Marijuana and the Air Force?

Question

I heard from some guy when you sign up they ask if you tried marijuana, even experimentally. If it is over 5 times, they will not let you in. Is this true? I want to become a pilot. I am seventeen, and recently I've gotten a commercial burglary charge too. What are the chances of me getting in?

My burglary offense was when i was under 18 though... and my dream is to be a pilot.

Answer 1

First dont tell anyone that you have tried or even seen marijuana no one will ever know. Second you have to have a college degree to get your commission and be a pilot. Third if you were under 18 when you wanted to be a dumbass and steal something you can go to the courthouse and have your juvenile records locked down (you might need a lawyer depending on the state).

Answer 2

If you have been a user I don't think you have much chance of becoming a pilot, but you can ask a recruiter.

Your commercial burglary charge, if it resulted in a conviction, will keep you out of the Air Force unless World War III erupts. Then all bets are off.

But check your situation with a recruiter. Pilots and other flying officers all have to hold Top Secret clearances, and marijuana usage could disqualify you from that, as could your burglary charge.

Answer 3

You might not. If you do, make no effort to hide anything as you will be investigated for security clearance. Make the effort to be as legally "clean" as is possible. If you want to be a pilot, the first thing is to get a 4 year degree in something for basic qualifications. Even then your past might be held against you. It is a bit of a 'crap shot", they could say no, they could say yes, a lot of it is going to depend on you. If you are seen as a 'rebel" towards the law, then they may very well say no. Your intent in the burglary will be a factor. Was it a dumb thing, or by malicious intent? That is something they will decide and pass judgment on you for, in their opinion of how fit you are to join.
I would make every effort to be and stay as clean as possible, and distance yourself from those you were involved with over the illegal activities. Don't even count them, or call them friend. To fly, as stated, you need to be an officer. That means a degree from a recognized college, as stated, as well as being accepted. At the college, be involved in the ROTC program if the end result is a commission in any service branch, because you could still get a transfer to the Air Force, again, if they accept you. You will, however need to stand out as a law abiding citizen, as well as being an outstanding student to over come your past. If you can get an appointment to one of the Academies, which is a Senatorial appointment, all the better. After all of that, and you are physically fit enough, have 20-20 vision, or better, then you might get a selection to train to be a pilot. The military may have it's own renegades in their ranks, now and in the past, but they do not recruit them if they are known to be renegades to begin with. By the way, if you do make it, take note, at present, if you punch out of an aircraft twice, you get a desk job. The stress and compression on the back from being shot out of an airplane damages the back such that you become unfit to fly.

Answer 4

Dude, there's no way they can tell how many times that you've smoked marijauna....so you do what everybody else does....say you only did it once or twice, and it wasn't a habit.

As far as your burglary charge, as long as you don't have a conviction or felony, you should be good....but with the Air Force being the way it is now days, they might be getting a lot more selective. Your best bet would be the Army because they will take you no matter what you do. They have waivers for just about anything.

Answer 5

All military applicants are carefully screened concerning drug and alcohol involvement. As a minimum, you can expect the recruiter to ask:

a. "Have you ever used drugs?"

b. "Have you been charged with or convicted of a drug or drug related offense?"

c. "Have you ever been psychologically or physically dependent upon any drug or alcohol?"

d. "Have you ever trafficked, sold, or traded in illegal drugs for profit?"

If the answer to the last two questions is "yes," then you can expect to be ineligible for enlistment. If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then you can expect to have to complete a drug abuse screening form, detailing the specific circumstances of your drug usage. The military service will then make a determination as to whether or not your previous drug usage is a bar to service in that particular branch of the military. In most cases, a person who experimented with "non-hard" drugs in the past will be allowed to enlist. Anything more than experimentation may very well be a bar to enlistment. An "experimenter" is defined as:

.."one who has illegally, wrongfully, or improperly used any narcotic substance, marijuana, or dangerous drug, for reasons of curiosity, peer pressure, or other similar reason. The exact number of times drugs were used, is not necessarily as important as determining the category of use and the impact of the drug use on the user's lifestyle, the intent of the user, the circumstances of use, and the psychological makeup of the user. An individual whose drug experimentation/use has resulted in some form of medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment; a conviction or adverse juvenile adjudication; or loss of employment does not fall within the limits of this category. For administrative purposes, determination of the category should be within the judgment of either the district or recruiting station commanding officer, aided by medical, legal, and moral advice, with information as available from investigative sources."

While not a "hard and fast" rule, one can expect that any admitted use of marijuana over 15 or so times, or any admitted use of "hard drugs," will be disqualifying, and require a waiver.

In any case:

1. Dependency on illegal drugs is disqualifying.

2. Any history of drug use is potentially disqualifying.

3. Any history of dependency on alcohol is disqualifying.

Even if enlistment is authorized, many sensitive military jobs will be closed to individuals who have any past association with illegal drug or alcohol use.

In the Air Force, anyone who admits to smoking marijuana less than 15 times does not require a waiver. More than 15 times, but less than 25 requires a Drug Eligibility Determination (basically, a trained Drug & Alcohol Specialist will examine the exact circumstances of the use). An approved Drug Eligibility Determination is not the same thing as a "waiver," in that it will not preclude enlistment in most Air Force Jobs. 25 or more uses of Marijuana in a lifetime is disqualifying, and requires a waiver.

The Air Force divides criminal offenses into five categories. Category 1 offenses are considered the most serious (felonies), and category 5 offenses are the most minor. Applicants with one or more convictions or adverse adjudications from category 1, 2, or 3 offenses require a waiver. Those with two or more convictions or adverse adjudications in the past three years, or three or more convictions or adverse adjudications in a lifetime for a category 4 offense also require a waiver. Air Force applicants with six or more convictions or adverse adjudications in any 356 day period within the past three years from a category 5 offense also require a waiver.

Answer 6

for one thing if you havent done the drugs in the last 30 days they have no way of knowing unless you tell them or you have a record. as someone else stated you will have to have top secret clearance so ANY criminal record will probably eliminate you, plus you have to be an officer anyway, so either get great grades and beg a congressman to nominate you to the academy or go get a 4 year degree and do ROTC in the process and see if you get in that way. right now the AF is force shaping trying to get rid of extra manpower, either trhough early separations or transferring to the army, so they are being super selective.

Answer 7

Pretty much nil for the Air Force.

I heard the Army is waiving people left, right, and center to fill positions.

You might make a deal with the judge to purge your record in exchange for honorable military service.

Answer 8

Yeah, unless you have it on your record.

DO NOT TELL ANY MILITARY RECRUITER YOU TRIED WEED! THEY WILL HAVE TO WRITE IT DOWN!

And if you haven't been caught, then there is no way to say you can. As a matter of fact, MOST recruiters will be like "don't tell me unless you got caught by the police, cause I have to write this **** down" At least that's what mine and a whole bunch of ppl I know's recruiters said.

Answer 9

good luck chum only the army and marines are accepting new recruits at the moment you wont find that out till they get you all wound up to go in to the military then they will drop that bomb on you and if your not careful you will find yourself on the front line of this unnecessary war

Answer 10

Waivers, waivers, and more waivers. Cut that **** out, stealing, smoking, and get your **** straight.