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Admitting drug use for an ROTC scholarship and security clearance?
I tried marijuana once and drank twice when I was 16, just to test both. Nothing else, no criminal record or anything.
I have heard that this will probably disqualify me from getting an ROTC scholarship, and have been advised to not admit to this. However, I plan on getting a top secret clearance once I am commissioned into the military. It's my understanding that everyone involved with me will be interviewed? I've been advised to admit to use for a clearance like this due to the thorough interview, and that any discovery of lying is an instant disqualification.
A few old high school friends know of this as well as my parents, but not too many people, really. Is it likely that the background investigation will thoroughly investigate drug use in terms of interviewing old friends? Or is it mostly for criminal background/residency, etc.?
What should I do, lie for the scholarship and risk losing a clearance once I commission, or admit to possibly lose the scholarship yet hopefully maintain the chances for a clearance?
I'm also confused due to hearing contradicting opinions on both matters. Some say lying won't hurt, some say admitting WILL hurt due to willingly disobeying the law, and some say admitting will help in terms of honesty.
@Bo Jangles: Thanks. Good answer and info. How about if the friends decided to instinctively say no so as to not throw me under the bus anyway?
5 Answers
- Anonymous10 years agoFavorite Answer
You don't have to worry about the rumor that they interview your friend about drug use.Cause only drug test can justify that you are a drug user not your friend or neighbors.but you should not tell that you are a user.Its a white lies, where you protect your good standing as person second as an applicant in future.
But if want to check your own criminal record at the web site that offer a background criminal check, in order to be sure that nothing found on your record.
Hope this a help!
God Bless!
Source(s): http://backgroundcriminalrecord.org/ - ✔ SandyLv 55 years ago
Admitting drug use for an ROTC scholarship and security clearance
http://scholarshipfaqs.net/ might help
Source(s): Dedicate some of your life to others. Your dedication will not be a sacrifice. It will be an exhilarating experience because it is an intense effort applied toward a meaningful end. Dr Thomas Dooley The only people who like change are wet babies. Author Unknown They say that from the instant he lays eyes on her, a father adores his daughter. Whoever she grows up to be, she is always to him that little girl in pigtails. She makes him feel like Christmas. In exchange, he makes a secret promise not to see the awkwardness of her teenage years, the mistakes she makes or the secrets she keeps. Author Unknown - Anonymous10 years ago
If underage drinking disqualified you from ROTC scholarships, there would be almost no one on scholarship except Mormons and Muslims. And trying pot once will certainly not disqualify you either. Arrests and/or convictions for either would be a problem, but not experimental use.
As for security clearance, lying will destroy you...I've seen it happen. Otherwise they don't care much. One buddy had to correct his interviewer that instead of smoking marijuana 5-6 times in a two year period it was 5-6 times a week for the two year period. No problem getting a clearance, though it did keep him out of a White House position.
- Anonymous10 years ago
There is no way to prove that you either drank or smoked other than hearsay. You never got in trouble for it and it isn't a matter of public record. That being said smoking once and minor underage drinking isn't an issue at all. Any admitted use of hard drugs (i.e. coke, heroin, LSD) is an automatic disaqualifier. Any admitted use of marijuana over 3 times is considered chronic use and is a disaqualifier. Anything under three times is not an issue, especially if you did not get in trouble for it.
People get denied clearances for lying about stuff that can be proven. So even if you said you never smoked and one of your friends said you did there is no way to prove it and it will be given no weight. Now if you said you didn't and three of your friends said you did then that will call the issue into question.
What do I advise? Just admit to it. It isn't an issue in the big scheme of things. Lying about it is an issue. As soon as the issue is called into question it stops being about marijuana and alcohol use and starts being all about the lie (or a question of integrity).
Source(s): Me, 23 years in the Army, an Army Officer and former Officer Recruiter and ROTC grad - How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
- 10 years ago
You should definitely admit to it. I am in the military and have a security clearance, and I dealt with a situation just like this. The military doesn't care so much about the things you have done, especially in your case (you haven't done anything too bad) they just need to be sure they can trust you.
If you lie about it, you may get away with it, but if you get caught, it's game over and you lose everything. If you tell the truth, you will still get the scholarship and the clearance. I work with plenty of people who admitted to doing drugs before, but they all still have their clearances, and it didn't cause any problems.
