Moment of Truth

[Discord]

Hello all, I've been lurking here for a while and finally decided to register, its unfortunate however that my first post isn't exactly positive.

During MEPS I did not truthfully answer the question on prior drug use (Cannabis about a dozen times when I was 16/17) due to my listening to the advice of several current and former Marines, however over the past few weeks I have been reviewing all the information my recruiter gave to me and realized that there is absolutly nothing honorable about joining the Marine Corps under such false pretenses, not to mention that its illegal, and I don't want this floating over my head in what is hopefully an enjoyble career in the Marines.

What I'm trying to ask here, is should I tell my recruiter my plans to come clean ASAP or wait until the "Moment of Truth" during my second stay at MEPS? Also what sort of problems am I going to create for myself and those responsible for my paperwork/etc? I understand what I did was wrong and dishonorable, however I wish to correct the mistake and continue on with journey toward becoming a Marine. I appriciate all the responses you all might throw at me, positive or negative.

Edit: I also apologise if this is the incorrect forum, I'm still learning the ropes here and the forum structure is a little different from what I'm used to.

[Marine84]

Honey, at this point, go ahead and tell him and do the red tape that you may or may not have to do. Don't know how it is these days but, back in 84, weed was waiverable as hell. Just be straight up and get it over with.

[Discord]

I know its waiverable, I just feel like **** that I lied at MEPS and was wondering how the MEPS personel were going to respond to my changing my mind after signing a thousand documents saying that I'm going to roast in hell if I lied on any of the other hundred forms, etc. What I'm fishing for is someone who knows exactly whats going to happen when I reevaluate my previous statements.

Thanks for the reply Marine84.

[Donut Brigade]

I know its waiverable, I just feel like **** that I lied at MEPS and was wondering how the MEPS personel were going to respond to my changing my mind after signing a thousand documents saying that I'm going to roast in hell if I lied on any of the other hundred forms, etc. What I'm fishing for is someone who knows exactly whats going to happen when I reevaluate my previous statements.

Thanks for the reply Marine84.
Discord,

My last IST, a local Major was doing interviews with EVERY poolee from the area. He asked about any things that would keep you from arriving to recruit training: police record, drug use, school, medical, etc.

He also mentioned that marijuana is waiverable if you smoked it no more than 50-60 times and you pledge not to get involved with it ever again, and that he would push back your ship date to clean THC out of your system if needed.

Look, we all make STUPID decisions, and we all have to live with them. It's best to come clean now and have a good conscience.

Hope this helps.

[Marine84]

I know its waiverable, I just feel like **** that I lied at MEPS and was wondering how the MEPS personel were going to respond to my changing my mind after signing a thousand documents saying that I'm going to roast in hell if I lied on any of the other hundred forms, etc. What I'm fishing for is someone who knows exactly whats going to happen when I reevaluate my previous statements.

Thanks for the reply Marine84.

Well, I wasn't going to do this here but...........................I waited until my 2nd time at MEPS right before I was supposed to get on the bus to leave to go to the Island. I didn't get to leave that day because I had to call my Recruiter, give him 3 names of people back home that could/would give a good character reference on me, and wait for the paperwork to quit rollin' the next day with a waiver on my record. When I (obviously) popped positive on that first little "pop quiz" in boot camp, it didn't count against me and I never thought about it again.

For the next four years, I told the Corps "thank you" by NOT smoking. You will be given a second shot - don't fk it up! Tell it now!

[CJ Haynes]

@Discord: I know exactly how you feel (I had a somewhat similar situation, just not to do with drugs or anything of that sort). And I think it's great you want to come clean, and I believe you should. I pray God give you the strength to do so!

[Menso]

Hello everyone new poster here. I have told my recruiter that I have smoked weed and I asked for a wavier. He told me to not worry about it and to not say anything about it. I told him a second time that I didn't want to get into trouble later in my career, he then told me that he had done stuff before he joined and no one had to know. Should I just wait to MEPs to tell them? I don't want to "snitch" on my recruiter and go to his SNCOIC..

[Discord]

Well, I wasn't going to do this here but...........................I waited until my 2nd time at MEPS right before I was supposed to get on the bus to leave to go to the Island. I didn't get to leave that day because I had to call my Recruiter, give him 3 names of people back home that could/would give a good character reference on me, and wait for the paperwork to quit rollin' the next day with a waiver on my record. When I (obviously) popped positive on that first little "pop quiz" in boot camp, it didn't count against me and I never thought about it again.

