[annab]

I’m a 35 year old BSN. Before I got into Nursing I considered a military career but was discouraged to discover that past indiscretions would prevent me from becoming an officer or maybe even from enlisting. You see, my first time around in college (before BSN) I partook in a little too much partying. This included much drinking and some marijuana smoking. After college, I quit partying completely and have not had a drink, or anything else in over 10 years.
Here is the problem. –I am under the impression that past drug (marijuana) usage can prevent a candidate from being granted a security clearance, which is required for officers. Also, there is no use in lying about it; besides the fact that you should be honest in the application process a thorough background check will discover it anyway.
Has anyone had any experience with this. Would this prevent me from becoming a military nurse?

[sandman1914]

I would contact a health care recruiter for the branch of service you are interested in. The recruiter should know how to address your concerns and let you know which activities in your past could hinder you from entering the service. I am quite sure that there are service members on active duty that did not enter the military with the cleanest background. Give it a try, the worst answer you could get would be "No".

[thekingster]

Originally Posted by annab

I’m a 35 year old BSN. Before I got into Nursing I considered a military career but was discouraged to discover that past indiscretions would prevent me from becoming an officer or maybe even from enlisting. You see, my first time around in college (before BSN) I partook in a little too much partying. This included much drinking and some marijuana smoking. After college, I quit partying completely and have not had a drink, or anything else in over 10 years.
Here is the problem. –I am under the impression that past drug (marijuana) usage can prevent a candidate from being granted a security clearance, which is required for officers. Also, there is no use in lying about it; besides the fact that you should be honest in the application process a thorough background check will discover it anyway.
Has anyone had any experience with this. Would this prevent me from becoming a military nurse?

Failure to disclose information is usually what keeps you from getting anywhere in the military.

[Darth Nightingale]

Originally Posted by annab

I’m a 35 year old BSN. Before I got into Nursing I considered a military career but was discouraged to discover that past indiscretions would prevent me from becoming an officer or maybe even from enlisting. You see, my first time around in college (before BSN) I partook in a little too much partying. This included much drinking and some marijuana smoking. After college, I quit partying completely and have not had a drink, or anything else in over 10 years.
Here is the problem. –I am under the impression that past drug (marijuana) usage can prevent a candidate from being granted a security clearance, which is required for officers. Also, there is no use in lying about it; besides the fact that you should be honest in the application process a thorough background check will discover it anyway.
Has anyone had any experience with this. Would this prevent me from becoming a military nurse?

Lie. Especially if you can not or would not get caught. Consider the bigger picture. The country needs assets and you know whether or not you are an asset.

[ANC_Maj]

Originally Posted by Frogbitedaddio

Lie. Especially if you can not or would not get caught. Consider the bigger picture. The country needs assets and you know whether or not you are an asset.

Lying is not the best advice. There is this little tenet called "integrity" that is essential as a military officer. What does it say about you as an individual if you violate that one right out of the gate?

Army Values = LeaDeRSHIP (Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage). All the services have something similar. Learn them, live them, love them.

ANC_Maj

[JakeT]

Although I am not a recruiter, I can tell your from personnal experience that preservice us of marijuana is not disqualfying. There are some limitations involved although. For example I believe that if you used marijuana less than 15 times, the US Air Force is willing to look at a waiver for this youthful indiscretion. I am not sure of the US Navy or US Army standards are, but if you really want to find out, the best advice as mentioned above is to go see a Health Care Recruiter for whatever branch of service you are interested in. Although the military has a need for RN's, they are willing to look at some indiscretions for waivers, but they are still maintaining standards.

As far as lying about your past use, I would highly recommend that you just be honest up front, the worst case scenario is that they say sorry, but thanks for looking into serving your country. As oppose to lying and getting caught down the road, worst case scenario discharge less than honorable for fraudulent commission.

Depending on the security clearance you need, depends on how far and deep they look into your past. When I was enlisted, they went to my hometown talked with family, friends, neighbors etc, if they do this with you and an old college buddy goes.." Yea, we smoked a few times"... guess what.... "Busted"

[Balder_LPN]

Originally Posted by ANC_Maj

There is this little tenet called "integrity" that is essential as a military officer. ANC_Maj

I can tell you from first hand experience: Integrity is NOT essential to being a military officer. While active and reserve I have dealt with too many officers whose "integity" flies out the window at the drop of the hat, they tend to worry about carrer first, and if thier integrity is compromised, oh well, better than admitting to any mistake of judgement, blame the enlisted and let them take the heat.

The whole officer enlisted thing is simply left over from the medieval era. When peasents (Enlisted) went to war under the direction of Nobles (officers). our peasent/noble system is now replaced by an educated/uneducated system, ie college is the primary/unremovable requirement to become an officer (as opposed to noble birth) and not leadership ability or military knowledge, the two things that are actually most important to success on the battlefield.

It is time for this system to die, the same as wearing a flower necklace to ward off bubonic plaque. All officers should be prior enlisted first! there should be no way around this, no matter your education level, you simply cant have the knowledge and experience to lead men at your most effective level without being elisted first.

Not saying that integrity doesnt help make you a better officer (it does) or that most dont have it (most, at least >50%, do) but many, succesfull, officers dont have it, never will. PM me and I will send you a list of first hand examples, and Names to go with it.

[DragonflyLVN]

Okay, regardless of its importance in the context of being an officer in the military...integrity is a lot like self respect. You either have it or you don't and once it's lost, it's difficult to regain.

We could probably all provide examples of folks(civilian, officer, enlisted) who have breached their integrity for one reason or another, but what is the point? Naming names? Oh, puleeeeze...

Rather than look at it from the officer vs. the enlisted standpoint, try this approach instead. As a nurse, you want to be sure that your integrity is never called into question, right? Stick with that and you can't go wrong.

Honestly, you'd probably have more to worry about if you were still using the drug and hoping to passing the drug test. Be honest with the recruiter and see what happens. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know how it goes.

[Jessy_RN]

I'd go with honesty, it would me much worse to get prosecuted for lying.

Good luck

[robred]

Speaking as someone with 8 yrs active duty experience as a medic in the AF...be honest. If you lie/withhold information, I personally wouldn't want you to care for me if I were still an active duty enlisted person who counts on your integrity. Take the high road on this....be someone with high morals, good convictions. Be someone you can look in the mirror and be proud of. Do the right thing.