Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/BCD from the Marine Corp

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Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 9/3/2009


Question
MY husband got a BCD from the Marine Corps in 2004. On his discharge papers it says for drugs. During this time (before we were married) he had a roommate that was sent to the brig for drugs, but had put some up in the ceiling panel to hide. They pulled my husband off the boat he was on and drug tested him and it came up negative. The drugs his friend was on was meth and you could tell because he looked like a skeleton. My question is can he join the A.F with a BCD or how do we get it changed since it was 5 years ago, and he was clean when they tested him. I am curious on how they could even discharge him with a BCD when he was clean. Thank you.

Answer
Meggan,
It's kind of late to fight it now.  He should've had legal representation at the time to plead his case for him.

In his discharge paperwork find the form called a DD214 entitled CERTIFICATE OF RELEASE OR DISCHARGE FROM ACTIVE DUTY.  Down at the bottom in Block 26 you'll find a Separation Code.  In Block 27 you'll find a Reentry Code.  Tell me what these 2 codes are and I'll decode them for you.  That will give us the answer you're looking for.

Be sure your follow-up is marked "Private" and not public like this one.  His past is nobody else's business.

Colonel H

Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard

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MARK A. HOWELL

Expertise

All military questions, any Service. 30 years experience & two Ph.D.'s. 4 times Base Commander. Worked with Army, Navy, USMC, USCG and several foreign military units. Veteran of Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and 10 civil wars in Africa.

Experience

Air Force Colonel with 30 years experience. Air Force Base Commander 4 times. Highly decorated.

Organizations
Org of Am Historians, Wild West History Assoc., Disabled American Veterans - Life Member, Am Motorcyclist Assoc. - Life Member, North Am Hunt Club - Life Member, NWTF - Life Member

Publications
Numerous book reviews published in the Journal of American History. Two books submitted for publication.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in military history, Columbus University (Summa Cum Laude) Ph.D. in history, Northfield University, London, England (Summa Cum Laude) Master of Arts degree in history, Marshall University, WV Bachelors degree, double-major in history and mathematics, Salem College, WV Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL

Awards and Honors
Legion of Merit Defense MSM MSM x 5 Joint Commendation Mdl AF Commendation Medal Army Commendation Mdl Joint Achievement Mdl AF Achievement Medal Outstanding Volunteer Mdl

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