CN question...

[SM Scanner Ballast]

Hello,

Wonder if someone could answer a question about me possibly being a counter drug pilot. CAPF 83 asks if I have ever used marijuana. Well, 30 years ago I smoked a joint or two in college. And, I admitted to this in military and police officer applications a few years later (I went on to be a cop, so it didn't seem to be a problem to my department). Will that disqualify me?

-SM SB

[mikeylikey]

Good question.  If you got a secret security clearance in the military....I think one of the questions was about rec drug use.  They do keep records.  I am really not sure how to answere this one!  Sorry!

Note to Cadets.......DON'T DO DRUGS!  It will follow you the rest of your life.  You never know when you may be applying for federal jobs, or doing that awesome career you always dreamed of, to have it crash and burn because you smoked some pot 20 years before!!!

DO NOT DO DRUGS.........and stay in school!

[RiverAux]

Probably not.  Just be sure to disclose it -- they definetely don't like it when you try to hide things. 

[PHall]

Just don't expect to get your clearance anytime soon.
In CAWG at least, initial clearances have been taking approx 24 months.

But that just gives you time to build more mission pilot time.

[Pylon]

Definitely disclose this, as the background check to my understanding is fairly thorough. 

If you get disqualified, no huge loss - there are still dozens of other mission types in which you can work as an aircrew member with CAP.

As to whether or not it's a disqualifying factor -- maybe somebody else here has more insight on that.

[RiverAux]

24 months?  I'll grant that the agencies involved in the CN program have a lot of other background checks that are probably more important than CAP, but 2 years is absurd.  That would mean a member would have to wait AT LEAST 4 years before participating in the program.  That is a recipe for killing the program. 

[bosshawk]

Folks: since I advertise in my signature line that I am the CDO(that's Counter Drug Officer) for CAWG, I could probably have short stopped this whole line with one PM. 

Occasional use of pot as a juvenile will not cause you to be disqualified for CD(not CN, which is a misnomer).  As long as you fill out the 83 completely(even if certain questions do not apply to you) and attach a piece of paper explaining the pot use, when, where, dispostion if any, there should be no problems.  We have successfully had folks with felony convictions approved: depends what they were for and when.

While it is true that the CD initial screening is taking an inordinate amount of time, it is nowhere near two years.  Right now, it is taking me about 12-15 months to get an initial screening back.  Just like anything else in this world, these things take time.  I have more problems with members not reading the instructions on the form or not following them than I do with any other portion of the program.  I have more people in the CD program in CAWG than some wings have total membership, so I have a little experience.  BTW: we have absolutely no control over how long it takes to do a screening, so don't yell at your CD officer.

[Tubacap]

^AMEN

[Matt]

[...]You never know when you may be applying for federal jobs, or doing that awesome career you always dreamed of, to have it crash and burn because you smoked some pot 20 years before!!!

Hmm, seems that I've heard that somewhere before... "I didn't inhale", perhaps?

[Pylon]

Folks: since I advertise in my signature line that I am the CDO(that's Counter Drug Officer) for CAWG, I could probably have short stopped this whole line with one PM. 

Occasional use of pot as a juvenile will not cause you to be disqualified for CD(not CN, which is a misnomer).  As long as you fill out the 83 completely(even if certain questions do not apply to you) and attach a piece of paper explaining the pot use, when, where, dispostion if any, there should be no problems.  We have successfully had folks with felony convictions approved: depends what they were for and when.

While it is true that the CD initial screening is taking an inordinate amount of time, it is nowhere near two years.  Right now, it is taking me about 12-15 months to get an initial screening back.  Just like anything else in this world, these things take time.  I have more problems with members not reading the instructions on the form or not following them than I do with any other portion of the program.  I have more people in the CD program in CAWG than some wings have total membership, so I have a little experience.  BTW: we have absolutely no control over how long it takes to do a screening, so don't yell at your CD officer.

Solid information shared by someone "in the know" to answer a good question.  Can't get much better than that.   Thanks bosshawk!