I told them all my current plans about reapplying) can't give me a straight answer if it's worth it or not. I've talked to a bunch of counselors, and no one has any idea. I would love to reapply (I think I'm going to NWP this year, if they don't think I'm overqualified like I was for the other prep schools) but I don't wanna go on this long process if all I'm going to get at the end is a "no" because of experimenting with drugs last year (which would be 2 years ago if I apply again). Does anyone know of a similar situation like this? I'd be really pissed if I get to in-processing day again only to get kicked out again for a reason they already knew about. Heck, you could probably sue them if they did that.
 
poptart1595 said:
My biggest problem is that the Air Force Admissions Office (even when I told them all my current plans about reapplying) can't give me a straight answer if it's worth it or not. I've talked to a bunch of counselors, and no one has any idea. I would love to reapply (I think I'm going to NWP this year, if they don't think I'm overqualified like I was for the other prep schools) but I don't wanna go on this long process if all I'm going to get at the end is a "no" because of experimenting with drugs last year (which would be 2 years ago if I apply again). Does anyone know of a similar situation like this? I'd be really pissed if I get to in-processing day again only to get kicked out again for a reason they already knew about. Heck, you could probably sue them if they did that.
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Do you think someone is going to stick their neck out now and give you a definitive answer? In the adult world the word 'depends' gets thrown around a lot. Its not their problem so they're aren't going to commit any part of their career on someone who wants them to tell him how in a perfect world things will be so someone tell him now if that's good enough. In the adult world you're going to have to show them yours, long before they're going to show you there's now. Deal with it and worry about holding up your end first, that will be a novel approach.
 
No one can give you a good answer on whether or not it is "worth" applying again. The questions you need to ask go more along the lines of "Am I still qualified to apply next year?"
 
poptart1595 said:
As once part of the Class of 2018, I was turned away during In-Processing due to me experimenting with marijuana after signing my 2030 form sometime earlier this year.
Since then, I have not slept. I can't sleep. I can't explain the regret towards initialing my name next to the "Yes" under marijuana. I understand that being part of the USAFA means having a strong moral character, but I was never addicted to drugs. I never bought drugs. I simply tasted it once, and am content with never touching it again. However, the punishment I received for simply telling the truth is too much. I am simply lost at this point in life. I've been told by too many (including Air Force officials) that my academic potential would be ruined if I just enlist, but it is too late to go to most colleges. I could try and apply to the USAFA again for the Class of 2019, but no one is really telling me what my chances are, if there is even a point to it. I know many of you reading this look at me with disgust and a "How could you!?" tone (at least after reading most of this thread), but you judge too harshly. Who I could've been after the academy, a person with his full academic and leadership potential unlocked, outweigh the simple act of huffing a drug that is slowly becoming legal. I am not advocating the use of marijuana, but I do not think an 18 year-old should be left stranded in the middle of his post-high school summer with no colleges left to apply to and nothing to show for all his hard work. Don't get me wrong, when I first found out about my appointment being rescinded, I did not cry like the other cadets. I accepted in a heartbeat, with all intentions of trying again next year. But I am lost on the short-term, what to do till applications finish and results are in. I am not asking for your pity, because I doubt most of you would give it. But as a ex-cadet who now lives by himself after pursuing the academy all on his own with no support, I am simply just tired.
I just needed somewhere to vent. With no one to talk to (everyone leaving for college and whatnot), it's hard to find someone who can understand what you're going through. And, honestly, I hope the original owner of this thread, my ex-fellow cadet, did NOT mention he smoked marijuana. Because it's not worth it.
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I know everything is hard right now, and facing the consequences of your decision is tough, but you should never regret maintaining your integrity. Think of the crushing guilt you would be facing had you lied in the first place. Yes, you made a bad decision, but at least you didn't follow it up with another one. That being said, the school is so competitive and they are looking for the best of the best, so its unsurprising that they rescinded your appointment, because there were 1oo or more well-qualified kids on the wait list who likely didn't smoke. As to whether it is "worth it" to re-apply and go through all of that difficulty, only you can decide. If you do all the paper work and all the essays and interviews and show up at USAFA only to be turned away on I-day, at least you know you did everything you could to make up for your mistake. If you give up now, you may always ask yourself "what if?" Best of luck to you and I hope you choose the whatever is right for YOU.
 
poptart1595 said:
My biggest problem is that the Air Force Admissions Office (even when I told them all my current plans about reapplying) can't give me a straight answer if it's worth it or not. I've talked to a bunch of counselors, and no one has any idea. I would love to reapply (I think I'm going to NWP this year, if they don't think I'm overqualified like I was for the other prep schools) but I don't wanna go on this long process if all I'm going to get at the end is a "no" because of experimenting with drugs last year (which would be 2 years ago if I apply again). Does anyone know of a similar situation like this? I'd be really pissed if I get to in-processing day again only to get kicked out again for a reason they already knew about. Heck, you could probably sue them if they did that.
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Prep schools are for students who need further academic preparation to be ready for the rigors of the SAs. You were already admitted to USAFA; you don't need a prep school. As you know, there's no guarantee of admission, and if you DO attend NWP, you don't earn college credit.

I know you're reeling right now, but you have to take a long view. Enroll in college this fall - even plebe-level courses at a community college. Get a job, and resume some leadership activities. Let the dust settle with USAFA for now - remember that they're still winding down the c/o 2018 and not yet quite winding up for 2019. As long as no one in admissions tells you flat-out no, you move forward with your admission and nomination apps, if this is what matters to you. Meantime, you hedge your bets a bit and pick the horse most likely to finish and win, which is college courses. If you are not admitted to USAFA this year, you still have college credit, which can transfer to a four-year college or uni.

