Recreational Drug Use (Marijuana)

[Guest peanut]

Supposedly they do not give piss tests for AFROTC cadets anymore due to them not being under the UCMJ (from my COC two years ago). I only got tested on my flight physicals when I was in ROTC.

As for telling the truth, tell them. I have an "undesirable past" that I acknowledged during my security clearance. I have been commissioned and received a strike-nav slot. Be honest, tell them what happened, who was with you, and everything else. The investigators have been doing their jobs for a while and can tell if someone is full of it, or totally sincere when they say they'll never do it again.

If your friend gets kicked out oh well. If not, he got lucky and skated by like me. Best of luck to him.

Oh yeah, if he doesn't tell the truth, he could be worried throughout his career if they'll find anything out. If he tells the truth, he knows there will never be a chance of someone finding skeletons in his closet. I was worried I'd get kicked out, but now that they know everything, and I still got commissioned, I have nothing to worry about, and it feels good. I'm a better man today for getting it off my chest and admitting to my mistakes.

[ 28. August 2006, 15:47: Message edited by: peanut ]

[itsokimapilot]

I think your in a really tough situation. As stupid as it was to try drugs, it was even more stupid to make a false official statement. You are obligated to tell the truth as a potential officer in the AF. People depend on your honesty. I personally think you have only one option. Tell your ROTC leadership what happened. If you don't, you will have to lie on your security paperwork and many future applications in the military. It is not worth the lie. It is very likely that telling the truth will get you kicked out of ROTC. But, you will have made a step that is expected of every officer/airman in the Air Force. Tell the truth and you will sleep better, even if you don't get an ROTC slot. There are many other avenues to becoming a military pilot. You can do it the old fashion way and work thru school and apply to OTS. But, whatever you do in the future, be honest with your peers and your leadership.

My .02

[Guest davalt10]

Usually in the first week of fall, the det will have everyone fill out paperwork so you are officially in ROTC. One of the papers you fill out is the illegal substance use form. When we filled it out, the NCO said it's not a big deal if you tried it, (they know what goes on in high school and college) just put down that you have and don't do it again. No big deal. I know a couple kids at my det who put down that have tried it but said it was a one time thing. They didn't loose their scholarship and they are doing just fine in the program.

If you already filled that out and didn't put it down, go talk to the NCO's right now! That's my .02. Good luck dude!

[Guest Fogo]

Agreed.

If you don't come clean, you will have to lie at least twice on every security app from now on. They always ask if you've ever used drugs, and if you've ever lied on a security clearance investigation.

My personal opinion....if you tell them NOW, before school starts, and explain the whole situation (the family friend thing), I don't think they will pull your scholarship. Again, my opinion only.

I agree with all the guidance offered so far. Especially here.

Come clean now or you'll continually find yourself lying about it; and it seems like things like that always catch up. Back in my ROTC days, we had a guy lose track of his "omitting of information". When beginning ROTC he answered on the scholarship interview and on the initial ROTC paperwork that he had never tried drugs. Then when filling out something for field training; he answered that he had experimented before college. Worse yet than the lying; he pretty much admitted that he just forgot what he put earlier. Needless to say, the AF decided it didn't need an officer who was a liar, and not even smart enough to remember it.

Sounds like you realize your mistake and are pretty upset with yourself. Obviously it wasn't good to lie about it; but everything happens for a reason and it sounds like it woke you up. I sure won't look down on anyone owning up to their mistakes and wanting to become an AF officer. Tell the det what happened, and be prepared to face the result (good or bad) like a man and future officer. Someday then; you'll be a leader and you can remember these things when mentoring those under you.

[drumkitwes]

Some of my friends use MJ. I have not, but I have been in the same house when they have. I remember at the beginning of ROTC our CoC said we need to leave a party if we see it. Is this a problem?

[Butters]

Some of my friends use MJ. I have not, but I have been in the same house when they have. I remember at the beginning of ROTC our CoC said we need to leave a party if we see it. Is this a problem?

No, you just normally do not want to be around that kind of thing if the cops show up. My roommates in college smoked more than cheech and chong. I thought for sure I would test positive just being in the house. Turns out you can not test positive from second hand smoke. I was tested twice while living in that house and came up clean each time. Now, one of my roommates did start growing pot in his room and selling it... That was a little over the top and we put a stop to that.

