Dug Myself into a Hole

[NROTC_Marine]

This kind of question may not have much of a place on these forums, but I'm going to take a chance and ask it anyways. I'm currently a college sophomore, and I talked to a Marine Corps OSO officer a while ago about doing PLC or OCS for the next two summers. While I was talking to him, he asked me if I'd done any drugs before. Now I smoked a little weed freshman year and even the beginning of this year, but it's been completely recreational and I can count on two hands how many times I've ever done it. I was under the impression that any drug use would DQ me, so my immediate reaction was to say no.

A while later, when I was at MEPS, I thought the same about drug use and figured I might as well stay consistent in my answering and put down that I had never done any drugs in my life on the form. I figured, hey, it'd been a few months since I'd smoked up, and I was most likely gonna stop forever for the Marines. I wasn't worried about the drug test, and it's been about a month since MEPS, and I haven't heard anything, which I assume is a good sign.

About a week after MEPS, though, I was thinking about doing NROTC and talked to the guy on campus. He also asked if I'd done drugs, which I said no to, but he added that it didn't really matter if I did. After I heard that last part, I did some searching, and so my question is:

At this point, after MEPS, would coming clean with everything be the best option? Apart from this, I've been completely honest with everything throughout the process and have a perfect record both criminally and medically. I know being honest is definitely the best moral option, especially since it's only been very occasional experimental use, but it just seems that lying on paper might have been a step too far.

 

[Rg9]

...and I was most likely gonna stop forever for the Marines...

Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

You put yourself in kind of a tough situation. Yes, you should come clean, but it may cause problems. I don't know what the rules are for past drug use, but lying on official documents is a bad thing. You may be able to get around it somehow by the way you approach it (not sure how)...

On the flip side, if you don't say anything you'll probably get away with it, but then you're a liar.

 

[usmcecho4]

I can't think of how the Navy/Marine Corps would ever find out unless you put someone down on your security clearance interview list that would know/tell. I think they only interview people for Top Secret and the basic officer clearance is only Secret. But like Rg9 said you would have to live with your story.

If it helps with your decision over 50% of my TBS squad had some sort of drug waver so they are definitely out there and freely given. Good luck with your moral dilemma.

Semper Fi,
usmcecho4

 

[Pugs]

I can't think of how the Navy/Marine Corps would ever find out unless you put someone down on your security clearance interview list that would know/tell.

Be assured that the last question they ask someone you put down as a reference is who else can they talk to that knows you. Clearly, if you put someone down as a reference you expect them to be a good one, it's the second or third tier one that will come clean on any nefarious behavior. Honesty is the best policy.

 

[Lucky3]

No Point in bringing this up. Many recruiters tell you to say no. This is really not a big deal, just stick to your statement. They will never give you a lie detector test or anything like that.

 

[Spekkio]

No Point in bringing this up. Many recruiters tell you to say no. This is really not a big deal, just stick to your statement. They will never give you a lie detector test or anything like that.

But the investigators for the security clearance ARE good at finding out the dirt. That's where he's going to run into trouble.

Ethically, it's a good idea to come clean.

 

[phrogpilot73]

No Point in bringing this up. Many recruiters tell you to say no. This is really not a big deal, just stick to your statement. They will never give you a lie detector test or anything like that.

I disagree wholeheartedly. First, a recruiter should not be advising that because there's a waiver process in place. Second, what happens if he turns out to be NPQ from flight? Yup, he could redesignate into something that requires a TS/SCI. If he ends up being a Intel bubba, he could find himself in a job that requires a polygraph.

But the investigators for the security clearance ARE good at finding out the dirt. That's where he's going to run into trouble.

Ethically, it's a good idea to come clean.

Yup. Not just ethically, legally. There's a little something called Article 83 of the UCMJ.

Fraudulent enlistment or appointment....

That the accused knowingly misrepresented or deliberately concealed a certain material fact or facts regarding qualifications of the accused for enlistment or appointment...

That the accused’s enlistment or appointment was obtained or procured by that knowingly false representation or deliberate concealment...

That under this enlistment or appointment that accused received pay or allowances or both...

Maximum punishment.

Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 2 years.

Come clean (since you haven't received any pay and allowances yet), or risk spending two years in a federal pound me in the ass prison. If it was me, I'd come clean. It may take a little longer for all the paperwork, but you don't risk prison time.

Oh, and a Court Martial + Dishonorable Discharge = Federal Felony Conviction. No more voting, buying guns, etc...

 

[AJB37]

Not to mention that he just admitted it on a public website that is easily accessible... the internet is not as private as people like to think...

 

[usmarinemike]

It's going to be a paperwork mess, but I think that if you come clean now, then you'll be okay. I can't honeslty remember if it was done at OCS, but at boot camp they had what's called "the moment of truth." It's where they take your ass tired and hungry into a room full of high ranking people and threaten you to within an inch of your life and tell you that they know some you haven't been totally honest and that you will be found out. People go down like flies there b/c they have guilty consciences, but they don't get punted unless it's medical or some heavy drug use. The ass-pucker is much greater at OCS so if they find out there you probably will be dumped. You're the classic case. Get the waiver done.

 

[Rubiks06]

Yeah, I remember the moment of truth. We had guys so scared they would stand up and confess to OD'ing on flinstone vitamins. I kid you not.

 

[gotta_fly]

...and I was most likely gonna stop forever for the Marines.

FYI- This isn't the last drug test you'll see, so you better be sure you're going to stop completely, or find a different job. In NROTC you get piss tested every couple of months and will get an administrative separation, no questions asked, if you pop.

I knew a guy that used to brag about "rolling the dice"... now he's out of the program and I'll never have to worry about him flying with me or anyone else.

 

[torchedlh]

i'm in a similar situation but have only talked to an OSO so far. i will be telling him very soon that i will need a waiver for marijuana. however, my question is, at what point are you drug tested? the last time i smoked was around 2-3 months ago...my OSO talked about maybe getting a flight physical in a few months. i am considering doing OCS the summer after next. i will come clean to him but am just curious if this will keep me from passing the physical this soon.

thanks

 

[BACONATOR]

I was in a similar situation, and was recommended by family and friends to deny it. I admitted to it, and got the waiver without a problem. My advice would be to come clean to your OSO and let the chips fall where they may. You're still applying so admitting now will be a LOT less painful than admitting after you're wearing gold bars....

 

[phrogpilot73]

i'm in a similar situation but have only talked to an OSO so far. i will be telling him very soon that i will need a waiver for marijuana. however, my question is, at what point are you drug tested? the last time i smoked was around 2-3 months ago...my OSO talked about maybe getting a flight physical in a few months. i am considering doing OCS the summer after next. i will come clean to him but am just curious if this will keep me from passing the physical this soon.

thanks

You're going to get piss tested as part of your flight physical/commissioning physical. If you want to join, don't smoke weed again. After you get commissioned, it will be randomly. Sometimes you'll get picked every month they have one (I got picked 6 times in a row), sometimes you only piss during the annual unit sweep. Truth be told, I never pissed less than 4 times in any given year...

 

[torchedlh]

You're going to get piss tested as part of your flight physical/commissioning physical. If you want to join, don't smoke weed again. After you get commissioned, it will be randomly. Sometimes you'll get picked every month they have one (I got picked 6 times in a row), sometimes you only piss during the annual unit sweep. Truth be told, I never pissed less than 4 times in any given year...

ok thanks for the info. i would have no problem giving up weed to be a marine officer. anyway, i will inform my OSO soon. thanks