Smoked weed once, will I be disqualified?

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USNAcandidate0729

Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2016
Messages
10
Hello,
About a week ago, I was out with a friend on a day where I was extremely stressed and going through a lot in my personal life. As we were together, he suggested I get high with him to help myself calm down. Stupidly, I agreed. I did not know how to say no to him, but I also just made a poor decision which I accept full responsibility for. I only took about three hits of the blunt, and I have not yet taken my medical exam. I've been told that you're not drug tested during the medical exam, but regardless, I am going to come clean about my actions. This is the one and only time that I have ever smoked weed, I've actually never even smoked anything as a whole. I also got the call today that I am my congressman's top candidate and that I received nominations to USNA, USMA, and USMMA. Will my irresponsible actions disqualify me for acceptance? I am fully aware of the stupidity of my actions, and I do not plan on ever even being around weed again. I am applying for USNA class of 2021.
Thanks
 
USNAcandidate0729 said:
Hello,
About a week ago, I was out with a friend on a day where I was extremely stressed and going through a lot in my personal life. As we were together, he suggested I get high with him to help myself calm down. Stupidly, I agreed. I did not know how to say no to him, but I also just made a poor decision which I accept full responsibility for. I only took about three hits of the blunt, and I have not yet taken my medical exam. I've been told that you're not drug tested during the medical exam, but regardless, I am going to come clean about my actions. This is the one and only time that I have ever smoked weed, I've actually never even smoked anything as a whole. I also got the call today that I am my congressman's top candidate and that I received nominations to USNA, USMA, and USMMA. Will my irresponsible actions disqualify me for acceptance? I am fully aware of the stupidity of my actions, and I do not plan on ever even being around weed again. I am applying for USNA class of 2021.
Thanks
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My friend who reported smoking pot got into USMMA...but this is kind of a sketchy situation. You smoked the pot so late in the game, already knowing that you were going to be a candidate for USMA, USNA, and USMMA. This would concern me, and if you say, "Yeah, I was going through a lot so I...." it really doesn't look good. A service academy is a pressure cooker, and it's meant to be that way, especially your plebe year. It makes you seem like someone who can't make sound decisions under pressure, which is ultimately a key determinant of a good officer.

If it was me, and it was a one time thing, I probably wouldn't report it. I mean, for god's sake...you took 3 hits of a blunt. Literally means nothing in the long run. It's what an accountant or lawyer would refer to as "immaterial".
 
MMA19kid said:
My friend who reported smoking pot got into USMMA...but this is kind of a sketchy situation. You smoked the pot so late in the game, already knowing that you were going to be a candidate for USMA, USNA, and USMMA. This would concern me, and if you say, "Yeah, I was going through a lot so I...." it really doesn't look good. A service academy is a pressure cooker, and it's meant to be that way, especially your plebe year. It makes you seem like someone who can't make sound decisions under pressure, which is ultimately a key determinant of a good officer.

If it was me, and it was a one time thing, I probably wouldn't report it. I mean, for god's sake...you took 3 hits of a blunt. Literally means nothing in the long run. It's what an accountant or lawyer would refer to as "immaterial".
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I see what you're saying. I'm just not sure what to do. Also, I actually do extremely well under pressure, but I guess it was just his suggestion and me not knowing how to say no. Again, I accept full responsibility. However, at the time I was not yet informed that I had received three nominations. It was an extremely poor decision and honestly the biggest regret of my life. But I am worried that they will find out about it, because even though I only took three hits, I have read cases where the THC levels have stayed in a person's body for months. I don't want to lie about it, and I have also seen many people say that they fessed up to it and still got accepted. I'm very lost as to what to do.
 
USNAcandidate0729 said:
I see what you're saying. I'm just not sure what to do. Also, I actually do extremely well under pressure, but I guess it was just his suggestion and me not knowing how to say no. Again, I accept full responsibility. However, at the time I was not yet informed that I had received three nominations. It was an extremely poor decision and honestly the biggest regret of my life. But I am worried that they will find out about it, because even though I only took three hits, I have read cases where the THC levels have stayed in a person's body for months. I don't want to lie about it, and I have also seen many people say that they fessed up to it and still got accepted. I'm very lost as to what to do.
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The THC could stay in your body for months if you had high bodyfat, etc but you have till R day of 2017....more than enough time for me to say with a 100% guarantee that you will not test positive.
 
Tell the truth.

Also, not trying to be harsh here, but your explanation comes off sounding kind of lame. You say you take full responsibility but your explanation comes off sounding like you are trying to make excuses for your behavior.

Look at some past threads on this forum about one-time drug/alcohol use. If you are being honest about this being a one-time-only thing and you truly don't have any other instances of drug or alcohol use I doubt this will hurt you - unless you don't take full responsibility. Forget about the "I was extremely stressed" excuse, peer pressure excuse or any other excuse. You made a poor decision that you now regret and will not repeat. Don't start your journey as a future military leader with a lie.
 
Dadof2 said:
Don't start your journey as a future military leader with a lie.
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This.

I agree with this 1000 times.

My son was honest about his one time use and still received a MOC nomination and a AROTC scholarship.

He doesn't ever have to worry about them ever catching up to a lie years later. Don't spend the rest of your life worried that somehow they will find out.

Be direct and honest.
 
A few thoughts. First, tell the truth. If you don't, it will nag at you the rest of your life, not to mention there's always the possibility the truth will out. Second, this one incident may or may not make a difference in your application. The USNA admissions process is hyper-competitive and if it's between someone as good as you w/o the drug issue . . . who knows? Third, agree with the above poster who said the timing -- very recent vs. something you did as a freshman or sophomore -- isn't going to help. Typically, USNA likes to see that someone has learned from their mistake, etc. When the mistake was made a week ago, kind of hard to have that happen, or at least to demonstrate that it's happened.

