Used mj twice.. can I still get into usna?

Gupus27654

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Mar 25, 2017
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sophomore year of high school I made a terrible mistake of smoking twice with friends. I only took 2 hits each time (not sure if it matters) and was never high. I regret this decision completely and will never do it again. I'm very upset about this decision because things were looking promising for me with all my credentials. I'm wondering what is the procedure for when you admit to it on your application, and if in any way this can lessen my chance of getting in. I just want to make it clear I'm not making excuses for my actions and I take full responsibility. Is it hard to get a waiver for this? I ultimately just want to know what happens when you admit to it and if it makes me any less of a candidate. Thank you for the help
 
Is there even a question on the app that asks you if you have ever smoked? Anyways, marijuana doesn't stay in your system longer than two and half months, and that number is for people who are daily stoners. I don't know what the purpose for a waiver would be lol.
 
Is there even a question on the app that asks you if you have ever smoked? Anyways, marijuana doesn't stay in your system longer than two and half months, and that number is for people who are daily stoners. I don't know what the purpose for a waiver would be lol.

I've heard on the medical part they ask you "have you ever..." and then so on. So that's what I'm referring to
 
The DoDMERB Report of Medical History (DD Form 2492) does indeed have questions regarding prior use of Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Cocaine, Narcotic Drugs, Marijuana, Alcohol, Chemical Inhalants, and Hallucinogens. Marking any of these as "Yes" will require an explanation.

The USAFA also requires completion of the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Certificate (AF Form 2030).

Sorry, I can't tell you how your prior use will impact your application to the USNA or another SA.
 
The DoDMERB Report of Medical History (DD Form 2492) does indeed have questions regarding prior use of Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Cocaine, Narcotic Drugs, Marijuana, Alcohol, Chemical Inhalants, and Hallucinogens. Marking any of these as "Yes" will require an explanation.

The USAFA also requires completion of the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Certificate (AF Form 2030).

Sorry, I can't tell you how your prior use will impact your application to the USNA or another SA.
Does marking "yes" mean that you automatically require a waiver to be considered?
 
Does marking "yes" mean that you automatically require a waiver to be considered?

The best choice is to be honest. You will be asked this question many times in medical histories. Telling the truth keeps life simple. Many candidates have done the same thing. There is a difference between experimentation and habitual usage or addiction.

DODMERB Qs or DQs per an accession standard. The individual services decide to waive or not waive per their own internal requirements.

See p. 48 in the accession standards below:


http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf

See this too, as an example of what USNA looks at:
https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/_files/documents/MedicalAppendix1.pdf
 
Just say no..... Don't let it affect your future

I really hope you are not a new cadet entering in 2021. If you are, you need to evaluate your priorities and morals as they relate to being an officer in the military. Your word is your bond and if you cannot be trusted to answer simple questions honestly, you might have picked the wrong career.
 
Fully echo 1994's comments.

For the OP, two thoughts. First, it could affect your chances. May depend on when you used MJ (freshman year or last week). Second, the military has a zero-tolerance policy for drug use. They random test you constantly and getting caught once as an officer (or mid) will get you dismissed. So, if you are likely to continue to use, including in stressful or peer-pressure situations, the military may not be for you.
 
To the OP, Answer the questions honestly. Saying you experimented with a drug two years ago will most likely not by a disqualifying factor by DODMERB. You will be asked the question again as your Secret clearance is processed. As you move through your career, same question would come up in a TS review or other security questions. The real problem would happen if you start to answer the questions differently. Answer truthfully and things will work out for the best.
 
I've heard on the medical part they ask you "have you ever..." and then so on. So that's what I'm referring to

Just say no..... Don't let it affect your future
WP...I didn't look up your status; and I'm not going to. I sincerely hope that you were "kidding" with this comment. Let me explain why.

ANY individual entering a service academy, or for that matter, the armed forces, will eventually complete the GSA Form SF-86: "Questionnaire for National Security Positions." For those of you that have never accomplished this form, let me say it's LONG, very very LONG (127 pages)...and detailed, and it asks questions back to grade school: "Who was your best friend, who is your best friend, give us three people you were friends with in high school, your favorite teacher, your job, etc...etc...etc..." It will ask everything about you. And why you ask? Because this form will be used to conduct a security background investigation for security clearances. A "basic" SF86 will start the ball rolling on a "BI" which is a background investigation: the result of this investigation could see you with a SECRET clearance.

