You are here:
Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/enlist or officer?
Advertisement
Question
Hello Mr. Rod Powers, I want to go in the air force or navy as an officer to become a pilot but due to my horrible past it is almost impossible to go in as an officer, especially since Air Force are doing cuts on 1st Luietenants. I have a felony record in possession of methamphetamine, it was dismissed but I did plead guilty so in the military it is still a felony. The thing is I've never done drugs ever in my life, I just got really unlucky that day and I have the police report to prove it. I was told that I can try to go in as enlisted and try to go into officer school from there. My question is, if that is possible, how long will it take me to become an officer if I go in as enlisted? Because Im 25 and age limit for flight training is 27-28 if I'm correct. Any tips or advice for me? I'll really appreciate it. Oh, I already have my bachelors...I basically have all the qualifications but the criminal record is the only thing that is stopping me fulfilling my dream.
Hi Russell,
I'm afraid I don't have good news for you.
With a felony conviction, your chances of getting an officer slot in either the Air Force or Navy is pretty much non-existent.
With a felony conviction of possession of meth, enlistment in the Air Force is not going to happen, and enlistment in the Navy is only a little more likely. Assuming you can get a waiver and enlist in the Navy, becoming a commissioned officer, even after enlisted time, with a felony conviction is not going to happen.
The problem is that you plead guilty to a felony charge. Presumably, you have a Public defender, and the judge who should have explained to you just what such a plead means -- it means that you admit you did it. To claim afterward that you didn't, isn't something that any of the Military services is going to want to listen to.
For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military information website, at: http://usmilitary.about.com Hope this helps!
Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Rod Powers
Expertise
Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience
Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.