Hey I'm a 22 year old college grad thinking about joining the Marines. Throuhgout my time in college, I did my fair share of partying, which included marijuana use. I've also tried cocaine a few times but it was a very rare occurence. I want to know how this would affect enlisting in the Marines? Are you forced to disclose a detailed history of all substance use? I'm sure a drug test is involved at some point in the process, but when? If I were to take a test this second, it would probably be positive for pot. However, if i do decide to try and enlist, I would take at least several months before shipping so I could get some things in order and get in better shape. After that I'd definitely be peeing clean and good to go. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated.

~Adam

You are asked on your enlistment papers if you have ever tried or experimented with drugs.

Thanks for the reply.

So they ask you but what kind of answers would get you DQd from enlisting? I've read some other things on the board and it seems that it's possible to enlist with past marijuana use and even possession convictions (I don't have one though). But what about the coke? Yes I've tried it a few times but in no way am I a regular drug user. In any event I would plan on being completely up front and honest with the recruiters as it seems things can come back to bite you...

When I was 18, I went with a friend to talk two different branches' recruiters. He had used marijuana in high school and was quitting as he was getting ready to try to join a service.

They do ask you if you have used drugs, and from what people on this board will tell you, never lie. If it was experimental use, you can more than likely get a waiver. However, BOTH of these particular recruiters asked him if he could pee clean. When he said no, the both told him they'd drug test each week until he was clean and then they would send him to MEPS. And putting YES to drug use just made things take longer... Putting NO would speed things up. They told him whatever answer he used just use your entire career.

However, its not the recruiter on the line if you do something like that. They have waivers, it's best to be honest.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm definitely going to go into a recruiter soon and discuss this. I really want to avoid lying in any process of joining the military. I would certainly call my use of cocaine "experimental," but in regards to marijuana, I've smoked too much for it to be considered an experiment. Any guys out there have first-hand experience with getting waivers for drug use? Anyone have insight into what criteria are considered for a waiver? Apart from my drug use, I'm certainly an "upstanding" young man. I had excellent grades in high school, played sports, did community service etc. I'm a National Merit Finalist and got a full ride to college and just graduated magna *** laude. I'm not trying to sound like a jerk with an ego, I'm just trying to get well-informed advice.

Any other thoughts from anyone?

quote:

Originally posted by 18379288:
I'm certainly an "upstanding" young man. I had excellent grades in high school, played sports, did community service etc. I'm a National Merit Finalist and got a full ride to college and just graduated magna *** laude. I'm not trying to sound like a jerk with an ego, I'm just trying to get well-informed advice.

Any other thoughts from anyone?

Don't make excuses for what you've done, or try to lessen the seriousness of it.

All you can do is bee upfront and honest about it and show that you've learned from your distasteful experience.

Then hopefully the authority that takes care of waivers can be convinced.

If not, have a back up plan and press on.

Duplicate see below

This message has been edited. Last edited by: revrnd,

When I enlisted I was told that smoking marijuana 5 times or less did not require a waiver. He also said that any other drug use was PDQ. I was never a recruiter so I don't know what the actual policy for those things are. It could have changed, he could have just said that to everyone to avoid having to do paperwork, or that could be the policy.

quote:

Don't make excuses for what you've done, or try to lessen the seriousness of it.

In no way was I making an excuse for what I've done. There really is no excuse, it's simply something I've experienced. I'm over it and it's behind me. I just want to get a feel for what types of factors the authorities consider when making their decisions. I'm sure it is a subjective process, as no one's situation is the same. This is why I divulged the information about myself.

quote:

Hey I'm a 22 year old college grad thinking about joining the Marines. Throuhgout my time in college, I did my fair share of partying, which included marijuana use. I've also tried cocaine a few times but it was a very rare occurence. I want to know how this would affect enlisting in the Marines? Are you forced to disclose a detailed history of all substance use? I'm sure a drug test is involved at some point in the process, but when? If I were to take a test this second, it would probably be positive for pot. However, if i do decide to try and enlist, I would take at least several months before shipping so I could get some things in order and get in better shape. After that I'd definitely be peeing clean and good to go. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated

183, check out this thread. This guy used drugs in college was never caught, yet somehow the Air Force found out and he was booted, with a family that had to face the consequences as well.


http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/78192862/m/8880026911001

You want to go in clean, then your better off telling the truth. Nothing is worse than enjoying your new career only to have it come crashing down because you lied to join. CPO Kalbach

quote:

Originally posted by 18379288:

quote:

Don't make excuses for what you've done, or try to lessen the seriousness of it.

In no way was I making an excuse for what I've done. There really is no excuse, it's simply something I've experienced. I'm over it and it's behind me. I just want to get a feel for what types of factors the authorities consider when making their decisions. I'm sure it is a subjective process, as no one's situation is the same. This is why I divulged the information about myself.

GTG.

But we're not the ones that need to be impressed.

quote:

However, if i do decide to try and enlist, I would take at least several months before shipping so I could get some things in order and get in better shape. After that I'd definitely be peeing clean and good to go. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated.

That indicates that you've been smoking recently. I would wait more than several months if you're serious about this. I hope for your sake that "rare occurence" of cocain use wasn't that recent.

I'm sure you've been told countless times, "Don't do drugs" while growing up. Now having ignored that, you're wondering about how it will affect your professional prospects.

Yeah, nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes, whether it was some warning we ignored or unintentional thing due to lack of situational awareness. But when someone says, "Don't," you need to think about the consequences of what might happen if you don't listen.

Continue to learn from your experience and maybe tell you friends that might be doing drugs about how this not only affects your health, but your professional prospects. (Since leaving the military, five companies I worked for required drug tests before getting hired. Three of them didn't require a security clearance. So the military is not the only one.)

quote:

Originally posted by PO1Kalbach:
183, check out this thread. This guy used drugs in college was never caught, yet somehow the Air Force found out and he was booted, with a family that had to face the consequences as well.


http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/78192862/m/8880026911001

I know that's your favorite post, but I'd really like to know the whole story. I'm betting it's far more than he smoked a bowl in college.

quote:

I know that's your favorite post, but I'd really like to know the whole story. I'm betting it's far more than he smoked a bowl in college.

Your right, it is my favorite post, it's from a wife that's worried about HER future because hubby lied.

I've also talked to people wanting to join the Coast Guard that lied to join and were booted for fraud for one reason or another. Just some examples of why LYING is never the answer. CPO Kalbach

My advice : if you acknowledge past drug use the military must consider it and question whether or not you are qualified based on that admission.

quote:

Originally posted by MadeInUSA2007:
My advice : if you acknowledge past drug use the military must consider it and question whether or not you are qualified based on that admission.

Yep, and hopefully if you're TRUTHFUL about it, the military will see that you're a person of INTEGRITY.

If you "omit" it and the military finds out later, you will most definitely be found NOT QUALIFIED!