Oh, did I forget to mention that your responses, and the legal status of the SF86, are governed under 5 CFR Parts 731, 732 and 736 which, among other things, makes lying on it criminal? This is taken directly from the instructions: "The US Criminal Code (Title 18, Section 1001) provides that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact is a felony which may result in fines/and or up to five (5) years imprisonment." Obviously this is a big deal.

Now...back to your comment: "just say no, don't let it affect your future." Lying will most definitely affect the OP's future! The investigation on the SF86 is thorough; extremely thorough. They will find out...they will speak with kids at your school, with your friends, neighbors, etc., and the comment will ultimately be something like "so I've heard that XXXX was a great kid, but made the mistake once of using weed...you know him well, it was just a one-time mistake, wasn't it?" And that person will help a friend and say something like "yeah, it was a stupid thing we did...only did it once, swore it off and NEVER did it again!" And the investigator will smile and write that down.

And that comment just killed the investigation and the individuals future.

Whereas, as an ALO I can tell you about dozens of candidates that I've worked with that came clean and said "Colonel...I did XX once/twice but never again..." and they said so on their application. Did it generate a bunch more paperwork for them? Yes, of course. Were they honest on all of it? Yes, they were. Was any of them DQ'd because of it? Of the ones I've dealt with, not a single one. And quite a few received appointments to various SA's. Each case is handled individually. But honesty is ALWAYS the best rule. Lie and be discovered and you're done, gone, outta there. Kids have been sent home during in-processing, during BCT, after acceptance...you will be found out.

A simple honest answer, and a bit more paperwork, and it's probably (no guarantee) a dead issue.

Just my $1.27...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
In addition to flieger's excellent post, hair testing for chemicals isn't a far off possibility. That will rat you out years into your past depending on the length of your hair.

Honesty is the best policy.
 
Something that hasn't been mentioned is why the question is important and whether it should be asked. I know the question can't be changed, but the fact that smoking twice in high school needs to be explained, or may be disqualifying, is simply shortsighted and wrong.

Is getting drunk off your ass (whether 21 or not) worse than smoking weed twice a couple years ago? Is alcohol more destructive than marijuana? Yes to each, of course.

I don't mean to turn this into a larger discussion, but if smoking weed twice can get one DQ'ed from a military academy, they'll be losing a lot of good, talented, and dedicated people. This is not the priesthood, after all.
 
I've heard on the medical part they ask you "have you ever..." and then so on. So that's what I'm referring to

Just say no..... Don't let it affect your future
WP...I didn't look up your status; and I'm not going to. I sincerely hope that you were "kidding" with this comment. Let me explain why.

ANY individual entering a service academy, or for that matter, the armed forces, will eventually complete the GSA Form SF-86: "Questionnaire for National Security Positions." For those of you that have never accomplished this form, let me say it's LONG, very very LONG (127 pages)...and detailed, and it asks questions back to grade school: "Who was your best friend, who is your best friend, give us three people you were friends with in high school, your favorite teacher, your job, etc...etc...etc..." It will ask everything about you. And why you ask? Because this form will be used to conduct a security background investigation for security clearances. A "basic" SF86 will start the ball rolling on a "BI" which is a background investigation: the result of this investigation could see you with a SECRET clearance.

Oh, did I forget to mention that your responses, and the legal status of the SF86, are governed under 5 CFR Parts 731, 732 and 736 which, among other things, makes lying on it criminal? This is taken directly from the instructions: "The US Criminal Code (Title 18, Section 1001) provides that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact is a felony which may result in fines/and or up to five (5) years imprisonment." Obviously this is a big deal.

Now...back to your comment: "just say no, don't let it affect your future." Lying will most definitely affect the OP's future! The investigation on the SF86 is thorough; extremely thorough. They will find out...they will speak with kids at your school, with your friends, neighbors, etc., and the comment will ultimately be something like "so I've heard that XXXX was a great kid, but made the mistake once of using weed...you know him well, it was just a one-time mistake, wasn't it?" And that person will help a friend and say something like "yeah, it was a stupid thing we did...only did it once, swore it off and NEVER did it again!" And the investigator will smile and write that down.