IMO, you are in college have fun, don't sweat the small stuff. Soon you will be on active duty dealing with shoe clerks, first shirts and uniform reg... you know the real world important stuff.

[Jenkspaz]

Some of my friends use MJ. I have not, but I have been in the same house when they have. I remember at the beginning of ROTC our CoC said we need to leave a party if we see it. Is this a problem?

Dude, why would you even want to risk it? And on another note, do you really want to be around these kind of guys when you're trying to grab a slot (STS)? I'm not telling you who you should be friends with and who you shouldn't, but if they're going to be doing this kind of sh*t on a regular basis, you should find another place to hang out.

And as far as the previous conversations, I can say for a fact that I know someone that is very close to my heart that lied about their MJ use in HS and came clean about it in the middle of the AFROTC program. He/she was booted without a second glance. If you're just coming into the program, DO NOT LIE ABOUT IT! When I was contracted into scholarship my freshman year, our NCOs told us that admitting it then would not disqualify us from the program. But saying you didn't at the time, then admitting it later, will most assuredly get you knocked.

IMO, you are in college have fun, don't sweat the small stuff. Soon you will be on active duty dealing with shoe clerks, first shirts and uniform reg... you know the real world important stuff.

That doesn't mean you should start toking up just because they don't piss test you in AFROTC.

[Guest P27:17]

Bottom Line of MJ use/experimentation...

If you've tried it once or a dozen times in your "past" and have grown up and moved on...come clean on your DODMERB/ROTC application. Forgiveness is must easier and granted 99% of the time when you tell it vs. them finding out later. As for drug testing...I don't know AFROTC policy on no notice drug UAs...but if you get in and want to be a pilot...you will be tested during your FCI exam...I'm not here to judge anyone...I've been there...I grew up in the late 60's and 70's...if you are still a user...the only advice I have is to decide what you want out of life...I know a lot of "pot heads" who went on to successful careers...just not aviators...hell you can even be president

[stingray]

Hey guys,

I'm a 100 in AFROTC right now. I need some advice on what to do in my situation

Back when I was 14 or 15 I pretended to smoke marijuana a couple times because my friends were giving me crap about not smoking it. I really really hate to sound like Bill Clinton but I put it up to my mouth and didn't breathe in at all, and it was cold enough that I just blew out the air in my lungs and the water vapor made it look like smoke.

During the in-processing to ROTC I wrote that I never smoked marijuana because I figured that it was the truth and that I never got in trouble for it or anything. Now that I'm reading about security clearances and stuff I don't know what I should do. The way I figure it I have three options.

1. Go to the NCOs/Cadre at my DET and tell them about it and see what they say I should do.

2. Keep saying no on my security clearance forms, and when I have my interview tell the guy that I technically didn't use marijuana but I did pretend to.

3. Go see if my friends even remember it (it was a long time ago and they were both high), and if they don't, just drop it.

I guess give me any input you guys have, I would prefer to be upfront with the security clearance guys (even though I technically wouldn't be lying) as much as possible, but I hope that they won't think that I smoked it and am trying to lie.

Thanks for all your time.

[dirkdigler9]

During the in-processing to ROTC I wrote that I never smoked marijuana because I figured that it was the truth and that I never got in trouble for it or anything. Now that I'm reading about security clearances and stuff I don't know what I should do. The way I figure it I have three options.

1. Go to the NCOs/Cadre at my DET and tell them about it and see what they say I should do.

2. Keep saying no on my security clearance forms, and when I have my interview tell the guy that I technically didn't use marijuana but I did pretend to.

3. Go see if my friends even remember it (it was a long time ago and they were both high), and if they don't, just drop it.

I guess give me any input you guys have, I would prefer to be upfront with the security clearance guys (even though I technically wouldn't be lying) as much as possible, but I hope that they won't think that I smoked it and am trying to lie.

Thanks for all your time.

I would go with number 2. You never smoked marijuana technically, but explain during your security clearance interview that it may have appeared that you did to certain people. Just tell the truth. The person that interviews you won't care if you did/didn't smoke weed but if you lie and say you never had anything to do with it when you have this story in your past it would make it look like you are trying to hide something if they discovered the truth in your investigation. With the SC investigators it is always better to be honest about shit because if they find something that you could have potentially lied about it looks like you are trying to hide something and could potentially be blackmailed to cover it up.

[Guest Stopher]

I had a situation in where I smoked once...thought I could get away with it.....Here's my interesting situation...

