OCS Need advice/opinions on current situation

[tperk21]

Hello Everyone,

Let me start by saying how tremendously helpful this forum has been throughout my application process for OCS. I wish I could thank each and everyone of you personally for the priceless wisdom you've all shared. That being said, I look to you all again for additional guidance on my current and utterly stupid situation I've put myself in.

I currently have a packet submitted for the July 11th SNA/NFO boards meeting. I have been deemed competitive by my recruiter and have flown through the application process with flying colors, however, I may have completely destroyed my chances. On the 4th of July, I accidentally tapped a car with my truck, and like an idiot, drove away because I did not cause any damage. I was pulled over a few minutes later and was given a court date on August 1st for "Leaving the Scene of an Accident." Leaving the Scene of an Accident is a second degree misdemeanor in Florida and is punishable by a maximum of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. I will be meeting with a defense attorney tomorrow to try and get the charge dropped, however, I fear the worst and would like to prepare for the worst possible scenario.

My questions for you guys are:

1) Since my application is already submitted for the boards meeting, does that mean that they have already ran my background check? (aka before my "criminal involvement") As in do they conduct the background check before, during, or after the boards meeting?

2) What is the likely hood for getting the charge waived by the Navy if I were to be convicted considering it happened literally during my application to OCS? I know they are looking for the person you are "today" and will be "in the future" which is why I'm concerned they will look on this more harshly than if it had happened years ago.

3) Should I tell my recruiter before the results of the trail, even though theres a chance I could get the charge dropped all together? (P.S. I will tell my recruiter about the incident even if the charge is dropped because I don't want to hide anything from the Navy and I'm sure they will undoubtedly eventually find out) I guess I'm asking whether telling my recruiter before my boards meeting would be smart considering I could potentially get Pro Rec'd in a week and theres a good chance that this information might hinder my chances, OR should I wait until after the boards meeting and after the results of the trail to tell him what happened? Im currently leaning towards the latter, however, that depends entirely on the answer to my first question.


ALL IN ALL I just want to know how screwed I'm going to be if I do get convicted. Ive read that the navy is pretty serious about no drugs or stealing, but I honestly don't know how serious they will view this. (And yes I know what I did is a serious offense) Before this event occurred, I had never had any run in with police or anything of the sort, an absolute angel if you will. My background check, up until this point, will be spotless.

I will drop thousands of dollars on a defense attorney and go into debt if it means I can get past this utterly stupid mistake. All I've ever wanted to do was to be a pilot in the Navy and it is killing me inside to know that one dumb action can put the whole thing in jeopardy.

ASTB 60/8/8/8
UCF Finance Major 3.8 GPA

 

[Demi Durkin]

Sorry I can't be of any advice- but I'm a UCF grad living in Oviedo applying to the same board.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Tell your recruiter, fight the ticket, if there is no damage then there should be no issue, it might pay to get an attorney to let him fight this for you.

 

[RGONZA14]

Definitely fight the case. After working in law enforcement for several years I can tell you that these are the kind of cases that get to the DA's office and are dismissed. Ask your defense attorney to set up a meeting with the misdemeanor DA in charge of the case. Explain the situation. 9/10 times they dismiss the case or let you do community service in exchange for getting the record expunged. Just have your attorney explain that a conviction or plea could result in irreparable damage to a career with the military.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

TELL YOUR RECRUITER!!! If you have a good recruiter, they would have told you to inform them of any changes to your legal or medical status.

 

[CWO_Hopeful]

Tell your recruiter. Also, a little background on me, I had the same thing happen in my case and was picked up on the last IWC cycle. Not during the cycle but it was in my disclosure sheet.

 

[Safashton]

So what has come of this incident?

 

[tperk21]

I want to go ahead and thank everyone for your replies. I figured I would update my situation in hopes that it might assist someone else in the future.

