Expert: Dacus T. Grant - 11/30/2007

Question
Hello,

I am 23 years old living in Michigan.  I graduated from Western Michigan University with a BS in Airport Science and Administration.  I just received notice that I have been selected to take the AT-SAT.  Unfortunately I have a Operating while intoxicated blemish on my driving record.  This was an unfortunate situation where I went to sleep after consuming alcohol, slept for some time then woke up and made the terrible decision to drive.  I was then pulled over due to a burnt out tail light.  Unfortunately I didn't get enough sleep and my system was not completely clear of alcohol.  My question to you is, would it be worth it for me to take time off of work and travel to Chicago for this test, or will I be disqualified automatically due to my previous record.  This was an unfortunate incident and is in no way a reflection of my character.  I have excelled at my current job and am now in a management position, but ATC is something I have been wanting to pursue for some time.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Jon,
  This is outside of my expertise, so I checked with my HR specialist at work and she says.  The incident itself is not disqualifying, however, they would take a good look at it and use it as just one of the evaluation tools for selecting you.  She said it depends on how long ago and what the circumstances were when the incident happened.  I'm sure that they would look at your past work history and take that into consideration also.  
    I can't tell you what to do, but I don't think that you will ever have a better chance to get hired by the FAA.


Good Luck.

If there is anything else I can do for you, you can email me at dacus@iwon.com.


Dacus Grant