So I ended up toking it up once awhile back and didn't admit to it on my scholarship interview. Thought I would be fine and it would never come up again. Boy was I wrong! With these government clearances and such.. I did not want to lie anymore.. And what good goes being an Officer in the Air Force when all you are is a lier..?

So I did the unthinkable! I came clean and risked everything. I'll never forget it..The day my parents were taking me off to college my parents get a call from the ROTC detachment. They just got the news that my TYPE 1 scholarship was taken away!!!! boy was that the worst day of my fu**** life. I hope no one has to ever go through that. But I couldn't live with myself. I lost sleep over it and I wanted to come clean. I went from being top dawg to the bottom dog in a heartbeat. My parents had disowned me. It's just undescribable....

Favorably..even though I lost my scholarship, I was still able to continue in the AFROTC program. I came in my freshman year, really thinking my life was over..but I pushed myself. I went my first year as a Civil Engineer and got a 4.0 GPA and a 100 PFA score. I was then awarded the commanders leadership scholarship! My detachment commander has honored me ever since I decided to come clean. If I think about it..coming clean made me a better person. I know for a fact I wouldn't have got those scores if I didn't have to push myself to get my life back on track.

So my advice...Come clean and don't lie.

"A man must be big enough to admit to his mistakes..strong enough to correct them..and big enough to profit from them"

-anonymous-

[Guest F16crewdwgg]

I've talked to people where they were questioned on active duty. One person admitted to smoking a joint one time at a party with some guys. The response was, "we're glad you told us because the other guy already said you did."

See, the guy could have lied and lost his clearance and maybe booted from active duty. Instead he chose to admit to his fault and in return received the clearance. They really just want to know if they can trust you.

[Guest commiebobo]

I'm still in high school and I just applied for the ROTC scholarship (I'm a junior). When it came to the MJ question, I said yes, because it was true, I had tried it during my freshman year. I don't know EXACTLY how many times i did it (i didn't really keep track) but I put about 10, which is around what it was. I didn't really like it, but my "friends" pushed me into it. Not that it isn't all my fault, I totally agree that I should have tried to stay away. How do you think this is going ot affect my scholarship?

Please respond!

[Guest will.i.ams]

I'm still in high school and I just applied for the ROTC scholarship (I'm a junior). When it came to the MJ question, I said yes, because it was true, I had tried it during my freshman year. I don't know EXACTLY how many times i did it (i didn't really keep track) but I put about 10, which is around what it was. I didn't really like it, but my "friends" pushed me into it. Not that it isn't all my fault, I totally agree that I should have tried to stay away. How do you think this is going ot affect my scholarship?

Please respond!

I told the commander at my det that I had tried MJ a number of times during the interview and walked out with a scholarship in hand. Just be honest and maybe have a good reason why you'll never do it again.

[Guest Ave]

Hello All, just found this forum while poking around on the 'net and thought I might contribute to this topic.

At one time I was a cadet in Air Force ROTC at a major university who really wanted to apply for flight training. I admitted to very light marijuana use as a youth - we're talking very experimental stuff here as I never really liked pot, and the Colonel in charge of the detachment told me that a waiver would be required which needed to be approved by a General (don't know the specific rank nor location). He did, however, thank me for my honesty and integrity.

Feeling that I had no chance of getting a slot for UPT, I graduated from college, worked in my chosen field of study for two years, continued my civilian flight training and then applied for Warrant Officer Flight Training (WOFT) in the Army and was awarded a slot. I didn't lie when the question of drug use came up again, but it didn't seem to be as big of a deal the second time around for some odd reason. However, I DID see what happens to soldiers who lied or stretched the truth during their security clearance investigations. All of them were sent to what the Army called a Holding company and forced to wait out further examination. A good many of these kids were there in limbo for up to nine months and the time did not count toward their service commitment (maybe this has changed now). Some were eventually let go. The Holding company was essentially a very controlled environment with curfew, limited freedom and daily work details such as mowing lawns on base, etc. To make matters worse, the place was mostly run by Drill Sergeants who were in between duty or assignments. Certainly didn't look fun to me and the people who were there really regretted being there.

I just wouldn't lie about anything. Integrity is a big issue for officer candidates.

[Guest hopefulpilot1]

Hi everyone, I know this is a similar situation to some of the ones before me but I just wanted to be absolutely sure what I should do.

