My friend has been growing up and really wants to get into being a Navy SEAL. It matches up for him perfectly, he's a strong-willed character with a tough attitude. the only problem is you cannot join if you do drugs or have had a past criminal record of it. Since apparently they do crazy insane background checks for the SEALs, I don't think he will make it through this check. He was caught at college with MJ once, it got taken off his record for going to drug rehab thing where he pees in a cup, gets tested, etc... but if they do background checks isn't this the kind of info they're looking for? If they still find it on his record, I dunno how "removing it" works, but I don't want him to waste his time and dream on being a SEAL only to be shut down. Mainly because you do have to join the Navy for a year or two first before going to train as a SEAL. How should I approach this, does anyone have any advice? Would he still be able to pull it off, or has his past 3 years of strong MJ use really kicked it out of the water? Does anyone know if he'll be fine or not?
If its just a simply possesion of mj, he should be fine...look at it this way...most presidents of the U.S admitted to trying herb, obama admitted to cocaine. He just needs to tell the recruiter he experimented with pot and "it was not a significant part of his life"(al gore), and that he tried it and did not enjoy it blah blah blah
Disregard 99.9% of the information above whitch is just speculation. If the crime was as a minor or the charges were dropped for him admiting guilt and the prosectuter agreeeing to drop the charges if he does, say, community service. Then there is no record. IF he has a wiped record then it is up to HIM not to say anything about it. I know recruiters and they honestly say when they check for a criminal record they cannot find stuff that was sealed or happened as a minor. BUT if he tells the recruiter about something that happened as a minor, even though there is no record, the recruiter has to report it. If you have to ask a recruiter something concerning anything that he might write down, ask in hypotheticals, making sure not to use you're name. (Eg. "Suppose somebody were to have therapy has a child, would you be willing to work with that person to get a waiver." That way if he does not want to, he can say he wouldn't, and wouldn't waste you're time. Then you could go to another recruiter who would be willing. Also, the medical processing centers for the military are under staffed. So if someone has a pyshical problem, and the candidate doesn't tell them and they cannot visibly see it... Then they will never know until they do a check up body scan that is manditory every certain number of years. Then they can say it happened during combat and they never went to a medic. Also when they do security clearances the questions for classified, and secret clearances are worded as following; "In the past seven years, have you ever... blah... blah?" Top secret;"In the past fifteen years, have you ever... blah... blah?" Basicly if someone had a juvenile record of murder at the age of sixteen, and it was wiped at eighteen. The person could join and get a classified or secret secrurity clearance at age twenty-five, without lying on any part. He could also get Top Secret at thirty-one, without lying. Basicly if he meets said cirumstances, he can only mess up by fucking himself. Edit: You're boy is kinda of screwed even if the crime was wiped, and he doesn't tell the recruiter when he joins. He cannot go for SEALS because it requires a Top Secret clearance. If he conceals the information about being charged as a minor, then they won't know. BUT if they go back in a Top Secret backround check, and find some un-shreded document, then he will be booted from the military for concealing the arrest when joining. BUT he can go through the waiver process, which is really not that bad. Then it cannot be used to kick him out, but can be used against him during the deciding process of the check. If he gets denied a waiver from say the Navy, then he can go right over to the Army and get a waiver from them. He cannot however go to the Navy, get denied, then go to the Marines. Nor in reverse. This is because the Marines are a sub-division of the Navy and all Marine clearances go throughthe Navy due to funding, logistical structure. Edit: Hope my vast knowledge ont he subject helps.