My son who just turned 18 was planning on joining the Army National Guard, till he went to a friend's grad party and got in a car where they were smoking marijuana. He failed his drug test and was told he had to wait 45 days before going back to MEPS to do the test again. This was all in Pennsylvania where I let him stay to graduate with friends while I moved to Texas. I had already bought him his plane ticket to Texas so I could see him the ticket I bought was his 45 th day. I told him we would transfer it all down here to Texas. Texas recruiter is now saying he can't join because he failed the test. I am totally confused why 1 state say ok while another says no. He made a mistake by crawling in that car but we all make mistakes if we didn't we would be robots. My son does not use drugs he was just had a stupid moment. Can anyone help me/my son and tell us what we can do?
2010-01-22T18:05:46Z
Edit I never said he didn't smoke some when he was in the car ( it's called peer pressure and being a dumb teenager). It was not the recruiter who said this but a letter we got from the National Guard. The recruiter in PA did do the test in his office and he passed that.
Anonymous2010-01-22T16:04:08Z
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He had to have came in actual contact with the drug because he wouldn't have failed the test if it was just second hand smoke. There is no more retakes when it comes to drug test at meps anymore. He is permit DQ. Im sorry that one slip up ended his service before it even started but when you join the military there is not room for stupid mistakes. You have to have a since of responsibility. He should have just not went to meps that day and rescheduled with his recruiter. they would have looked negatively on his absents but he wouldn't be DQ
As of July 2009...a drug analysis failure at MEPS is a PERMANENT disqualifier for military service...period...no more "waiting period"....every recruiter knows this...
And just so you know...you can't fail a urinalysis from second hand smoke no matter how thick the smoke is...
I used to be a guy that worked in the lab where they conducted the urinalysis (amongst other things). The military has done a HUGE amount of research on testing protocol and level..etc. One of those test involved sitting 30 paid civilian volunteers in a room which was filled with varying level of marijuana smoke...and urine and blood was drawn at each level. Bottom line...not ONE had detectable traces in their system either urine or blood...after many hours....
They have also done a lot of testing on "masking" and "cleansing" products pawned in head shops...by and large none of those work either and in fact some can increase the detectable level in your sysyem...
Edit: The medical enlistment standards are the EXACT SAME for all branches...and Guard standards DO NOT vary by state...
Edit 2: GRRRRRR!!!!...The GODD@MN Recruiter has NO say over drug test and does not do the GODD@MN drug test and doesnt set the standard you dildos....the PA Recruiter was and is an incompetent who should have given him a home drug test at the office (which our state does) PRIOR to sending his dumb a$$ to MEPS....
I'm surprised you did not have him follow the advise of the one who would actually allow him to do another test after 45 days (which was in Pennsylvania). Since that recruiter was willing to make that exception I'm not sure why he did not follow up with another test on the 45th day? There are multiple aspects which makeup the evaluation process of the MEPS, you may want to find out besides the failed drug test, what keeps your son from qualifying. There may be something noted in his file in Pennsylvania that the Texas recruiter is just leaving at a failed drug test. Have you son contact his Pennsylvania recruiter to see how to make things happen in Texas, it may just be a phone call between recruiters.
Yeah right. I guess he pulled the wool over your eyes. If he didn't do drugs, he wouldn't have hopped into a marijuana filled car....I know I wouldn't, that would get him buzzed. I am sure he was doing it with friends and just doesn't want to tell you.
"You can't fail a urinalysis from second hand smoke no matter how thick the smoke is" This is true.
lol i just failed a UA back in september in while in army reserves... what sucks is i just completed 5 full years of active duty overseas as military police (finished last august) been deployed all over recieved sergeant rank yada yada..... n guess what.. there still given me the boot, zero tolerance these days.
there giving me a general under honorable.. looks like i better change my criminal justice degree to something else (he wont have good chance in any fed or law enforcement job in future)