What are the procedures regarding prior drug use? Is it possible to enlist or go to OCS if you have done any type of drug?

Google is your friend?

http://www.navycs.com/blogs/2010/10/05/navy-drug-waivers

Tell the recruiter you haven't. Tell MEPS you haven't. The only way they'll know is if you tell them or piss hot

Honesty is best, and pry around more than 3 times is a fair estimate of when they will begin to question if you are a druggie or not.

Mixing wacky weed and warships seems like a bad idea.

Never be honest. Lie through your teeth. Tell them what they want to hear.

I'm just concerned, because I made an idiotic decision in high school, and I don't want it to affect my eligibility. However, I have had a brother who went to the Naval Academy, and I remember that they called my parents to ask questions regarding security clearance. My parents know about what happened in high school, and said they would answer honestly, so should I give up, or answer truthfully in hopes that I can go to OCS?

Unfortunately, lying is the reality what a lot of people feel they must do these days when at MEPS and beyond; and unfortunately in some cases - what recruiters will tell people. Do you tell them you had childhood asthma that hasn't surfaced since age 10, or do you just keep your mouth shut? How about that one scope you had to remove a bone spur? Scars have faded...

Best advice I ever got: if you want to fly and continue to fly - do not become friends with the flight surgeons.

OPM never called anyone to ask about my clearance, but mine isnt TS or anything above that.

Were you arrested and convicted or just got caught by a parent? If arrested you'd better be 100% honest or it will bite you in the rear.

I was never "caught" by my parents, I just felt the need to tell them. However, when talking about what I wanted to do with my life a few weeks ago, I mentioned serving in the military, and my mom mentioned how she felt liable to tell the truth if they asked about my "history" when doing security clearance. Not sure if hopefuls NFO's need clearance, but I just wanted y'alls opinion.

"Those are not scars sir. It's a birthmark." Best advice I got from the recruiter concerning the screening process.

if there is a record anywhere - and you need a security clearance - believe me - they WILL find out... Secret is not too bad, but TS is almost never gonna happen if you have a record...
BE HONEST! They will find out... and if you have not been honest with them, they could kick you out with a less than honorable discharge...

If it wasnt a pattern of behavior and you havent used in the last year you are definutely fine for Secret clearance, though not sure about TS and up. I've always been told to be honest

My only involvement with law enforcement was when I was arrested my freshman year for disorderly conduct, but that was dismissed. I've made stupid decisions in my life, but I still want to serve my country. If my past doesn't allow me too, I accept that, but I will try my hardest to make it possible to serve this great country.

Went through this process about two years ago for MEPS, and a additional screening process while in bootcamp.. They are primarily concerned with you being a terrorist, or having any affiliation with terrorist. They understand young people do childish things like drinking, and being arseholes to the point of being fired from jobs. Having said that when they ask lie, they absolutely do not have you go through a lie detector test at any point unless its a screening for a particular job once you've already been through your various rated schools. They will call your family, they will call your friends, they might even go as far as to call old bosses. I wouldnt stress the drug issue to much. It seems as though the large majority of those I work with day in and day out have smoked before they joined, that included those with all all clearance types, enlisted, and officer.


Dont stress that issue one bit, but ill warn you that during bootcamp they will have you all in one big room.. They might run in screaming saying they know those who lied about MEPS information... That you'll have one chance to fess up now.. There will be a few idiots who are already scared out of their minds due to the lack of sleep for the last week.. They are going to raise there hands and be escorted out promptly. Dont be that guy, youve lied to get this far and unfortunately its implied that you will continue to do so..


The recruiters will ask you the same question 10 times over, and if you say yes.. They will ask the same question again, and again, and again.. Until you say no.. Thats the whole point.. NO, you did not do any of that.


Have fun, and if you have any question send me a personal message.

There are no drug questions on any security clearance background check, even for TS-SCI. They want to know about money problems and foreign interests, not about smoking weed once in HS. Seriously, don't being it up.

Regarding security clearance. You need to be honest. If it's an SSBI, they'll find out and it will make you ineligable for several jobs because you lied by omission. This has been my experience while serving in the enlisted ranks. Not sure how they handle OCS. Many of the good jobs out there for blue shirts require TS+. Just be honest.

