Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 3/23/2009

Question
My son leaves for army boot camp next week.  He has expressed that he is afraid that he will not be able to complete his training.  I just found out that he has smoked marijuana so that he will fail his test when he gets to basic.  I am hoping that they will not discharge him but will punish him in some way.  He needs the discipline the military will provide.  What do you think will happen.
Help

Answer
Dear Pam --

Your son will be tested within 10 days of his arrival at training camp.  If he has smoked marijuana within 30 days (sometimes even longer) of that test date, his sample will come back positive for an illegal substance.  He will likely receive an initial entry separation, uncharacterized (neither honorable nor dishonorable).  That means he could try to re-enlist after 12 months outside, with a waiver for his prior discharge.

Any waivers decrease a recruit's "quality" and reduce the likelihood the recruit could earn an enlistment bonus or specialty training in a specific field.

Your son has a couple choices.  He can request to defer his report date for another 30 days.  Or he can "confess" to substance abuse as soon as he reports to training.  If he turns himself in, and goes to mandatory substance abuse avoidance classes, he will be able to stay in the Army as long as he does not use illegal substances again.

I wish him the best of luck.  Tell him not to be worried about training, but to go in with an open mind and a willingness to work hard and learn.  If he does, he will do very well.

Please write back, if you have additional questions.