past marijuana use

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academyforums

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I experimented with marijuana for a short period 6 months ago. I will never do it again. I was not thinking when I made the bad decision do do it.
Will this prevent me from being able to be accepted to the academy?
 
you and 92% of kids in high school. past experimentation does not disqualify you but i dont think it will help you either. the most important thing is that you are honest and that you dont do it again, bc if you fail a drug test you're donzoo
 
For someone who wants to go to a SA could you have made a worse choice than drugs? It'll probably hurt you quite a bit....
 
If you are honest about it, it will not hurt too much. It is not an automatic disqualifier.
 
I guess I was wrong about how much it'll hurt you then. I always thought it pretty much killed it.
 
McCoy said:
I guess I was wrong about how much it'll hurt you then. I always thought it pretty much killed it.
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Nope, I had at least one friend in my class who admitted on the application. He graduated with me last May. :D

A bigger issue is when clearances come around. There will be a lot more questions on drug use, a few disqualifying career clearance for drug use, and some investigating. Will be quite a nuisance for a TS clearance.
 
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Dont change your story

TO ERR IS HUMAN...SOME ARE MORE HUMAN THAN OTHERS

Having broken the law by using drugs is bad. But lying will get you into way more trouble, especially when considering a security clearance. Dont let them find out that you have different papers in your record with different recollections of your illicit drug use. The best way to ensure that your story doesnt change throughout your career or doesnt match friends that get interviewed is to tell the truth.

Why is military officer allways one of the highest respected career in any survey. Integrity!

Not to say we dont have folks with questionable integrity, we do. But when their caught we tend to treat them pretty harshly. More so for lying than the initial infraction.

When going through my initial AF training we had an academy grad who was kicked out of the AF 3 months after commisioning. Not for stealing a pair of sunglasses from the BX, but for lying about it under oath.

Your talking about it on the forumn demonstrates your willingness to admit your infraction. Ive known plenty to get a high level clearance with similar infractions. But only if the story was reasonable and consistant.
 
McCoy said:
I guess I was wrong about how much it'll hurt you then. I always thought it pretty much killed it.
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In MA you get a $100 civil citation similar to a parking ticket if you get caught smoking weed or possess under an ounce. If they refused to accept people into the military because they had smoked there would be like 10 people on active duty.
 
bugsy is right here. Learn from this and move on. Because if you don't and lie in the future, it could cost you alot.

RGK
 
I can tell you exactly what will happen......

You will get to the question on the application form that asks..."Have you ever..." and you will sit there for an hour and a half debating whether to put yes or no. These people don't know you so how would they ever find out. Maybe/maybe not. It is your choice.

You put YES feeling real good that you didn't lie about it, you press enter thinking you can move on to the next question.....WRONG. Another screen pops up. They want to know..When did you do it, why did you do it, where were you, what did you do it for, how did you feel when you were doing it and, of course, why did you do it. Not to mention do you think it should be legal and would you ever do it again.

Now after submitting the application you get a call concerning your admittance of trying marijuana. You are open and honest about what had happened 2 years prior and explain that it was a decision you regretted and would change it if you could. You were completely honest on your application, even with risk of not being admitted. You tell them that you fully understand everything USAFA stands for; integrity first, character, leadership, service, and how you embody all those characteristics. You explain your truthfulness is a testament to that and emphasize your desire to serve your country and how much you want to be an officer in the United States Air Force.

Now, I'm not saying this will happend to all applicants but it did in my daughter's case. She will be Recognized this week :thumb:

Class of 2014
Like a Machine
 
pinkharley99 said:
I can tell you exactly what will happen......

You will get to the question on the application form that asks..."Have you ever..." and you will sit there for an hour and a half debating whether to put yes or no. These people don't know you so how would they ever find out. Maybe/maybe not. It is your choice.

You put YES feeling real good that you didn't lie about it, you press enter thinking you can move on to the next question.....WRONG. Another screen pops up. They want to know..When did you do it, why did you do it, where were you, what did you do it for, how did you feel when you were doing it and, of course, why did you do it. Not to mention do you think it should be legal and would you ever do it again.

Now after submitting the application you get a call concerning your admittance of trying marijuana. You are open and honest about what had happened 2 years prior and explain that it was a decision you regretted and would change it if you could. You were completely honest on your application, even with risk of not being admitted. You tell them that you fully understand everything USAFA stands for; integrity first, character, leadership, service, and how you embody all those characteristics. You explain your truthfulness is a testament to that and emphasize your desire to serve your country and how much you want to be an officer in the United States Air Force.

Now, I'm not saying this will happend to all applicants but it did in my daughter's case. She will be Recognized this week :thumb:

Class of 2014
Like a Machine
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AWESOME POST!!! :yay:

And precisely what will happen to anyone now.

The first thing folks MUST MUST MUST realize is that "trying, experimenting, etc." with marijuana or any other ILLEGAL drug is a crime. The SA will want to know why you WILLINGLY committed a crime. Or if in your state its not a "crime" but like a traffic ticket, they'll still want to know "WHY?"

BE HONEST!!!