First off, a little experimentation in high school isn't going to disqualify you from a clearance, so long as you've stopped and it's been at least 6 months since you've tried it.

But yes they do ask questions about drug use in the Standard Form 86 (Questionnaire for National Security Positions). It's section 23, starting on page 93.

https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

For the record, I just had my periodic reinvestigation for my TS-SCI last year. And yes, they asked me.

So my advice: I would tell the truth to the recruiter - but only if he asks. And if he does, make clear it was as you said, a stupid decision that you won't repeat. Then follow his advice throughout the rest of the enlistment process.

But as for the SF86 and the security clearance interview, yes, be up front and disclose everything, don't omit anything. You will be under oath. The investigator will interview your parents and your references, and then he will ask them for other people to ask about you. He or she may or may not uncover your drug use, but getting caught lying on the SF86 about anything is grounds for an automatic disqualification. Given how minor your "offense" was, it's not worth the risk.

HHH 95
LTC, US Army

what ever story you tell at MEPS, stick to that story till you're retired

It's crazy how many completely different opinions you've gotten on here from various officers and enlisted military members.

Having been through this myself I'll add my two cents as well.

If you're going enlisted and book a job with any kind of security clearance you need to be honest and get a waiver in for it if your offense is minor. Trust me on this that you will be asked over and over throughout your career (I was asked 3 times my first 3 years in and now it seems it will only be at clearance re-investigations) and maybe you are good with lying for 20 years about something that could have been waivered, but it's something I wouldn't recommend. I personally watched 2 of my good friends decide to finally tell the truth about their drug use after having previously lied about it and they were promptly discharged from the military. The issue is not so much your drug use as your ability to be honest.

Now if your job doesn't require a clearance then it may be simpler to just not say anything or lie on the form, but even still I'd recommend getting what ever you did waivered and taken care of now rather than later.

The military is shrinking right now and scruples like lying on National Security forms will get you kicked out.



All of this being said, the poly you take will probably only be a counter terror scope so you won't have to beat a poly on this issue. You will have to look a Security Officer in the face though when they are indoc'ing you into a secure facility and lie.


A few other caveats:

I think the question will specify drug use after the age of 18, so if your drug use was when you were 15 or 16 you won't be lying.

Also if your drug use was 7 or more years ago you won't have to lie.

Your recruiter will probably be a lazy bum who will encourage you to lie. You need to do what you want to do though, if lying is your choice go with it and stick it, if you want to be honest make your recruiter put in the waiver paperwork. I have found countless cases of recruiters cutting corners so that they don't have to put in waiver paperwork and encouraging people to lie.

I was also TS-SCI. I had to take a polygraph when I got assigned to NSA. They asked me six different ways if I had ever done drugs. They are intentionally hard asses during the SSBI. My interviewer tried to make me think I would get booted because I had failed to disclose a one-day suspension in high school (even though they never asked me about suspensions until my SSBI interview).

If you lie about it and they find out, you can be prosecuted, depending on how zealous someone wants to be about it, and you could get a dishonorable discharge. Good luck getting hired by McD's with a dishonorable.

My point is that you never know what job you might land and what might be at risk. Lying about it is a big gamble only you can decide to take.

Depends on the type of drug, how long ago, and how many times you used. Also depends on the program you are applying for, officer or enlisted etc.

I don't know what it is like in the Navy, but I know guys that went through the ringer in the Marines for admitting it. If you tell the recruiter "no" you better stick to that story when you get to the moment of truth at boot camp.

CLASS of '96
P-2 C.O.
Jarhead
President of the Malaysia Aggie Club

quote:

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There are no drug questions on any security clearance background check, even for TS-SCI.

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This is not true. Here's the form you fill out (SF86) when getting a new clearance or doing your periodic reinvestigation. See section 23 starting on page 93. They absolutely want to know about any prior drug use going back many years.

https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf
Edit: not sure how I missed HHH's reply above. Same thing.

[This message has been edited by akaggie05 (edited 4/18/2014 1:26p).]