# Security clearance and interviews



## pumpy14 (17 Aug 2012)

Unfortunately, I made some mistakes in my teenage years. I smoked marijuana a few times a month for 6 months on and off during grade 11. I stopped around halfway through the month of April, because I realized it would affect my future career path. I plan on applying for ROTP and I will be completely honest of course. I'm sure everyone here is familiar with gossip in high school... news travels quick, so people that I never talked to in some of my classes knew I smoked marijuana occasionally. I have 5 or so friends at school who smoked it with me and they are the only ones who knew that I had stopped. I understand that somewhere along the career of a pilot someone goes around asking my friends, family and employers certain questions regarding my past and more specifically, my past drug use. My unusual concern is that some people I knew that I didn't talk to that often probably don't know that I stopped. So if they're asked when I stopped, they might say I kept using it for months to come, which simply isn't true. But they might think it is.

Basically I'm worried that someone might say I kept using marijuana when they didn't know that I stopped. Does it matter if someone I rarely hung out with says I stopped in lets say september when I actually stopped in april, which is what I listed on the drug form?

Do the investigators ask specific questions about what month I stopped?

Also, I understand that there is a 6 month period where the forces want you to be marijuana free before applying. If only 5 months have passed when I apply for ROTP, what will they say? 
Will they wait to send in my application or will they tell me I can't apply altogether? If they tell me to wait another X amount of months I'll miss the application period...

If the deadline for pilot application is november and I last smoked in april, how will this affect me? Can I still apply in time?

At what point in the application process is the drug sheet handed out?

Will this prevent me from getting a position?

If I apply for ROTP during first year university, are my chances of getting in dramatically reduced?

I know I made a huge mistake. Had I known how this would affect me, I would never have done it.

Thank you for all replies!


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## Retired AF Guy (18 Aug 2012)

pumpy14 said:
			
		

> Unfortunately, I made some mistakes in my teenage years. I smoked marijuana a few times a month for 6 months on and off during grade 11. I stopped around halfway through the month of April, because I realized it would affect my future career path. I plan on applying for ROTP and I will be completely honest of course. I'm sure everyone here is familiar with gossip in high school... news travels quick, so people that I never talked to in some of my classes knew I smoked marijuana occasionally. I have 5 or so friends at school who smoked it with me and they are the only ones who knew that I had stopped. I understand that somewhere along the career of a pilot someone goes around asking my friends, family and employers certain questions regarding my past and more specifically, my past drug use. My unusual concern is that some people I knew that I didn't talk to that often probably don't know that I stopped. So if they're asked when I stopped, they might say I kept using it for months to come, which simply isn't true. But they might think it is.
> 
> Basically I'm worried that someone might say I kept using marijuana when they didn't know that I stopped. Does it matter if someone I rarely hung out with says I stopped in lets say september when I actually stopped in april, which is what I listed on the drug form?
> 
> ...



I think this has been asked/answered elsewhere.


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## pumpy14 (18 Aug 2012)

I have read some posts where people were accepted and put on hold, some where people were told to come back in 6 months, and some where people had there applications on hold by the recruiting office. Every answer seems different, does anyone have experience with ROTP applications specifically? And will not telling my peers affect my security clearance down the road if I get in?


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## George Wallace (18 Aug 2012)

pumpy14 said:
			
		

> I have read some posts where people were accepted and put on hold, some where people were told to come back in 6 months, and some where people had there applications on hold by the recruiting office. Every answer seems different, does anyone have experience with ROTP applications specifically? And will not telling my peers affect my security clearance down the road if I get in?



Which where were you talking about?  If they're there, then their problems may have to be resolved there too.

I don't think you are quite ready yet, to be applying for ROTP.


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## pumpy14 (18 Aug 2012)

http://Forums.Army.ca/forums/threads/70567/post-671034.html#msg671034

This is a link to a topic that answers most of my questions. They told this individual to come back in 3 months, whereas most on this forum seem to be told to come back in 6. I'm just stressed about the amount of months they will make me wait, and I tend to ramble when I am stressed. (which shows in my original post)

I guess I'm just looking for a rock solid rule as to how many months they make you wait and why. Perhaps these things are handled on a case by case basis and what I'm looking for doesn't exist.

Regardless of how many months they make me wait, it can't hurt to apply. It seems I just needed to sort that out in my mind. It is what it is.
Putting my life in someone else's hands is something I better get used to considering I'm applying for the forces!

A quick slap in the face sometimes does the trick if you know what I mean  :facepalm:


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## mmmjon (18 Aug 2012)

pumpy14 said:
			
		

> http://Forums.Army.ca/forums/threads/70567/post-671034.html#msg671034
> 
> This is a link to a topic that answers most of my questions. They told this individual to come back in 3 months, whereas most on this forum seem to be told to come back in 6. I'm just stressed about the amount of months they will make me wait, and I tend to ramble when I am stressed. (which shows in my original post)
> 
> ...



Apply right now but mentally prepare to be told to come back in 6 months. You may be good to go, maybe not.


