Extensive Drug History

[croakerfish]

Are you telling me nobody ever lies? or that the people who lie are always caught?

The past responses around this forum relating to lying all seem a bit tongue in cheek.

No they’re saying that some people lie and some people get caught lying and if you want to roll the dice on lying to get a clearance it’s on you. The consequences start at just getting denied a clearance and can go up from there. The consequence of honesty tops out at clearance denial unless you admit to serious ongoing crimes.

 

[sevenhelmet]

No they’re saying that some people lie and some people get caught lying and if you want to roll the dice on lying to get a clearance it’s on you. The consequences start at just getting denied a clearance and can go up from there. The consequence of honesty tops out at clearance denial unless you admit to serious ongoing crimes.

It's worth noting that the consequences of lying on an officer application, medical, and SF-86 can be much, much higher. Just so we are clear, I am not saying to "roll the dice"- this isn't fibbing to your mommy about sneaking some Halloween candy. I am saying it's a crime, immoral, and a bad idea to lie about prior drug use in order to become a military officer. If anyone has a problem with that statement, you know where to reach me.

Tongue-in-cheek responses in other threads were likely sarcasm toward those who seemed to be looking for permission to lie on an application. You won't find that here- at least I hope you won't.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Are you telling me nobody ever lies? or that the people who lie are always caught?

The past responses around this forum relating to lying all seem a bit tongue in cheek.

People do lie in the military, and sometimes they don’t get caught.

It’s the attitude that lying is okay so long as you don’t get caught, that’s the problem.

 

[Brett327]

Are you telling me nobody ever lies? or that the people who lie are always caught?

The past responses around this forum relating to lying all seem a bit tongue in cheek.

Not sure what kind of response you were expecting here. You’re rushing a very exclusive fraternity and you were hoping that the members of that fraternity, who put their lives into each other’s hands on the basis of trust, would hand waive a breech of that trust by you lying to them.

 

[number9]

Are you telling me nobody ever lies? or that the people who lie are always caught?

There's a difference between "my mom once told me I got a concussion when I was 7, and I didn't report it when I applied to the Navy" versus "I did a whole bunch of hard drugs 18 months ago, and I'm not going to report it when I apply to the Navy".

I get it, life is never black and white, but some shades of grey are darker than others.

 

[Empire16]

I would go to meps and just tell them and see what happens… u may as well try.

 

[throwawayaccount5575]

The consequences of lying are serious. From clearance denial all the way up to prosecution and prison time. Worse, others see you as lacking integrity.

I'm not saying lying is ok if I don't get caught. The post was to see if disclosing this stuff would hurt my application and how seriously the Navy takes the SF86. Clearly, the answers are "it would" and "very seriously."

So then the question becomes: Is the SF86 a document for rooting out "guilty conscience types" and people who can't keep their mouth shut? Or is it a "get your story straight and hold your peace" tool.

Or is it a moral document akin to confessional where if you lie God already knows and you're going to hell anyways

 

[croakerfish]

The consequences of lying are serious. From clearance denial all the way up to prosecution and prison time. Worse, others see you as lacking integrity.

I'm not saying lying is ok if I don't get caught. The post was to see if disclosing this stuff would hurt my application and how seriously the Navy takes the SF86. Clearly, the answers are "it would" and "very seriously."

So then the question becomes: Is the SF86 a document for rooting out "guilty conscience types" and people who can't keep their mouth shut? Or is it a "get your story straight and hold your peace" tool.

Or is it a moral document akin to confessional where if you lie God already knows and you're going to hell anyways

Scenario time. You leave all your drug stuff off the SF-86, nobody who knows you gives up your dirt when the investigator calls them up, you get in the military and go do your thing. Someday you get a call from an unknown number and some creepy guy says he’ll tell your CO about all the drug use you didn’t disclose unless you do X harmful, illegal thing.
If you are 100% transparent you may not get in, but if you do get in, you have nothing to be blackmailed over. That’s why they care about you not hiding stuff.

 

[cfam]

I get the sense you’re trying to find a way around the requirements that everyone has very clearly laid out.

Let me be blunt:
1) Your past decisions have significantly reduced your chances of serving as a military officer.
2) If you still want to pursue this career path: Fill out your SF-86 completely and honestly.
3) See what happens.

If you’re lucky enough to get picked up, this is the first step in a career full of opportunities to demonstrate you’re worthy of increased trust and confidence. Don’t look for a way out or a loophole.

 

[jmcquate]

When you are being vetted for a clearance, your not the only person answering questions about you character and past behavior. Things can get sideways, quickly. You need to keep this in mind

 

[Fallonflyr]

If you are perfectly honest about your past, you will either get in or you won’t. It doesn’t hurt to try and if it doesn’t work out at least you can live with the fact that you gave it a shot.

 

[Brett327]

some creepy guy

That guy’s name is Chuck… you remember, your old lacrosse coach from HS. He has taken quite an interest in your career. ?

 

[Waveoff]

We had someone who lied about their background before the Navy (to keep it general), and it resulted in the pulling of their clearance and to my knowledge, dismissal from the service after it was discovered during a sea tour.

 

[Brett327]

Someone doesn’t have a sense of humor. ?

 

[MIDNJAC]

I'll play devils advocate. I know a guy who, after college, went into finance in Manhattan for a couple years before switching careers and going to OCS on an aviation contract. He admitted to fairly extensive use of party drugs of the harder variety during that timeframe. This was more than a decade ago now, but he was accepted, and has been doing great things in VFA ever since. If there is a moral to this story, it is to be upfront and honest, let the chips fall where they may, and you might be surprised. And of course stay the F away from that s*** now.