U.S. Military Enlistment Standards

U.S. Military Enlistment StandardsU.S. Military Enlistment StandardsContinued from Part 1 Drug/Alcohol Involvement The United States Military does leid condone the illegal or improper use of drugs or alcohol. It is DODs stated contention that illegal drug use and abuse of alcohol is (1) Is against the law. (2) Violates the high standards of behavior and performance expected of a member of the United States Armed Forces. (3) Is damaging to physical, mental, and psychological health. (4) Jeopardizes the safety of the individual and otherbeis. (5) Is fundamentally wrong, destructive to organizational effectiveness, and totally incompatible with service as a member of the U.S. Military. (6) Is likely to result in criminal prosecution and discharge under other than honorable conditions. All applicants are carefully screened concerning drug and alcohol involvement. As a minimum, you can expect the recruiter to ask a. Have you ever used drugs? b. Have you been charged with or convicted of a drug or drug related offense? c. Have you ever been psychologically or physically dependent upon any drug or alcohol? d. Have you ever trafficked, sold, or traded in illegal drugs for profit? If the answer to the last two questions is yes, then you can expect to be ineligible for enlistment. If the answer to the first two questions is yes, then you can expect to have to complete a drug abuse inspektion form, detailing the specific circumstances of your drug usage. The military service will then make a determination as to whether or bedrngnis your previous drug usage is a bar to service in that particular branch of the military. In fruchtwein cases, a person who experimented with non-hard drugs in the past will be allowed to enlist. Anything mora than experimentation may very well be a bar to enlistment. An experimenter is defined as ..one who has illegally, wrongfully, or improperly used any narcotic substance, marijuana, or dangerous drug, for reasons of curiosity, peer press ure, or other similar reason. The exact number of times drugs were used, is not necessarily as important as determining the category of use and the impact of the drug use on the users lifestyle, the intent of the user, the circumstances of use, and the psychological makeup of the user. An individual whose drug experimentation/use has resulted in some form of medical, psychiatric, or psychological treatment a conviction or adverse juvenile adjudication or loss of employment does not chose within the limits of this category. For administrative purposes, determination of the category should be within the judgment of either the district or recruiting station commanding officer, aided by medical, legal, and moral advice, with information as available from investigative sources. While not a hard and fast rule, one can expect that any admitted use of marijuana over 15 or so times, or any admitted use of hard drugs, will be disqualifying, and require a waiver. In any case 1. Dependency on i llegal drugs is disqualifying. 2. Any history of drug use is potentially disqualifying. 3. Any history of dependency on alcohol is disqualifying. Even if enlistment is authorized, many sensitive military jobs will be closed to individuals who have any past association with illegal drug or alcohol use. In the Air Force, anyone who admits to smoking marijuana less than 15 times does not require a waiver. More than 15 times, but less than 25 requires a Drug Eligibility Determination (basically, a trained Drug Alcohol Specialist will examine the exact circumstances of the use). An approved Drug Eligibility Determination is not the saatkorn thing as a waiver, in that it will not preclude enlistment in most Air Force Jobs. 25 or mora uses of Marijuana in a lifetime is disqualifying, and requires a waiver. As a minimum, recruits will undergo a urinalysis test, when at the Military Entrance Processing Station, (MEPs) for their initial processing, and again when reporting for basic training . Moral Standards The United States Military Services make every attempt to assess the moral quality of potential recruits, and several categories of moral offenses may preclude enlistment. This is primarily accomplished based on criminal record. I should note here that there is no such thing as a sealed record, or an expunged record as far as the military is concerned. The recruiting services have access to law enforcement and FBI investigative records, which quite often will list arrests in these categories. Even if an offense is not found during the recruiter criminal background check, it is likely to come up during a possible (probable) security clearance criminal records check. If an applicant fails todisclose criminal historyand it is later discovered, the individual may be charged under federal law, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice for False Statement, and/or Fraudulent Enlistment. (See the article,I Cannot Tell a Lie). Military applicants are required by law, as part of the enlistment process to disclose any and all incidents that resulted in arrest or in charges being filed. When determining whether or not an offense counts for enlistment purposes, the services are primarily interested in whether or not the applicant actually committed the offense, not whether or not a legal conviction resulted. Any offense that resulted in either conviction, or any kind of adverse adjudication counts. When it comes to criminal offenses, enlistment qualifications, and waivers, the following definitions apply Conviction. The act of finding a person guilty of a crime, offense or other violation of law by a court or competent