And that comment just killed the investigation and the individuals future.

Whereas, as an ALO I can tell you about dozens of candidates that I've worked with that came clean and said "Colonel...I did XX once/twice but never again..." and they said so on their application. Did it generate a bunch more paperwork for them? Yes, of course. Were they honest on all of it? Yes, they were. Was any of them DQ'd because of it? Of the ones I've dealt with, not a single one. And quite a few received appointments to various SA's. Each case is handled individually. But honesty is ALWAYS the best rule. Lie and be discovered and you're done, gone, outta there. Kids have been sent home during in-processing, during BCT, after acceptance...you will be found out.

A simple honest answer, and a bit more paperwork, and it's probably (no guarantee) a dead issue.

Just my $1.27...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Thank you so much for this response. I never thought lying was the right way to go, I just wanted to make sure that this stupid mistake I made wouldn't cost me my future. Ive worked so hard, and this response definitely helped a lot. I just have one more question, does this mean I absolutely need a waiver or can the doctor doing my exam or whatever just write it off? Im not sure if that sounds stupid but I'm not sure how that works. Anyways, on my application I will tell the truth and hope for the best. Thank you
 
IMHO, the doctor doing your exam probably cannot write it off. The DoDMERB will review of the input it receives (your report of medical history, report from medical examiner, report from optometric examiner) and then determine if you pass, if they need additional information, or if a waiver will be required.

As others have indicated, I would recommend being truthful, document your usage accurately, and then quickly respond to any queries it may generate.

BTW, this issue may give you some good source material regarding a personal moral dilemma for your admission essays.
 
How you choose to resolve your question has less to do with prior illicit drug use and much more to do with your character and integrity. Mistakes can be forgiven, especially when accompanied by true remorse and a resolve to never repeat. Dishonesty will not be forgiven. Choose wisely. Your answers will follow you. As others have correctly noted, honesty is always the best policy.
 
Something that hasn't been mentioned is why the question is important and whether it should be asked. I know the question can't be changed, but the fact that smoking twice in high school needs to be explained, or may be disqualifying, is simply shortsighted and wrong.

Is getting drunk off your ass (whether 21 or not) worse than smoking weed twice a couple years ago? Is alcohol more destructive than marijuana? Yes to each, of course.

I don't mean to turn this into a larger discussion, but if smoking weed twice can get one DQ'ed from a military academy, they'll be losing a lot of good, talented, and dedicated people. This is not the priesthood, after all.
Daninoah,

No, your question is valid and the points you make (opinion) are valid too!!

Is this "short sighted" or "wrong" is a matter of conjecture. I don't know of any state that allows anyone to use marijuana "legally" under the age of 21 so no student/candidate should have used it. Also, regardless of whether or not a state says its legal, per federal law, it's illegal. So now we get to the "why" is it asked?

The form that brings this to light is the "Drug Use/Alcohol Abuse" form. You are required to list any/all times you have illegally used a drug: period. They don't discriminate: weed versus opiates versus OTC. Then they ask about alcohol abuse. FYI...alcohol abuse is not going out a getting drunk under age 21; alcohol abuse is declared by a physician. So do you have to tell if you went out after the big game, or a party, and got drunk under-age? The answer is no.

In the end...it's up to the individual SA to determine what "drug use" is "waiverable" (I say that word, but they don't issue a waiver, they just take no action). I have never seen a student that "experimented" on a limited basis be turned away. That doesn't mean it won't happen, but I haven't seen it.

I know it seems like a trivial thing, but trust me; especially in the military, it's a BIG thing. Get caught on a random drug test AFTER you're in service and you face all sorts of punishments up to and including court martial. I have sat as a member of several drug test failures court martials...it's NOT pretty.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I think the OP should be commended for even asking the question! Bless his heart, he really wants to put his best foot forward. Most wouldn't have had the nerve to even ask. The only word I can think of to describe him, based on the post, is brave. Good for you Gupus.... you're on the way to great things!
 
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