Expert: Jason Grabill - 8/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: A close friend was 48 hours away from going into the Marines..in final questioning , he admitted to minor marijuana use a month ago. They informed him he could not join Marines now..only 2 days from reporting.
Sadly this was a isolated incident not a pattern.Is there a record of this incident as he did not actually sign the contract or enter the marines? Will he be allowed to enter another branch of the service? Should he be truthful on application for new  branch of service or just say he changed his mind?Can the new branch they ever find out?

ANSWER: Mary:

 If you admit at what is called 'the moment of truth' you've lied on your forms up until that time and are discharged immediately.  He won't be able to join the Marines but he'll likley be able to enlist into another branch after at least a one year or so wait.

 And, as this episode proves, ALWAYS BE TRUTHFUL on ANY application for the military.  It would have been a simple waiver and he'd have been done.  Because he lied he's out.  Simple as that and there are no 'second chances'.  Now that they have rejected him there will be a record of it, and the reason why.

Jason

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response.Actually he did not lie because he hadn't "done it" until about a month ago, foolishly, I agree.I don't think he had any chance for that waiver.
When you say there will be a record of it, do you mean a record in the marines only? Is there a master database that all the branches share about prospective applicants? In other words, can he apply to, say ,the army,without them finding out?  If yes, then he has to wait a year? If no,  what should he say about his previous application?

Answer
Mary:

 No, the record will be available through the MEPs that he was there before, and they'll (the people at MEPS) will immediately want to know why he didn't get enlisted/ship, and then they'll find out.

 So he needs to be 100 percent honest with any other branch he applies to or the same thing will happen, only this time with more serious consequences for him.

 All he has to do is tell the complete truth and go from there. He'll likely have to wait a year, but if he checks with another services recruiter they will tell him for sure.  

Jason