I am 19 years old and I am attending college right now, but I have been considering joining the army. I just want some people's advice, because I have had a few legal troubles. In high school I smoked a little pot, but still maintained a 3.4 GPA and 31 ACT. I am in good shape and getting fine grades in college and exerything.

At the end of high school I did have a drug charge, brought to "misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance" and have had one DUI. I also took LSD(acid)when I was in high school. I am very mentally stable and have had no issues in my life in that regard. I am clean and have been so for many months now without any problems, but would these jeopardize my chances at a security clearance?

DUI (Driving while drugged or intoxicated, or driving while ability impaired (2 or more offenses)) = 1 waiver

Narcotics or habit-forming drugs; wrongful possession or use = 1 waiver

If you can't give up the weed, its not waiverable.

So you've got 1 DUI +1 Drug charge +1 you smoke weed =3 close but it looks like you fit under the wire for outright disqualification.

Persons with convictions or other adverse dispositions for 5 or more misdemeanors preceding application for enlistment.

Applicants having history of chronic cannabis (marijuana) use or psychological cannabis dependence (as defined in AR 40-501).

Well, I would need the waiver for the DUI, and possession charge, but I can give up the weed. It's been over half a year since I've smoked and it will be even longer when I join, if I join. That was easy, there was no dependence problems at all.

SOme waivers are not being cleared right now. They were tightening the belt the last time I checked.
Good luck. If you don't have a conviction for it and there's no legal record of it, don't tell us here. That's between you, your creator, and your recruiter.

No waivers are being granted for charges possession or paraphernalia that were found guilty or had an other adverse disposition.

...and LSD was a specific question we were asked at 21st Replacement when I got to Germany. It's a disqualifier for a PRP (Personnel Reliability Profile) that's required to work around nukes. It may be used for other things, too. It was harder to get the PRP than it was the Secret.

I think it was the first question they asked when I got to my unit's table. "Have you ever used LSD?" If you answered yes, they sent you to another table.

The second question was,"Do you object to working with nuclear weapons?"

I was under the impression that any use of a hallucinogen was an automatic DQ for a clearance. That might be because of the level of clearances we get, but I get the feeling the merest fear of an LSD flashback is enough to sink you.

Overall, though, all military services met all recruiting and retention goals for FY 2008, so I would seriously expect moral waivers to plummet fast. Only way to know for sure is to try, though.

quote:

Originally posted by CzSteve:
I was under the impression that any use of a hallucinogen was an automatic DQ for a clearance.

I'm not sure if it is for all clearances or not, but one use was an automatic DQ for a PRP.