I'm currently a 200 in ROTC and have a scholarship. In my interview to get my scholarship I was stupid and checked the box that I hadn't smoked weed. The truth is I smoked weed on a few occasions in high school, but haven't since. I want to become a pilot and want to be honest in my TS clearance interviews. Will I in turn be screwed by the fact that I said that I hadn't smoked weed? I am very concerned and don't know what I should do.

Thanks a lot

[Guest Ron Burgundy]

I am also in a very similar situation, when i first started ROTC i did not expect the form nor even think about what to say, therefore i panicked and put NO on the form for MJ use...i am now a 200 and there are less slots for field training so it is now competitive...i want to stay in ROTC more than anything and also do not want to get a dishonorable discharge but am really worried that dispite my best efforts to come clean i will get booted..but also this has been on my mind for the past year and a half of ROTC and i dont want to think about it my whole life. Is there a certain strategy i can use to coming clean? heh..

[Guest Ron Burgundy]

yeah thats the option i have been shooting for but wont it come out on my top secret clearance?

[Guest Guest123]

Alright so basically what I've been told is that if you admit experimental use (in my case twice and something I regret a lot) you can get top secret security clearance. I am still in high school but I have always wanted to be a pilot. Is it true that ANY marijuana experimentation will prohibit you from getting a flight spot? This is a big deal for me because I am a dual citizen living in Canada and to get top secret clearance I would have to give up my canadian citizenship which is where all my family is. I would not want to do this if I have no chance what so ever of becoming a pilot. Any advice is appreciated.

[brabus]

You never know if you don't try. I saw dudes get kicked out of ROTC for admitting they smoked any MJ. Then, there's been dudes who said they smoked it 15 times in high school and were fine. Like many things in the AF, it all goes in waves....depends on how badly the AF needs officers in your year group. Sometimes even just 6 months can make all the difference in getting the boot vs. staying in. If you really want to fly, then go for it. I do not believe you have to give up your Canadian citizenship to be in ROTC. Your TS clearance stuff isn't till your junior or senior year...so if you can just get into ROTC, admit it and they keep you, then you know you'll be fine and give up your Canadian citizenship when the time comes.

[Guest Guest123]

So if I make it into ROTC or OTS I'm pretty much set? I thought a guy on this forum said that even though he was an officer who admitted his experimentation and was allowed to join he was denied any possibility of flying because of it. Is there any hidden regulations that prohibit ANY experimentation for pilots? Also correct me if I'm wrong but when applying to OTS and ROTC do you put down what job your applying for and if your accepted you get that job if your at the top of your class?

[Toro]

So if I make it into ROTC or OTS I'm pretty much set? I thought a guy on this forum said that even though he was an officer who admitted his experimentation and was allowed to join he was denied any possibility of flying because of it. Is there any hidden regulations that prohibit ANY experimentation for pilots?

Marijuana affects your security clearance, it has nothing to do (directly) with becoming a pilot. If you have clearance issues because you smoked, or if your Det/CC ranking is affected by your history, then this could indirectly affect you.

[Guest Bini]

Guest123,

I know a guy in my unit(Guard)who recently had to deal with this situation. He was a primary pilot select, admitted to smoking marijuana, and had his Top Secret within 6 months of beginning the security clearance process. The drug use, as long as you are not a habitual user, isn't whats important to them. They just want to know if you can be blackmailed by your history of drug use and they will more than likely exhaust every resource they have to confirm that you are being honest with them. If you are honest about only trying it twice, then getting a clearance will be no big deal...as long as they don't find someone buried in your backyard.

[Guest Guest123]

Hey all, sorry for yet another question. As I was filling out my US airforce drug and alcohol statement something caught my eye:

Have you ever used or experimented with marijuana? (Prior marijuana use is not disqualifying for enlistment or appointment, unless you are determined to be a chronic user or psychologically dependent, have been convicted or adversely adjudicated for marijuana involvement. Preservice marijuana use may render you ineligible for certain skills.)

I made the mistake of trying it twice in high school. My question is what skills are you ineligible for? Can anyone confirm pilot is not one?

[M2]

Doesn't matter, you tried it and if you are caught lying about it, you're done.

Don't worry too much about it, unless you are stoned when you are filling out the paperwork, many before you have "experimented" with marijuana while minors and have gone to have long and distinguished careers (no names to protect the guilty!).

Cheers! M2

p.s. Well done for searching and posting in the correct thread!