For the next four years, I told the Corps "thank you" by NOT smoking. You will be given a second shot - don't fk it up! Tell it now!

Thanks so much for sharing, and trust me, the last time I smoked was months ago when I realized the Marine Corps wouldn't tolerate that ****. I know you don't know me personally, and probably don't really care, but I'm a compleatly different person from who I was a year or two ago, that lifestyle is dead and buried.

Ha, you all are a bit more...forgiving than I previously thought, but thanks to everyone for all the good posts.

[DBrown]

Discord,

My last IST, a local Major was doing interviews with EVERY poolee from the area. He asked about any things that would keep you from arriving to recruit training: police record, drug use, school, medical, etc.

He also mentioned that marijuana is waiverable if you smoked it no more than 50-60 times and you pledge not to get involved with it ever again, and that he would push back your ship date to clean THC out of your system if needed.

Look, we all make STUPID decisions, and we all have to live with them. It's best to come clean now and have a good conscience.

Hope this helps.
Er, How is somebody who smokes weed supposed to know how many times they've smoked it? Thats kinda like asking how many cheese burgers you've ate in your entire existence.

[davblay]

Er, How is somebody who smokes weed supposed to know how many times they've smoked it? Thats kinda like asking how many cheese burgers you've ate in your entire existence.
EXPERT POOLEES.......HEHE......THEY NEVER STOP AMAZING ME WITH THIER "I KNOW EVERYTHING ATTITUDE"!

[Donut Brigade]

Er, How is somebody who smokes weed supposed to know how many times they've smoked it? Thats kinda like asking how many cheese burgers you've ate in your entire existence.
Believe it or not that's what the Major told us. It sounds odd to me but what the hell. The Man said it and I better believe it.

[CplKJSpevak]

Discord, alway's go integrity first...Sounds like your gonna be alright dude, you know what to do.....Good Luck....

[davblay]

In case you Poolees don't already know the difference between a fairy tale and a BS Story,...........A Fairly tale starts out "Once upon a time",.............. and a BS Story starts out "Trust me on this" or "This ain't no Sh!t", or "I swear to God", or "I seen it with my own eyes", or "Believe it or not"!


Dave

[Donut Brigade]

In case you Poolees don't already know the difference between a fairy tale and a BS Story,...........A Fairly tale starts out "Once upon a time",.............. and a BS Story starts out "Trust me on this" or "This ain't no Sh!t", or "I swear to God", or "I seen it with my own eyes", or "Believe it or not"!


Dave

Corporal, with all due respect, I wasn't BSing these poolees in my post above. This is what the Major indeed told me and I didn't alter any of the details. I just thought I'd pass the word on to fellow poolees.

[davblay]

Corporal, with all due respect, I wasn't BSing these poolees in my post above. This is what the Major indeed told me and I didn't alter any of the details. I just thought I'd pass the word on to fellow poolees.
This Corporal thinks that the poolee needs to learn to pay attention to detail! I never qouted you nor did I point my finger at you for saying anything! I mearly made a point, YOU took it the wrong way and became disrespectful to a Marine NCO in the process! But if the shoe fits.....wear it Poolee.

One word of advice Poolee, you had 2 choices! 1) to leave it alone or 2) to post something stupid.......you choose the 2nd one. You should have chosen #1 and said Aye Aye Sir! But now you forgot and brought your attutude in here with ya to harras us old Marines and try to make US look stupid!

Now because I know you made a mistake and all, and I like you as well, I will accept and apology from you here on this thread in your very next post, or we can let the moderators decide what to do with you. It's up to you Poolee. Admit you were an idiot or suffer the incoming that you know I can have rained down on you at any minute.

Corporal Blaylock

Remember there are only two rule on this site;
1) the Marines are always right
2) if the Marines are wrong...see rule 1

get it?