Finally, you undoubtedly know this but it bears saying. USNA and the military in general have a zero tolerance policy for drug use. They drug test all the time and one mistake is the end of your career. Period. And there will be "opportunities" to use drugs while at USNA and in the USN/USMC. NOT suggesting your military peers will encourage you to do so (though a few might) but you will be in communities and with other people who will make drugs available to you. Walking through the doors of Bancroft Hall doesn't suddenly imbue you with willpower.

The above is not to "beat on" you. But you do need to think seriously about the future and how you will change so as not to be persuaded by others to do something like this. That is what USNA will want to know.
 
Tell the truth and get it behind you. I know several kids in your situation and were remorseful. All was forgiven.
 
Personally witnessed a conduct board with the Commandant for a 1/C that popped positive.

His "buddy" had some hot sauce spiked with THC in the fridge and this mid put some on a sandwich without knowing what it was.

Maybe a shady story, maybe not even his fault, whatever. The Commandant was not merciful. This was March or so, second semester, a couple of months from graduation.

Don't hang around with people back home that do have that stuff lying around on the daily. Make better friends. Once you do get in, it is seriously zero tolerance, you will not get a second chance regardless of class or accomplishments.
 
nuensis said:
Personally witnessed a conduct board with the Commandant for a 1/C that popped positive.

His "buddy" had some hot sauce spiked with THC in the fridge and this mid put some on a sandwich without knowing what it was.

Maybe a shady story, maybe not even his fault, whatever. The Commandant was not merciful. This was March or so, second semester, a couple of months from graduation.

Don't hang around with people back home that do have that stuff lying around on the daily. Make better friends. Once you do get in, it is seriously zero tolerance, you will not get a second chance regardless of class or accomplishments.
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The commandant probably wasn't merciful because this sounds like a BS story...honestly.
 
Thought I would chime in with my own experience. Many years ago I submitted my paperwork for security clearance and when it came to the questions of drug use, I said that I had never used anything and got my clearance. Time passess, societal norms change, and a couple of years ago when I needed to renew my clearance, not remembering what I had put in my previous applications, I told the truth that I had smoked a little pot in college. Well, that did not correspond to what I had submitted in earlier years and that almost cost me my security clearance. They do keep those records of what you said and they do check them. I was grilled on this by the person in charge of processing my security clearance application.

Moral of the story - honesty (or lack thereof) is more important than if you smoked a little weed or not. You should not lie as when you age, as I have, you will not remember your lies.
 
At the time you filled out your drug form on the application you had not done this. I'm not sure what you're planning on doing but why would you say something unless asked? Does the form specify that you notify them if later you take three hits on a joint? If it does, by all means follow the rules. Tell the truth always.
 
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IMHO, the service academies are not a very good place to be for people that have any issues with drugs, alcohol, or peer pressure. The consequences are simply too severe. There is also the issue of security clearance as mentioned above. Perhaps look at attending a regular civilian college then either applying to USNA later or join the Navy at a later date. You seem to be a very good candidate so your options will remain open. Also, consider staying away from your "friend".
 
@USNAcandidate0729

Have you thought through how to say "no" yet when future situations occur? (Rhetorical question)

You do know how to say no. You had trouble saying it in a situation that was fluid around the edges, and perhaps you didn't want to be uncool, or whatever phrase applies. Think about why you had trouble saying no.

You can actually say, briefly and casually, "no, thanks." No long explanations needed, no implied judgements, no awkwardness, no drama. Impulse control, self-discipline and personal values can all be worked on. They are also important to success in commissioning programs and military careers.

Recreational drugs were certainly on the scene in my HS and college days in the late 70's and 80's. I mastered saying "no, thanks" and changing the subject. If people were my true friends, they were fine with it. I had no problems saying no, one, because I am a total chicken about putting anything in my body that could cause me to be mentally altered in an unpredictable way, and two, because I was well aware that college scholarships and later, my military career depended on staying away from prohibited substances, and three, I knew it would break my parents' hearts. Let me add in four, I saw too many of my friends/classmates make poor decisions, with date rape, auto accidents, loss of scholarships, and other unfortunate results, and I didn't want to sabotage myself. I was, and remain, a flawed human being with many mistakes to my "credit," but I started growing a backbone in HS about that kind of stuff.

Figure out what your values are and what is most important to you, and act accordingly.

Be honest on the drug usage, the circumstances and your plan going forward. The timing is terrible, but one boneheaded decision does not a trend make.
 
USNAcandidate0729 said:
Hello,
About a week ago, I was out with a friend on a day where I was extremely stressed and going through a lot in my personal life. As we were together, he suggested I get high with him to help myself calm down. Stupidly, I agreed. I did not know how to say no to him, but I also just made a poor decision which I accept full responsibility for. I only took about three hits of the blunt, and I have not yet taken my medical exam. I've been told that you're not drug tested during the medical exam, but regardless, I am going to come clean about my actions. This is the one and only time that I have ever smoked weed, I've actually never even smoked anything as a whole. I also got the call today that I am my congressman's top candidate and that I received nominations to USNA, USMA, and USMMA. Will my irresponsible actions disqualify me for acceptance? I am fully aware of the stupidity of my actions, and I do not plan on ever even being around weed again. I am applying for USNA class of 2021.
Thanks
Click to expand...
A friend from long ago once said, "Never start your journey from under a shadow." Search your heart.
 
As other posters have all pointed out, honesty is the best policy. Risk / benefit of anything else is just not worth it.

Also agree the excuse does not engender a lot of sympathy. Own up to a big mistake, being human and I think you will find more understanding.
 
Just wanted to let you guys know that I attended my medical exams this week. Everything seemed to have gone well, I of course was honest about the weed. We'll see what happens
 
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