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## The_Falcon (19 Aug 2012)

The deferral period if applicable is determined individually when you speak with the MCC.  You won't get a definative answer here because quite frankly 1) No one posting here is a MCC, 2) Even if they were, they won't discuss the methodology.


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## mkil (21 Aug 2012)

I applied last year to ROTP Nursing. I was on a sleeping medication prescribed by a doctor. My file was held over until I went off that medication and could provide medical documentation that I had been off of it for 6 months and was no risk to begin taking it again. Although devastating, it gave me the motivation to finally become medication free. So, my advice as a fellow applicant is to apply, be honest and hope for the best, but prepare for the likely possibility that your career will have to be put on hold for a year.

Meg


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## the tickler (23 Aug 2012)

I applied as a DEO in June and stopped smoking marijuana in April and have done other drugs previous to that. You will have to fill out a drug-use questionaire when you write your CFAT. I filled mine out honestly and the recruiter called me aside and said I barely made the cutoff so wouldn't have a delay in my application (3 months I guess?). She wanted to make sure I was completely done with drugs and I assured her that I was, and it hasn't come up since. Ever since I knew I wanted to apply for the Forces I quit cold turkey and will never touch drugs again. Best advice is to stop doing drugs, wait the waiting period if you have to, but just be honest.


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## roadrunner60 (23 Aug 2012)

Youll be fine just apply. Unless you say "i smoked last week" like a guy said at my cfat they wont send you away. And i stopped 5 months prior to my cfat too so youll be fine, since my cfat its closer to a year now that im clean off of it and itll most likly be the same for you too. So no worries just apply, and fyi. They dont go around asking your best friends and old boss' how much you smoked they just ask them what kind of a guy you are and they only talk to the people you put on your app, you arent applying the CIA.


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## The_Falcon (24 Aug 2012)

roadrunner60 said:
			
		

> Youll be fine just apply. Unless you say "i smoked last week" like a guy said at my cfat they wont send you away. And i stopped 5 months prior to my cfat too so youll be fine, since my cfat its closer to a year now that im clean off of it and itll most likly be the same for you too. So no worries just apply, and fyi. They dont go around asking your best friends and old boss' how much you smoked they just ask them what kind of a guy you are and they only talk to the people you put on your app, you arent applying the CIA.



How about you stay in your lane.  You don't work in recruiting, and more specifically you are not the MCC dealing with this individual.  THEY alone will make the determination whether or not the OP is "fine", not you.


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## roadrunner60 (24 Aug 2012)

Where in there did i say. "congradulation! You got a job with the cf!"? Because all i see is me giving my point of view and the circumstances that took place with my app. Try being helpfull, that is what forums and more so this one is for.


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## Journeyman (24 Aug 2012)

roadrunner60, look at your MilPoints. You've been a site member for only three weeks and you're already over 1600 in the hole.

Now MilPoints aren't the 'be all and end all,' but perhaps they're _suggesting_ that you're not being as helpful as you think you are.

Just sayin'


ps - reading through your posts, Spell Check is free; it'll add to your credibility. Honest.


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## Neolithium (24 Aug 2012)

Bah, I had a nice paragraph going but I don't want to feed the troll. 

OP - The best I can give you is keep your eyes on the goal and stay clean.  Ask the individuals who are handling your file the best course of action and just go with it - good luck!


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## roadrunner60 (24 Aug 2012)

No just because i try not to say "use the search bar!" and "use spellcheck!" some people(cdn aviator) have decided im not as good as them and because im not cynically bitter and decide to stand up for myself and others i have low MilPoint. Which i clearly couldnt care less about. But thank you for your uneducated and unwanted opinion as its been very helpfull to the qeustion at hand.


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## Journeyman (24 Aug 2012)

:rofl:   _Excellent_ response.


Please, don't get me wrong. I have nothing personally invested in how you appear to the site's readers -- we're not BFF or pen pals; I was just trying to be "helpfull"

Take it for what you will   op:


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## Neolithium (24 Aug 2012)

roadrunner60 said:
			
		

> No just because i try not to say "use the search bar!" and "use spellcheck!" some people(cdn aviator) have decided im not as good as them and because im not cynically bitter and decide to stand up for myself and others i have low MilPoint. Which i clearly couldnt care less about. But thank you for your uneducated and unwanted opinion as its been very helpfull to the qeustion at hand.



This is an outstanding attitude which will undoubtedly help with your endeavour towards a military career.


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## muskrat89 (24 Aug 2012)

Locked.


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## Franko (24 Aug 2012)

roadrunner60 said:
			
		

> Youll be fine just apply. Unless you say "i smoked last week" like a guy said at my cfat they wont send you away. And i stopped 5 months prior to my cfat too so youll be fine, since my cfat its closer to a year now that im clean off of it and itll most likly be the same for you too. So no worries just apply, and fyi. They dont go around asking your best friends and old boss' how much you smoked they just ask them what kind of a guy you are and they only talk to the people you put on your app, you arent applying the CIA.



Nice. Check your inbox. 3 reported posts from three different users = listening silence for you kiddo.

*The Army.ca Staff*


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