Dave

[gobuffs10]

if it's gonna make you feel better, tell him...my understanding was as long as you don't fail the **** test, it's all good.

i told my recruiter first time i met him, he didn't seem to care too much...just asked how often and when was the last time.

i was a BIG pothead (daily or so, for 4 years) and tapered off and then finally quit. actually, i have tried to quit before, didn't make it more than 6 weeks...when i decided i wanted to join the Corps, i stopped smoking, then i came here, and that was all i needed haha. i don't remember which Marine on here said it, but he said, "No room for dopers in my beloved Corps." that was when i decided for good to give it up. the term 'doper' just has such a bad sound to it. plus, if i could not quit weed to actually DO something with my life, i think i'd feel like a big piece of ****. all i told my recruiter was that i used to smoke weed, quit a few months ago, and have no plans for future use....which is all true. i did USED to smoke, i did quit a few months ago, and i do have no plans for future use...so approach it how you will. and if it makes you feel better, at least it's not coke, or meth, etc...i know drugs are drugs, but there are in fact varying degrees and at least you stuck with the easy one. and only a dozen times...that is another thing to be proud of. tell him if you want, but in my opinion you have nothing to feel bad about.

[Donut Brigade]

Remember there are only two rule on this site;
1) the Marines are always right
2) if the Marines are wrong...see rule 1

get it?

Dave

Yes, Corporal.

My apologies. Noted and drilled into this poolee's head.

[OldSwabbie]

During MEPS I did not truthfully answer the question on prior drug use (Cannabis about a dozen times when I was 16/17)


If I may ~ now that the Marines have spoken. I've counseled alot of young men going into MEPS (Navy) about this. No need to go into how wrong it was - you already know this son. Come clean. Get your waiver and get on with your Marine Corps Career with a clean slate. In the future do what YOU know is the RIGHT thing to do.

So, good luck to you and have a great Career in the Marines! One of the hallmarks of being a Marine is your HONOR .... remember that.


OldSwabbie

[MyCorps]

Treat the Marine Corps the way you want to be treated. Always show integrity and be honest.

[OldSwabbie]

Treat the Marine Corps the way you want to be treated. Always show integrity and be honest.

I couldnt have put it better Sir. This is a big problem these days. I bet we have at least 1 or more a week with the same issue or with something medical that they "neglected" to mention. Some of our guys work so hard to qualify for the SEAL PFT that they will do just about anything ~ not realizing that there are waivers for quite a bit of it.


OldSwabbie

[davblay]

The obvious solution is to tell them ASAP, get the waiver and go on with it. If you are being honest with us here and now, then you will have no problems, but if you pop on that p test, then you lied to them and us, plus the Corps wont take you!

You Prospective Poolees need to realize that being honest is the best policy for enlistment. Most problems can be waived, but you do not want to get caught in a lie by the Corps, and you will get caught!

It is YOUR responsibility to be honest, It's your recruiters job to help qualify you for enlistment, But it is MEPS responsibility to disqualify you for what ever reason they find. The ones that BS their way thru MEPS will get caught up with at Boot Camp, most of the time! Even the ones that squeeze thru Boot Camp, will always have that hanging over their head during thier career, I can jump up and bite you in the azz at anytime, say for that well earned promotion.

The fact about a lie is that you have to remember what you said for years, but the truth is what it is anytime you are asked! There are a lot of people that fall thru the cracks, is that right....NO it is not. If you fail to disclose anything and later in your career you are passed over, you won't ask why! You don't want to know, and you hope they don't know as well.

The people, at MEPS, that will turn you down are MDs, PHDs, and Jag officers, they know what they are doing and can see thru BS without x-ray vision! It's thier job and they do it well.

In my experience, Poolees, once they have gone thru MEPS become experts in enlistment procedures. But let me give you some sound advise, if it ain't in writing, it don't exist! Just hearing someone say it, or someone that read it, or whatever does not make it so. If it is a regulation or policy it is in writing. Ask to see that proof, if your recruiter tells you something that don't sound right to you. It's better to light a candle than it is to curse the darkness.

Going thru MEPS is an experience in itself, but it's different for everyone, and by no means makes you an expert when some unknowing poolee/wannabee asks questions about it! Leave that to the poeple that know the answers. You don't have to post a reply to a question just because it's on poolee hall forum! You'll be surprise at what you can learn if you just sit back and read the replies from experienced Marines and Corpsmen! We do Have Recruiters and Corpmen here ya know?

My advise......tell them ASAP and get this cleared up ASAP!

Dave

[Smitty Puffs]

Nevermind. Do whatever you feel is right.