Info on Disenrollment from ROTC

[Guest Scaredfuzz]

So...

Last August/September, I signed up for AFROTC as an AS250. While filling out the paperwork, I wrote down that I had smoked marijuana 10 times. I did not have a drug problem, no desire to ever smoke again, and this in no way affects me whatsoever, etc.

AFROTCI 36-2011:

4.7.4. Drug Use Waivers.

4.7.4.1. Waivers are permitted only in very exceptional cases for otherwise very highly qualified applicants whose pre-service drug use was limited in frequency and scope, experimental in nature, and unlikely to recur. A drug experimenter is defined as one who has illegally/improperly used a drug for reasons of curiosity, peer pressure or other similar reasons. Multiple instances of drug use may be considered recreational drug use and NOT experimental. Someone who says their drug use was social, to relieve stress, with the same group of friends over several periods, or to cope with their situation will be considered a recreational drug user no matter how many times used.

Sounds like you are a pretty solid cadet, an appeal can't hurt, at least you will exhaust all your options. You will also have to wait to see what your dis-enrollment paperwork says. If you get a "not recommended for OTS", you are looking at a pretty tough battle to get in especially with the amount of people that are looking to go to OTS. Also your drug use will hurt you because they will look at your ROTC paperwork and see you had prior drug use that wasn't waived and from what I can see of the AETC regulations they all pretty much follow the same line for ROTC/OTS/BOT/COT.

Also take this as a lesson learned to read the regulations for yourself in the future, I got burned in ROTC (nothing serious just administrative stuff) because I trusted someone for the policy instead of looking it up myself. Now granted before someone just down my throat, obviously we don't have time to look up every reg for everything but something big like drug policies, criminal, academics, ect. are worth taking a couple minutes of time.

[Guest harharhar]

AFROTCI 36-2011:

4.7.4. Drug Use Waivers.

4.7.4.1. Waivers are permitted only in very exceptional cases for otherwise very highly qualified applicants whose pre-service drug use was limited in frequency and scope, experimental in nature, and unlikely to recur. A drug experimenter is defined as one who has illegally/improperly used a drug for reasons of curiosity, peer pressure or other similar reasons. Multiple instances of drug use may be considered recreational drug use and NOT experimental. Someone who says their drug use was social, to relieve stress, with the same group of friends over several periods, or to cope with their situation will be considered a recreational drug user no matter how many times used.

Thanks. I also found this a few paragraphs down:

4.7.4.4. HQ AFROTC/RRFP may grant waivers for drug use beyond the authority of

Det/CCs.

4.7.4.4.1. HQ AFROTC/RRFP may consider marijuana usage experimental where

usage is more than 5 times on a case-by-case basis.

Also, I really don't see my commander giving me anything but positive comments on my disenrollment paperwork. In fact, I'm positive the strongest thing I will have going for me if I have to apply to OTS will be my commander's and other cadre members' recommendation.

[Guest Scaredfuzz]

Thanks. I also found this a few paragraphs down:

4.7.4.4. HQ AFROTC/RRFP may grant waivers for drug use beyond the authority of

Det/CCs.

4.7.4.4.1. HQ AFROTC/RRFP may consider marijuana usage experimental where

usage is more than 5 times on a case-by-case basis.

Also, I really don't see my commander giving me anything but positive comments on my disenrollment paperwork. In fact, I'm positive the strongest thing I will have going for me if I have to apply to OTS will be my commander's and other cadre members' recommendation.

I would try an appeal but I've seen 4 other cadets get their appeals denied (academics and stuff that actually happened while ROTC cadets), and AFROTC/HQ isn't known for granting many if not any waivers especially with the number of cadets now competing for commissions. That being said the cadets actions showed poor judgement as an member of ROTC, yours was prior to your joining and obviously you are excelling as a cadet (not that I condone what you did but you have seemed to learn from your past actions). I wish you the best of luck in whatever course you take and don't get discouraged if doors keep shutting; keep pushing until you run out of doors.

[spudsmac]

So...

Last August/September, I signed up for AFROTC as an AS250. While filling out the paperwork, I wrote down that I had smoked marijuana 10 times. I did not have a drug problem, no desire to ever smoke again, and this in no way affects me whatsoever, etc. I also have never had any traffic violations or any criminal/legal/financial problems at all. Well my Det commander (my whole cadre was new at the time) signed the paper, "waived" the prior drug use, and said it was all good.

During the past year, I've dedicated 110% of my energy to succeeding in ROTC. I've spent 3+ hours, several times a week, commuting to get to ROTC classes, LLAB, FTP, and whatever extra training I had to attend. Not the bare minimums, but I attended every single event that my schedule allowed me to. About 5-10 times, I've slept on the couch at my detachment so I could be there early enough in the morning for the PFA, or mandatory parade practices because public transportation wasn't open that early. I joined MECT and have gotten over 95 on every PFA. I've gotten 4.0s in every AS class and have a 3.22 GPA overall, with two majors and a minor. I got an EA last spring, likely being ranked towards the top of my class. I won several awards at the end of the year and got DG at Field Training. My PAS told me that what I've done in ROTC was "inspiring" and I know my cadre supports me. I also had to decline an internship last summer, so I could attend Field Training, which pretty much would have been a necessity for me to be competitive in my civilian career field (finance).

Anyway, I drive 4 hours to my Det a few days ago to officially contract. As my NCO is putting together all my paperwork for the enlistment, she realizes that MJ use over 5 times has to be waived by HQ, not the Det commander. So she sends up the packet, I wait around, and my commander makes some phone calls hoping to get it approved the same day, since I'm scheduled for PRK a couple days later, which I can only do after I contract. After waiting around for a couple hours, my commander finally gets a phone call saying that not only was I not getting the waiver approved the same day, but that these waivers are denied 100% of the time, and that I shouldn't have been allowed in the program in the first place. My commander tried explaining my situation to but basically got laughed at and told "tough luck".

So, I'm being dissenrolled...

I hope I don't sound like I'm bitching or I'm some douchebag, because I'm not. I'm not even really angry, I'm just pretty much in shock and disbelief at the situation. Is this worth an appeal? If this doesn't work out, do I still have a shot at OTS/Guard/Reserve or will their policy just be the same (I'll try anyway)? Would appreciate comments or suggestions.

Pretty much the exact same thing happened to me, but two weeks before commissioning. I'm going to turn in an appeal, but I just want to appeal the "Definitely not recommended" box they checked on the separation form. I've talked talk to Navy, but they haven't got back to me a month later, so I think I'm probably DQ'd from fed jobs. Appeal it, but be ready to move on with your life.