Honesty/Integrity is the backbone of the military: officer/NCO/airman...ALL must have this and must be able to trust that their juniors/seniors are also worthy of that trust.

By being HONEST and knowing this is SERIOUS...you show YOUR integrity to US, the USAF (insert any other service as applicable) and show you're worthy of our consideration.

I've had several candidates that admitted to "experimentation" and documented that. And they were nervous, scared, and worried that they just ended their dream.

It NEVER kept any of them out. They didn't all get appointments but not one was rejected for prior drug "use/experimentation."

ONE candidate I had in the past was kept out...

But he was a "serial experimenter", and it wasn't just "weed..."

A GREAT POST and explanation of "first hand experience!" :thumb:

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
Integrity is a big deal.

If you graduate, you WILL get noticeably angry at anyone who doesn't act with integrity. Personal honesty and the expectation of it in those around you will be ingrained in you, and that is a good thing, IMO.
 
I tried marijuana about a year ago and admitted it on the application. I received an appointment in November, so it obviously didn't hurt me too much. As long as you didn't do anything more than you're fine. I almost feel like admitting to it can help you, because they're looking for integrity at the Academy. You're standing out from the vast majority of kids who will deny having ever smoked it even though, statistically, most have. As long as you make it clear that that's ALL you did and you'll never do it again you don't need to sweat it
 
taylor317 said:
I tried marijuana about a year ago and admitted it on the application. I received an appointment in November, so it obviously didn't hurt me too much. As long as you didn't do anything more than you're fine. I almost feel like admitting to it can help you, because they're looking for integrity at the Academy. You're standing out from the vast majority of kids who will deny having ever smoked it even though, statistically, most have. As long as you make it clear that that's ALL you did and you'll never do it again you don't need to sweat it
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taylor317

You showed class, character and integrity


RGK
 
I agree

rkrosnar said:
taylor317

You showed class, character and integrity


RGK
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I agree, although if you really haven't ever used drugs I feel like it may put you at a disadvantage because honestly, who's to say you aren't lying besides yourself? The biggest thing for a future officer is that they are willing to accept responsibility for their mistakes and learn from them. Most people have used one kind of drug or another. If you have spent time in college as I have, you will have been exposed to everything from marijuana to extacy to cocaine. I managed not to use drugs of any kind but I think they are going to look at my application and be like "yeah right."
 
bjschick said:
I agree, although if you really haven't ever used drugs I feel like it may put you at a disadvantage because honestly, who's to say you aren't lying besides yourself? The biggest thing for a future officer is that they are willing to accept responsibility for their mistakes and learn from them. Most people have used one kind of drug or another. If you have spent time in college as I have, you will have been exposed to everything from marijuana to extacy to cocaine. I managed not to use drugs of any kind but I think they are going to look at my application and be like "yeah right."
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bjschick: This is the 2nd post that you eluded to that the overwhelming majority of applicants/cadets have tried/used drugs. And that if the air force didn't take anyone who's used drugs, they'd only have a handful of people in the air force. Sorry to say, but you're wrong. Using/have used drugs by air force personnel is not the "Norm" you want to continue promoting. Some have/do; no doubt. But not the amount you want to believe. I understand that at your age you must think that "Everyone Does/has done it". Well, i can tell you that just isn't so.

For the others: If you've used drugs and are applying, then definitely admit it in the application. It will eventually catch up to you, and during the application process, they are much more lenient. If they find out a couple years from now that you lied on your application, all bets are off.

For those considering applying to the academy and you haven't used/tried drugs. Good for you. Don't be stupid and try them. Not everyone tries them. You won't be in some social minority of peer pressure if you simply "Just say no". It's your future and your life. In or out of the academy/military. Peer pressure is simply an excuse. If you're mature enough to accept an appointment to an academy and potentially put your life at risk to die for your country; then you're mature enough to tell your peers to "Piss Off" when the so called peer pressure comes to you.

Best of luck to everyone. mike....
 
CC, I agree with you completely. I know neither of my sons have ever tried drugs. My oldest son is at the Academy and he has told me that some of his friends there have done them in the past, with the operative word being PAST.
 
Christcorp said:
bjschick: This is the 2nd post that you eluded to that the overwhelming majority of applicants/cadets have tried/used drugs. And that if the air force didn't take anyone who's used drugs, they'd only have a handful of people in the air force. Sorry to say, but you're wrong. Using/have used drugs by air force personnel is not the "Norm" you want to continue promoting. Some have/do; no doubt. But not the amount you want to believe. I understand that at your age you must think that "Everyone Does/has done it". Well, i can tell you that just isn't so.
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As you have served and I have not, I defer to you. My point was only that a very large percentage of young people have used drugs and it would not be shocking to find out that many USAFA applicants have experimented.
 
bjschick said:
As you have served and I have not, I defer to you. My point was only that a very large percentage of young people have used drugs and it would not be shocking to find out that many USAFA applicants have experimented.
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Thank you for trying to degrade the quality of the people that go to the Air Force Academy. I think you are wrong about this. The people that go here are people that hold themselves to high levels of integrity, and that is not something you can just start doing when you get here. It is a life long thing.
 
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