Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 7/26/2009

Question
I am a recent college graduate with a BA in history and a minor in sociology. I have 3.35 GPA and am interested in intelligence or some other career which would involve studying social interaction. If I could pick  my perfect job it would be being a specialist on a certain group of people culturally and politically. After my sophomore year in college, I signed up to enlist in the Navy. However, a month before I was supposed to leave I suffered some personal losses and decided not to join. When I left I was told that I could never join the Navy again. Will that negatively affect me joining other services as well? All I have on my record is an underage consumption charge from 5 years ago. I also have smoked marijuana 30-40 times since I was 18. I also tried cocaine 4 times in 2005. August of 2008 was the last time I did any drug. Do you think the combination of all these events will disqualify me from being an officer? Also which service and career do you think would be best. Right now I'm leaning towards USCG because they work primarily in the US. I'm more of an academic than a fighter but am in great physical condition. However I do not want to be in a battle situation or a warzone. Thanks for your time and the invaluable service you are providing.

Answer
Brandon,
Sorry, I forgot to answer the other part of your question.   The marijuana use can be waived as it is considered a "soft" drug. However, cocaine is considered a "hard" drug and will get you disqualified.  As long as you haven't used any of these drugs in the past year, your tests will be negative. What most people do in your situation is simply deny ever having used it.  It's just quicker and easier than trying to convince everybody that you're now a responsible citizen and won't ever do it again.  Unless you've been arrested for drug use, how's anybody going to know?  By no means am I encouraging you to lie, I'm just telling you what most people do.

Good luck,
Colonel H