What are my chances of obtaining a TS clearance (marijuana)

SECURITY CLEARANCE Q&A
1

I have a couple questions regarding obtaining a top secret clearance.

I have enlisted in the Air Force and I am currently going through the process of obtaining a clearance.

My questions: is it possible for me to obtain a clearance even though I got a ticket for marijuana possession back in 2014? The statute it fell under was 21a-2791.

Is it the Air Force that has the authority to grant me the clearance or is it some other agency?

Some background: I was 17 at the time I am now 22. I did tell my investigator that this happened. It has been expunged/dismissed off of my record. I also told him that I have experienced with marijuana a few times (high school / college). I did not have to fill out an SF form for some reason. He took information from my Air Force application and what I told him. I had an in person interview with my investigator. I did not put this on my Air Force application because it said it did not have to put the charge if it was expunged and I told this to my investigator. Other than that nothing else would be a flag regarding me past, present, and future. Finances, foreign influence, etc.

My Concern: I’m worried that the Air Force is more strict when it comes to marijuana and I really want to secure this job I got in the Air Force. I’m also worried about inconsistencies with the dates I gave on my Air Force application because I only put experimentation in high school.

2

Experimental marijuana use in high school and college is normal and not an immediate disqualifier, However, even if your record was expunged there are other questions about illegal drug use that should have been answered affirmative, and if you did not then that is were you may have a problem. You do not have a background investigation in progress unless you have filled out and certified an SF-86. Sounds like you are just going through a pre-screening process.

3

There are many horror stories of big messes resulting from the recruiter, and not the individual, filling out the SF-86.

1 Like
4

Did the Air Force ask about prior drug use when you joined?

5

A former military recruiter recently explained to me that the recruits are not normally filling out a SF 86. They provide responses to questions asked by the recruiter who inputs a wide range of information into a recruiting database, which then fills out many different forms - to include the eQIP at MEPS.

I have not been able to verify this information myself. I have noticed over the years that the recruiters give out a packet to answer questions that include some of the SCA questions.

This might be an attempt at efficiency. Are there any other military recruiters that can confirm or clarify on here?

6

The Air Force requires you to declare your past drug use during the recruitment form.

7

Yes and I told them about my experimentation with marijuana. However, the only person I told about the ticket I got was the investigator.

8

I never used any other drug and have never had issues with alcohol. This is what I told my investigator and my references will back this up.

9

At least for the Army you are correct. On the FDR printout it even states on the top that the SF86 was filled out from some other form. The Army recruits are particularly crappy in my area. I had one say the subject’s mother was an undocumented illegal immigrant when the truth is was born overseas on a military base to US citizens :man_facepalming: