If you fail a drug test at basic training, what kind of discharge do you get?

Question

My question is two-fold.

In the USMC (Marines), when you first arrive for basic training at Parris Island or San Diego, you are drug tested during your in-processing.

1) If you fail the drug test, do you get discharged immediately?

2) If you do get discharged, what kind of discharge do you get? General discharge or dishonorable discharge?

Answer 1

You'll actually get drug tested at MEPS the day you ship out for BCT.

I'm fairly certain you'll receive a dishonorable for substance abuse. If you're at MEPS, they send you home. If you're already at BCT, you'll likely get stuck in the USMC equivalent of RHU, or Return-Home Unit, which isn't a happy place to be because you'll get all the brigade detail you never wanted until your paperwork's finished and your plane ticket comes up.

Answer 2

You will be discharged, but it takes a while to get all the paperwork taken care of. You could be on hold for up to a couple of months waiting to be processed out. You will be in a hold division and will be treated like a recruit without any priviledges while you wait it out.

You will get an 'under other than honorable' discharge with an RE-4 code which will keep you from ever joining any military ever again

PS...Kevin is totally wrong. Discharges never change from one thing to another regardless of time. HUGE MILITARY MYTH. The military has a zero tolerance of drug use.

Answer 3

With my experience working at Navy Boot Camp (The Marines run this part in the same way) if you fail your drug test during inprocessing, the following will happen:

a) You will be removed from training.
b) You will be placed in a holding company, where you will pick up trash, and other menial tasks.
c) You will be discharged with an Entry Level Separation for fraudulent enlistment (failing your inprocessing drug exam is considered fraudulent enlistment, as you sign a form before you ship out of MEPS stating that you did not use any drugs during your DEP period) and given an RE-4 code, barring you from enlisting in any military service.
d) You will be responsible for paying for your own plane ticket home. The military will provide you with this ticket, but if your pay isn't sufficient to pay for your plane ticket home, you'll be in debt to the US Government, and they will garnish any tax refunds, etc. you get until it is paid in full.
e) I forgot to mention, any Marine Corps issued items will be taken from you, you will not be allowed to leave with anything that could associate you with the Marines.

I hope this helps

EDIT: The MEPS drug test is not as sensitive as the drug tests the Navy/Marine Corps utilize, as once on Active Duty, your Urine is tested by a NAVDRUGLAB, which uses very sophisticated equipment. MEPS uses a dipper system that isn't as sensitive, but provides immediate results.

Also, you will not get a Dishonorable Discharge, as they would have to take you to Court Martial for that, nor will you get a General/OTH, as you will have to have an Article 15 for that. If you fail your inprocessing drug test, it's easier to discharge you with an ELS and give you an RE-4 code, as ELSes are the CO's decision, and involve a less timely process.

EDIT: Nevada Pokerqueen is right as well. You will not receive an Other than Honorable, Bad Conduct Discharge, or Dishonorable Discharge; the service will just want you out, period, so as I said before, you will just be separated with an ELS, Fraudulent Enlistment, RE-4 code.

No, discharges are not "automatically upgraded" either, you can appeal a discharge to a Discharge Review Board, who will decide to upgrade it on the basis of your service record. They usually vote "no."

Answer 4

You will get immediate discharge, held for a certain amount of time and then sent home. Every basis is different for amount of time you are held until your papers are in order.

Since you are not accepted by the military until after this Basic Training is complete, you get a general discharge. You are out.
And sorry to say you are not given any priviledges. You are lumped together with others on their way home and it is not fun. Some reasons for being released is:
drugs, illness, excess weight, unable to pass physical exams, dishonesty, lying on paperwork, proper documentation not in order, and more.

The military does not want those on drugs. Anyone using drugs puts their fellow soldiers at risk at home and during war. If you make a critical mistake it can cost lives or equipment. If you are doing drugs stay home and get cleaned up. Your life depends on it.

Answer 5

You get discharged, but you do not go home immediately.

I had a friend who went in the corps after high school. (I went in the Army) He failed his drug test in boot. His platoon had graduated boot camp and MCT and were almost done with SOI, before he got orders to go home. He just had to be the company orderly for like 5 months. He got a general discharge.

Answer 6

Bmt Drug

Answer 7

You can't get a dishonorable in basic training (boot camp). The lowest possible discharge you can get is a general discharge which goes honorable in 6 months.

Answer 8

as a former Marine I would gues other than honorable

Answer 9

one that uncerimoniously sends you back to the street with the utmost in haste.

Answer 10

Just say no.