Availability of NUPOC experimental-use waiver

[Kubota]

Hello, everyone.

I'm very seriously considering the NUPOC program with an eye towards FA subs, and have been looking over all the requirements.  I've already spoken to a recruiter and been told that I am a "strong candidate" for an interview based on my college transcript and civilian job experience.

However: I would need a waiver for previous (very long-ago; I'm at the upper end of the age eligibility range) experimental marijuana use, and nobody seems to be able to give me a straight answer on whether this is a deal-breaker for NUPOC.

In the Navy Officer Recruiting Manual (http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/officer/manual.htm), Ch. 2, it says:

The NUPOC Pre-Service Drug Abuse Statement shall be used to document the statements made by applicants for nuclear programs regarding drug use.  This form will be submitted with the application kit to COMNAVCRUITCOM.  COMNAVCRUITCOM will review all pre-service drug abuse statements and grant waivers, if appropriate (with PERS-42 concurrence).  Applicants for these programs may be granted a pre-service drug abuse waiver by COMNAVCRUITCOM (with PERS-42 concurrence) for experimental use of marijuana only.

So it sounds as though it's at least theoretically possible to get a waiver, but nothing on how regularly they're granted or what the standards in use are.

The impression I am getting from my recruiter is that things are "so competitive right now," unless I'm willing to "just say no" I might as well not apply.  However I'm a bit skeptical of that, and I've heard a lot of stories about recruiters pressuring candidates to flatly deny drug use in order to smooth the application process.

I understand completely that the Navy doesn't want people smoking dope in their submarines, but it seems a bit ridiculous to me that this would be a deal-breaker; we're talking about experimental use more than a decade ago.  Is that really something that in the current climate they would not grant a waiver for, or would severely impact my competitiveness as a candidate?  What's the real deal here?

Thanks!

[Duchess]

Don't lie.  That is the worst possible option.

The old rule of thumb for waiver approval was <10 times and >1 year since last use.  Only for Marijuana.  All other drug use will not get waived.

Things are very competitive right now but that's no reason to lie.  Right now, the waiver process has slowed considerably.  No waivers are being considered at the Navy Recruiting Command level at all right now.  I don't know how long that will actually last.

So, if you tell the truth then you might get a waiver eventually.  If you lie then the lie might be discovered during your security clearance investigation.  Either way, the best thing to do is tell the truth.

[Gamecock]

Either way, the best thing to do is tell the truth.

A naval officer does not lie, cheat, or steal....or tolerate those who do.

Cheers,
GC