Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 10/21/2009

Question
OK so as it stands right now i was in the air force, i completed basic training and then went to tech school, i got my wisdom teeth removed during tech school and was prescribed hydrocodone, a narcotic. my friend told me that if i snorted them it would hit me faster and i obliged because of the pain. Long story short i am getting a discharge for drug abuse i haven't found out my RE code yet but i am just wondering what the chances of me being able to reenlist in another branch are,(i know i can never go back to the air force)and also i would like to know do all navy personnel have to be on a boat?

Answer
Jonathon,
Friends may sometimes mean well but they seldom give good advice, as you found out.  I'll bet if you had known Hydrocodone is also known as Vicodin you wouldn't have snorted it.

Here's what the RE codes mean so you'll know in advance what to agree to.

In general:
- If you receive an RE Code of 1 you may reenlist in the AF or another Service with no problem.
- If you receive an RE Code of 2 you may usually reenlist in the AF or another Service with various restrictions, or if the circumstances which resulted in the code no longer apply.
- If you receive an RE Code of 3 you can normally reenlist in the AF or another Service, but will  require a waiver to be processed.
- If you receive an RE Code of 4, you are normally not eligible to reenlist in the AF nor join another Service.

Yes, all Navy personnel serve approximately 6 months of Sea Duty every year.  Sometimes more.  After all, what good is a sailor if he doesn't sail?

Good luck,
Colonel H