While in the military I had a secret clearance, I used the clearance for a few months in 2008 on deployment. I never used my clearance for the rest of my time in the military. After leaving the military but still in the IRR, I went to school. I think the clearance was still active during this time, but I am not sure. I honestly had forgotten I even had the clearance since I hadn’t used it in so long. While in school I used Marijuana a few times in the first couple years. I have graduated and am due for a periodic reinvestigation for a new job that requires a clearance. I will be fully honest with my investigator about my past drug use and let-the-chips-fall-as-they-may with respect to my clearance getting renewed or revoked. However, I am still in the IRR for a few more months. Will the investigator tell the military about my drug use while in the IRR? I am worried about getting my discharge changed from an honorable to something else.
I am not an expert on this subject. In my opinion, I don’t think the investigator is allowed to share information from an investigation, with your employer. Even if that employer is part of the government, I don’t think it would be in their job description to notify the military of items found during an investigation. Also, in the military you aren’t going to get punished unless you fail a Urinalysis, not just because someone accuses you or you admit to wrongdoing. There would have to be proof. Again, I am no expert and this is my opinion. I wouldn’t worry about facing reprocussions while serving out your time as inactive reserve.
(I am talking from my experience with IRR)
If you are in the post active duty individual reserves where you do not drill, and you do not get called up…and the length of time is long…severity of use is minor…it can still be a problem because drug use while possessing a clearance is scored harshly. Why? Because you knew it wasn’t allowed. File it under a propensity to not follow rules. As a potential mitigation, being back in an academic environment, and if it lines up with age appropriate (though not legal) behavior it can be mitigated. However, I have been asked to pull back clearance packages on a person who admitted using a military member’s motrin (800 mg) for menstrual cramps or wisdom teeth pain. If you are military you know they give it out for everything and in that specific strength. But it remains misuse of a prescription medication. Be honest, hide nothing.