jurisdiction or other authorized adjudicative authority. This includes fines and forfeiture of bond in lieu of trial. Adverse Adjudication (adult or juvenile). Any conviction, finding, decision, sentence, judgment, or disposition other than unconditionally dropped, unconditionally dismissed, or acquitted. Participation in a pretrial inte rvention program as defined below must be processed in the same manner as an adverse adjudication. Pretrial Intervention/Deferment. Every state has a program by which offenses are diverted out of the regular criminal process for a probationary period. While the programs vary from State to State, they all require the defendant to meet some requirement (e.g., reporting or non-reporting probation, restitution, or community service), after successful completion of which the charge is disposed of in a way that does not result in a final adjudication of guilt. Charges disposed in this manner must be processed as an adverse adjudication. Stet Processes. A judgment that all further action in a case be stayed. Frequently referred to as a stet, it is often used by prosecutors to dispose of criminal action without actually having to try a case on its merits. A stet may be considered as equivalent to dropping charges if the prosecutor does not contemplate any further proceedings on the case and the case has not been handled through a pretrial deferment program. A letter from the district attorney is required to verify a stet. Nolle Prosequi. Commonly called nol pros. A formal entry on the record that the prosecutor will not prosecute the case any further. A nol pros may be considered equivalent to dropping charges if the prosecutor does not contemplate any further proceedings on the case and the case has not been handled through a pretrial deferment program. Army. The Army divides criminal offenses into one of four categories. Applicants with six or moraminor traffic offenses(where the fine was $100 or mora per offense), or three or more minor non-traffic offenses, or two or more misdemeanors, or one or more felonies, requires a waiver. For detailed information, see ourArmy Criminal History Information Pages. Air Force. The Air Force divides criminal offenses into five categories.Category 1offenses are considered the most serious (felonies), and category5 offensesare the most minor. Applicants with one or more convictions or adverse adjudications from category 1, 2, or 3 offenses require a waiver. Those with two or more convictions or adverse adjudications in the past three years, or three or more convictions or adverse adjudications in a lifetime for a category 4 offense also require a waiver. Air Force applicants with six or more convictions or adverse adjudications in any 356 day period within the past three years from a category 5 offense also require a waiver. For complete information, see ourAir Force Criminal History Information Pages. seestreitkraft Corps. The Marines divide criminal offenses into one of six categories. In general, a waiver is required for five to nine minor traffic offenses two to five more serious traffic offenses two or more Class 1 minor non-traffic offenses two to nine Class 2 minor non-traffic offenses two to five serious offenses or one felony. Individuals with ten or more minor traffic offenses, six or more serious traffic offenses, ten or more Class 2 minor non-traffic offenses, six or more serious non-traffic offenses, or more than one felony are not eligible for a waiver. For details, see ourMarine Corps Criminal History Information Pages. Navy. The Navy divides criminal offenses into four separate categories. Applicants with six or moreminor traffic violations, three or more Minor Non-Traffic Violations/Minor Misdemeanors, one or moreNon-Minor Misdemeanors, or one or more felonies, require a waiver. For complete information, see ourNavy Criminal History Information Pages. Let me mention that although, technically, felonies can be waived, the services almost never do this. This is especially true if the crime involved sale of narcotics, sex crimes, or violence. Additionally, those convicted of domestic violence, by federal law, are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. That pretty much makes the individual worthless for military purposes, so such waivers are not likely to be appro ved. Whether or not a waiver will be considered or approved depends on several factors, including the exact circumstances of the offense, how old the applicant was at the time, how long ago the offenseoccured, and how bad that particular military service needs that particular warm body at that particular point in time. In general, during years when the services are having few problems attracting qualified recruits, fewer waivers are considered and approved. During years when the services are having a difficult time finding enough qualified volunteers to meet their quotas, one can expect more waivers to be considered and approved. One also needs to understand that the wavier approval process is somewhat subjective. What I mean by that is there is some human being (usually a commander), in the chain of command who will ultimately approve or disapprove the waiver request. If, for example, that person recently had their house burglarized, they are probably not going to feel very generou s towards any waiver request involving burglary or theft. For more detailed information, see ourCriminal History Waiver Information Page. Enlistment As An Alternative To Prosecution Applicants may not enlist as an alternative to criminal prosecution, indictment, incarceration, parole, probation, or other punitive sentence. They are ineligible for