So after talking to my defense attorney, she is confident that the case will get dismissed either all together, or in exchange for a a few months of community service. Afterwards, I can get the charge expunged from my record (even though expungement won't help with the navy because I've already informed them of the charge, I figured I should get it at some point in the future in case I ever want to do anything civilian way down the road.) The good news is that my recruiter informed me that this should not pose any threat to my future with the navy because it was such a minor offense and that I was upfront with it. So for anyone in a similar situation, it pays to be a man and admit when you've messed up, that way you can at least get insight and help from others (aka your recruiter.)

As my future is concerned, I was Pro Rec'd Y for Pilot today (big relief). My recruiter gave me the number to a Chief at the Jacksonville recruiting command and after having a conversation with him, it appears that because I was upfront and the charges aren't severe, all I have to do now is settle the charge/case (preferably dismissal) before I graduate in December and to give my recruiter a copy of both the ticket and the result of the charges. So now I just sit back and let my defense attorney do her job, continue to get good grades at UCF until I graduate, get my FINSEL, and hopefully get an OCS date that isn't too far away from my graduation day in December. (At least I'm pretty sure that's the process.)

This whole ordeal has tested my resolve, lightened my wallet, and has been the cause of a severe lack of sleep, but at the end of the day, my dreams of becoming a Naval Aviator are still intact! So to anyone facing a similar situation, all I can say is be upfront with your recruiter (they can't help you if they don't know you need help), stay positive, and remain dedicated. Adversity reveals the very fiber of a man and how you choose to deal with it reflects who you are as a person.

 

[USC6217]

Glad to hear it man, and let me tell you a just tag onto that advice about stepping up and admitting your wrongs. When I was a boot, I managed to do something that put one of our fighter jets down for months. The moment it happened, I ran inside and got my supervisor and informed him what happened and wrote a statement about the incident. My CO, XO, and MO all interviewed me about the incident and what happened. I was up front and 100% honest and was ready to take the punishment for what happened. Long story short, nothing did, they were actually more happy with me that I stood up for my mistake and admitted every little detail and how it was wrong according to the pubs and didn't try to come up with a bull shit story. I didn't receive a single ounce of punishment, didn't lose any of my quals, and life moved on. It was a large lesson to learn at 19, and it's still a lesson I've carried to this day. I'm proud of you man, and you'll be able to carry this experience along with you during your career in the Navy, god speed.

 

[tperk21]

Glad to hear it man, and let me tell you a just tag onto that advice about stepping up and admitting your wrongs. When I was a boot, I managed to do something that put one of our fighter jets down for months. The moment it happened, I ran inside and got my supervisor and informed him what happened and wrote a statement about the incident. My CO, XO, and MO all interviewed me about the incident and what happened. I was up front and 100% honest and was ready to take the punishment for what happened. Long story short, nothing did, they were actually more happy with me that I stood up for my mistake and admitted every little detail and how it was wrong according to the pubs and didn't try to come up with a bull shit story. I didn't receive a single ounce of punishment, didn't lose any of my quals, and life moved on. It was a large lesson to learn at 19, and it's still a lesson I've carried to this day. I'm proud of you man, and you'll be able to carry this experience along with you during your career in the Navy, god speed.

Thanks man, means a lot. It's a nice change of pace to be surrounded by people with a similar mindset. Congrats on the NFO Pro Rec by the way!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

So after talking to my defense attorney, she is confident that the case will get dismissed either all together, or in exchange for a a few months of community service. Afterwards, I can get the charge expunged from my record (even though expungement won't help with the navy because I've already informed them of the charge, I figured I should get it at some point in the future in case I ever want to do anything civilian way down the road.)

I would do what you can to just get it dropped, most attorneys and judges really don't know what expungement does and does not do, they will often tell you that you no longer have to disclose it, and that is not true. If you go for a job that in any way has federal regulation where they do a background criminal check it will come up, we just had a person who had to jump through tons of hoops because he failed to disclose that when he was 17 he was in a fight, charged and convicted of assault and battery 20 years ago as a minor (he was 17), it was "expunged" but our check found it.

of course your issue is minor compared to what he did.