Good luck.
 
Second Chances

Poptart:

I cannot speak to your specific situation, but possibly my DD's story can give you some food for thought. My DD had ACCEPTED an appointment last year as part of the Class of 2017. 30 days before I-Day, she rescinded her appointment. She had not done anything "wrong", but was struggling with whether she was doing the right thing based on her religious convictions.

She called the ALO, Admissions and her Senator. She petitioned to get accepted to the local University. She took a proactive approach and was able to get accepted (and even scholarships). YOU are an amazing kid with a strong track record if you were qualified for the AFA, so most universities would be interested in you.

Mid-way through Fall semester, DD started having second thoughts. Having grown alot through her decision, lots of prayer and counsel, she determined that she was not willing to give up on her aspirations. She started the application process ALL over again. The ALO grilled her unmercifully and required her to join the university ROTC program to "get her feet wet". She jumped in with both feet. In her essays, she hit the topic head on and showed growth, character and honesty.

At no point along the way did she have any guarantees. In fact, we were all very leery as to whether she would even be considered.

At the end of the day, she received a second chance and an appointment for the Class of 2018. She was excited (and scared to death). In her first letter home this week, she talked about BCT being the most difficult thing she has ever faced, yet, she is determined and will persevere.

Again, two very different circumstances but DD's circumstances show that second chances do exist. As so many have said on this post... it is how you grow from your mistakes that will demonstrate your true character and abilities.

Best of luck to you.

PS: Some will say I'm a hypocrite, as I was critical of the original poster. It was very difficult for me, as a parent, to know that my daughter had taken a spot from someone who had REALLY wanted/earned it, and waited until it was too late for someone on the wait list to be called up.
 
To finally clarify - if a candidate has a past of "experimenting" (<3 uses) with marijuana, has not taken it within time for it to appear on the DoDMERB, and will not take it again, and admits to it on his/her 2030 form, s/he will be safe from dismissal? If s/he doesn't admit to it and there is no positive testing, what does that result in?

I'm sorry to beat a dead horse but I'd just like a clarification.
 
JMPO....if ALL the following is true:
you don't admit to using marijuana
you have no arrest record for using marijuana
you do not test positive for marijuana
none of the people (if any) that know you smoked marijuana mention it to an investigator during a secret clearance background check
THEN you will not lose your Appointment (if you already have one) and it will not be a factor in whether you receive an Appointment and eventually a commission.

NOW.....whether being dishonest is the best/correct way to start your military career.....that is another question entirely and one for YOU to make.

One thing seems fairly clear: If you use drugs after you receive your Appointment (even if it's only marijuana and only once) and then admit it at I-Day.....you'll be sent home. At least based on what we've read/heard on this thread.

However it may be OK providing that you did NOT inhale.
 
aglages said:
JMPO....if ALL the following is true:
you don't admit to using marijuana
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If you do admit it on DoDMERB forms, then what happens? Does it hurt you chances for being accepted, even destroy them? For me there were 3 times in the last month, after which I swore to never do it again. I will do my best to prove myself worthy of appointment to the AFA, but I'm afraid the damage has already been done. Either way, I don't plan on not admitting to my mistakes.

Just out of curiosity though, if I weren't to admit to using it, wouldn't there be other times where the AF would ask me like security clearings?
 
People have received Appointments after admitting smoking marijuana. I don't know/remember if there was a limit on how many times they smoked and were forgiven or how recently they partook.

I believe you will be asked again about any drug use on your security clearances and almost certainly if you've admitted prior use.
 
I used marijuana more than 3 times during the summer of 2009. The summer between my junior and senior year of high school.

I personally admitted to drug use when I applied for ROTC at a state school in 2010. I was turned down.

I personally admitted to drug use when I enlisted in the USAF in 2011.

I personally admitted to drug use during my investigation for the necessary clearances for my enlisted job. I received the clearance

I personally admitted to drug use when I applied for the AFA in 2012. I was accepted into the USAFA Prep.

Finally, I personally admitted to drug use on the day I in-processed at the Academy proper just last year. Now here I am, about to start my sophomore year.

Poptart, I understand your distress. I've BEEN there. It can happen, but I believe that every situation is evaluated on a case by case basis. Air Force Academy Admissions policy changes every year. It is up to you to decide whether or not it is worth your time to apply again.
 
AFrpaso said:
Poptart, I understand your distress. I've BEEN there. It can happen, but I believe that every situation is evaluated on a case by case basis. Air Force Academy Admissions policy changes every year. It is up to you to decide whether or not it is worth your time to apply again.
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So there is no automatic disqualification from AFA for 3 uses of marijuana? I assume it would decrease your chances regardless though. I also assume it's the same with the other academies?
 
AFrpaso said:
I personally admitted to drug use when I applied for the AFA in 2012. I was accepted into the USAFA Prep.
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That was about 3 years after your last drug use?
AFrpaso said:
Finally, I personally admitted to drug use on the day I in-processed at the Academy proper just last year.
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That was about 4 years after your last drug use?

Did you admit to any drug use after the Summer of 2009?

Just trying to get an idea of whether how much time you were "drug free" may have had an influence on the AF and USAFA's decision making process or whether it's all about the timing (luck) of when you apply.
 
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