Drug Testing Before and During SMART

General Discussion for SMART Scholarship Recipients
Smokin_Joe_Blazer
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:13 pm
Contact:

Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Smokin_Joe_Blazer »

There are two threads in this forum about drug usage already. I will sum them up with this post:
2010Scholar wrote:I have a clearance now and have not been drug tested nor questioned, not that it's a problem for me..never has been. Secret is not that hard to receive and maintain unless you just decide to mess it up. Read the questions on the e-qip carefully. Most of them specify what they are looking for in the answer. Be honest. If you drink on occasion but you don't abuse alcohol, then you aren't going to answer yes to abusing alcohol, right? Drugs are illegal. End of story. Get your act together or rethink what you're applying for.
I would like to know if recipients are drug tested any time throughout their tenure in the SMART program. "2010Scholar" says that he/she has never been been tested. Could any other recipients in phase II confirm this? If you were tested, what type of test was it?

Before you prepare to stone me, let me provide my reasoning for asking these questions. I was a daily drug user. After our homework was done my roommates and I would smoke large bowls of marijuana accompanied by a spinning vinyl record. This was fun, but I needed to grow up, so I took a sabbatical from all drugs. I haven't touched an illegal substance in over 5 months now! This has not been easy. I've lost touch with a few friends because of my choice to quit.

Next week, my desire to partake in nature's fruits will be at an all time high during the devil's day, April 20th. I am aware that drug use could harm my chances at getting a TS clearance. I understand, and am willing to accept that consequence. I have always been, and always will be, a proud American. "Blazing up like it's 1999" for one day won't change that.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest »

The most important thing is to be completely honest. They want to make sure there's nothing that you can be blackmailed for, so full disclosure is key. Particularly if it is something that you're no longer doing, then past events don't matter so much as long as you fully disclose the events.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest »

Devil's day? Really?

Smokin_Joe_Blazer
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:13 pm
Contact:

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Smokin_Joe_Blazer »

I was completely honest about my history of drug use on the e-qip. If that comes back to haunt me, oh well. It is better to keep everything transparent when dealing with the feds. They would be able to figure it out if I didn't tell them.

Devil's Day! It also happens to be record store day. If none of you have experienced listening to your favorite music while enjoying the devil's herb, I would highly recommend buying yourself some maryjayne salad. Experience it for yourself.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest »

But why give the devil any credit for anything?

Nunya

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Nunya »

Short answer: it depends. You will/not be tested based on the position you hold at the facility. Your job classification can place you on the UA list. Also, most if not all TS require being UAed. Just don’t do it. Getting high for a few hours is not worth your career regardless of the date (BTW 4:20 came from the bible and has nothing to do with the devil). If you want to use, and have a job, go work at McDonalds or your state government. State governments (e.g., your public schools) cannot test employees on a regular/random basis. Only when investigating mishaps.

saynotodrugs

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by saynotodrugs »

This post disgusts me. I am a current candidate for this scholarship and also a current DOD employee. I have worked my guts out to try and put myself through school and work for our warfighter. You have the nerve to take advantage of something so valuable to others. You are seriously worried about smoking dope?? Well some of us are worried about how to make our lives and give our children better live, and it is certainly not by doing drugs. I hope someone somewhere gets a hold of this forum that can make a decision and boots your *#@ out of the program. Your a sick individual that should have never been givin such a great oppurtunity. You can afford to smoke dope and some of us can barely afford to eat because of the high cost of tuition and books.

Smokin_Joe_Blazer
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:13 pm
Contact:

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Smokin_Joe_Blazer »

I am sorry for disgusting you, but please don't post if your sole purpose is to criticize and point judging fingers toward someone you don't know. That is juvenile. You are not aware of my situation, as I am not aware of yours.

If you would have read my post to completion, you would have noticed I have not done anything illegal within the past 5 months. You don't know this, but that was really hard for me. Telling the friends you have made throughout the years to piss off isn't easy. I admitted feeling the need to grow up, so I did. Can you at least respect my efforts?

