Expert: Stan McElya - 3/25/2009

Question
I am in the process of enlisting in one of the military services and I am really interested in the Navy as they have much better IT training that could benefit me in the future.  When I was 16, I got caught with marijuana.  Even though this was 12 years ago, the recruiter told me that this will prevent me from getting any IT job (because it requires a security clearance) in the Navy and that I will need a waiver which is next to impossible to get.  Does he really know what he's talking about?  This charge isn't even on my record anymore, and I've been squeaky clean ever since.

Answer
Hello David:
   He could be right,but I would think that you could get a waiver for that. It was so long ago and you were a juvenile when it happened. Try talking to a different recruiter and see if he says the same thing.
                          Good Luck
                           Snake