You probably think I'm another burnout punk who somehow was awarded a prestigious scholarship by luck. Fortunately, this is not the case. I've managed to get this far in school without any debt. For 4 years, during the summer, I would work 60+ hours a week in construction. It was not easy work, but I made enough to get through 2 years of school without any help. I picked up some bad habits along the way - it happens. I will accept all consequences for my actions.

My goal for starting this thread was to inform other recipients about the drug policies of working for the department of defense. It seems many of you believe that drugs do not have any good in them at all. This is not my belief. However, I will be forced to adapt. In case you are wondering, I will not be engaging in any activities frowned upon by the state I live in, or the United States government any time soon. Being hated by co-workers isn't worth being high for one day.

saynotodrugs

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by saynotodrugs »

I do respect you for refraining for the past 5 months. I'm sorry if I offended you or anyone else on this thread, it's just extremely frustrating to find a way to pay for school to try and better things for yourself and you hear about someone that seems to have it in easy street already. Obviously you have a better monetary worth than I do because I surely couldn't afford the same extracurricular activities that you were able to partake in previously. Was I quick to judge---absolutely, and for that I apologize.

Lurkish
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Lurkish »

When I interviewed with my SF they brought up the topic of drug testing. They said that they were all drug tested to get the job and are continuously randomly drug tested. They said it's a little awkward but everyone there has to do it so it's no big deal. I'm not sure if I believe them or not because I haven't started my internship, but either way I would rather be safe than sorry. The fact that they even mentioned it means they are serious about drug use and I would never jeopardise my chances with it. I don't think you should either. At some point you have to be an adult and make the adult choice. And congrats on staying clean for 5 months.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest »

Bottom line: you should be an adult by this point. Adults don't do drugs.

Nunya

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Nunya »

Guest wrote:Bottom line: you should be an adult by this point. Adults don't do drugs.
Really, that’s the argument you’re going with? Exactly what on earth does doing drugs/lack of have to do with being an adult? Now you might be suggesting that drugs are illegal, and adults don’t break the law. However, even this line of thought is ignorant. Firstly, an adult got there simply by age and nothing else. You might be referring to being “grown up,” but even then, you’re assuming that someone that is grown up doesn’t do drugs. Exactly how do you account for the numerous grown people that use marijuana legally? You don’t have to agree that it should be legalized, but you do have to acknowledge it is legal in several states now (even non medically). The only thing that you are even the remotest suggestion of correct on is that he shouldn’t be using. Not because it’s bad, adults don’t do that, government people don’t do that or anything else along those lines. The ONLY reason that he shouldn’t, or anyone else for that matter, is because the security clearance (and therefore the job/scholarship) depends on being clean. It might be accurate to say, “You should be a responsible, accountable individual by now, and someone that is responsible would never risk their livelihood/future for a few moments of escape.” Not all drugs are bad, there just not all produced by conglomerates with a several thousand percent markup funneling millions annually into politician’s pockets.

smart_hopeful

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by smart_hopeful »

My SF requires TS/SCI. This required peeing in a cup, and drug use was asked about on the e-qip. When they conduct the background investigation, people who know you will be asked whether you've used drugs as well. If you use or have used, they will find out.

Be aware that prior use is not necessarily disqualifying. But lying during the background investigation is an instant disqualification. Here's the drug use clearance guidelines:

GUIDELINE H: DRUG INVOLVEMENT

24. The Concern. Use of an illegal drug or misuse of a prescription drug can raise questions about an individual's reliability and trustworthiness, both because it may impair judgment and because it raises questions about a person's ability or willingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations.

(a) Drugs are defined as mood and behavior altering substances, and include:

(1) Drugs, materials, and other chemical compounds identified and listed in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, as amended (e.g., marijuana or cannabis, depressants, narcotics, stimulants, and hallucinogens), and (2) inhalants and other similar substances;

(b) drug abuse is the illegal use of a drug or use of a legal drug in a manner that deviates from approved medical direction.

25. Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying include:

(a) Any drug abuse (see above definition);

(b) testing positive for illegal drug use;

(c) illegal drug possession, including cultivation, processing, manufacture, purchase, sale, or distribution; or possession of drug paraphernalia;

(d) diagnosis by a duly qualified medical professional (e.g., physician, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist) of drug abuse or drug dependence;

(e) evaluation of drug abuse or drug dependence by a licensed clinical social worker who is a staff member of a recognized drug treatment program;

(f) failure to successfully complete a drug treatment program prescribed by a duly qualified medical professional;

(g) any illegal drug use after being granted a security clearance;

(h) expressed intent to continue illegal drug use, or failure to clearly and convincingly commit to discontinue drug use.

26. Conditions that could mitigate security concerns include:

(a) the behavior happened so long ago, was so infrequent, or happened under such circumstances that it is unlikely to recur or does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment;

(b) a demonstrated intent not to abuse any drugs in the future, such as:

(1) dissociation from drug-using associates and contacts;

(2) changing or avoiding the environment where drugs were used;

(3) an appropriate period of abstinence;

(4) a signed statement of intent with automatic revocation of clearance for any violation;

(c) abuse of prescription drugs was after a severe or prolonged illness during which these drugs were prescribed, and abuse has since ended;

(d) satisfactory completion of a prescribed drug treatment program, including but not limited to rehabilitation and aftercare requirements, without recurrence of abuse, and a favorable prognosis by a duly qualified medical professional.
I don't myself think pot should be illegal. I've never tried it, and I would advise people against it for health reasons, but as far as recreational chemistry goes it's pretty tame and certainly not worth sending people to jail over. However, as people trusted with national security information we have to hold ourselves to a high standard of trustworthiness, and that means following the law. If the law is misguided, then we should try to change it through the political process but still obey it in the meantime.

guestivusMaximus
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:34 am
Contact:

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by guestivusMaximus »

In as plain speak as possible.
You will not pass the security screening. You will waste your own time as well as everyone else's. If you enjoy smoking weed, you have no place in federal service. There is absolutely no way you will be granted a clearance with a history of drug use. The SSBI is an extensive background check, investigators will talk to everyone but the individuals you listed as references. You have no chance of passing a CI-poly. If you lie on your SF-86, you will be caught and punished IAW 18 USC; which to summarize includes a major fine and possible sentence of 8 years in federal (PMITA) prison. As they say, "them's the breaks".
If you want a free-ride for school, a job after you graduate and are as smart as you think you are, enlist in the Air Force.
P.S. The job isn't that great anyways. Despite what the movies say, you will not find aliens serving coffee.

Guest

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest »

GuestivusMaximus,
While you were trying to be plain, but I feel like that came off as unnecessarily abrasive and brash. There have been many people (I know 2 myself and have heard of quite a few others) that have gotten clearance after having used illegal substances.

Smokin_Joe_Blazer,
The key point is to be honest and to have stopped all use of it at or prior to application. As per smart_hopeful's post, use after clearance is grounds for clearance termination. You will more than likely be questioned about it, but it is better to be honest and to list why you stopped, including the fact that you felt "the need to grow up" as per your earlier posts. They are human, they understand mistakes and choices that you now feel were wrong. The key thing is you can be thought of as a liability if you currently use illegal drugs; the DOD and Federal government in general don't want liabilities or ways that secure information could get out.

Guest5

Re: Drug Testing Before and During SMART

Post by Guest5 »

As someone who speaks with management experience, your willingness to take such a risk demonstrates poor judgement. This behavior casts doubts on your ability to make sound decisions, especially in such an important matter as national security. The best advice is to either completely abstain from illegal activities or find a different occupation.

Post Reply