enlistment until the original assigned sentence would have been completed. Homosexual Conduct Dont Ask, Dont Tell is the current policy for the United States Military. What that means, in a nutshell is that the military will not ask about someones sexual preference. That means that homosexuals can service in the military, but they cannot engage in anyhomosexual conduct, nor can they tell anyone about their sexual preference. (1) Applicants for enlistment will not be required to reveal theirsexual orientation. However, homosexual conduct may be grounds for barring enlistment. Homosexual conduct is any homosexual act, a statement by t he applicant that demonstrates propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts, or a homosexual marriage or attempted marriage. (a) An applicant will be rejected for entry if he or she makes a statement that demonstrates that the applicant has a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts, unless there is a further finding that the applicant has demonstrated that he or she does not have a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts. A statement by the applicant that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual, or words to that effect, creates a reputable presumption that the applicant engages in homosexual acts or has a propensity to do so. However, under DOD policy, the applicant shall be advised of this presumption and given the opportunity under the procedures prescribed below to rebut the presumption by presenting evidence sufficient to demonstrate that he or she does not engage in homosexual acts and does not have a propensity to do so. (b) If it is discovered that an applicant or a member of the Delayed Entry Program has engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act and the information is received by a credible source, including, but not limited to, assekuranzpolice records check or National Agency Check, the applicant will be denied enlistment. If the circumstances meet (a) above or (c) below of this paragraph, then the procedures below will be followed to determine eligibility.(c) If the act was a departure from the applicants customary behavior, and the act is unlikely to recur because it was the result of immaturity, intoxication, or coercion, that the behavior was not accomplished by force, coercion or intimidation, then the applicant may be processed for enlistment in the same manner as (a) above in that a written explanation may be submitted to the approving authority who will rule on the conditions under which the act was committed and determine propensity to further engage in such acts. (2) An a pplicant may submit a rebuttal to the presumption that he or she will engage in homosexual acts by presenting written evidence other material the applicant believes relevant. The applicant is responsible to provide his or her recruiter such documents/evidence. The recruiter will submit applicable documents to the Recruiting Commander concerned for final determination. Mental Aptitude The primary method of determining if someone has the mental aptitude required to be an enlisted member of the United States Military is the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude. Test (ASVAB). Theoverall test scoredetermines whether or not you are qualified to join the military, and individual composite scores derived from the ASVAB test determine what jobs you may qualify for. For more information about the ASVAB, see my feature article,ABCs of the ASVAB. Height Standards The cause for rejection for Armed Forces male applicants is height less than 60 inches or more than 80 inches. The cause for reje ction for Armed Forces female applicants is height less than 58 inches or more than 80 inches. The Marines are more restrictive. For the Marines, height standards for male applicants range from 58 to 78 inches. Height standards for female applicants range from 58 to 72 inches. Weight Standards The services dont really have weight standards. What they have arebody fat standards. However, it takes extra time and effort to measure body fat, so the services useweight chartsto do an initial screening. Individuals who weigh more than the limits on the chart are measured to ensure they fall within the services body-fat standards. There are no waivers for exceeding required body fat limits. Air Force Weight Chart - Male/Female Army Weight Chart - Males Army Weight Chart - Females Navy Weight Chart - Male/Female Marine Corps Weight Chart - Male Marine Corps Weight Chart - Female If the applicant exceeds the weight shown on the above charts, they are measured for body fat. Body-fat standa rds for each of the services are Army (Accession standards) Male 17-30 - 24%Male 21-27 - 26%Male 28-39 - 28%Male 40 - 30%Female 17-30 - 30%Female 21-27 - 32%Female 28-39 - 34%Female 40 - 36% Air Force (Accession Standards)Male 17-29 - 20%Male 30 - 24%Female 17-29 - 28%Female 30 - 32% Navy (Accession Standards)Male - 23%Female - 34% Marine Corps (Accession and Regular Standards)Male - 18%Females - 26% Medical Screening The medical officials at MEPs do not work for any of the individual services. They work for DOD (MEPS). Their job is to use aset list of medical standardsto determine whether or not one is medically qualified to perform military duties. Using these set standards, the MEPs medical officials either certify a candidate as medically qualified, or medically disqualified (theres no in-betweens). For a list of medical standards that DoD considers disqualifying, see ourEnlistment/Accession Medical Standards Information Pages. ?However, while DOD sets the overall standar ds, each of the military services are allowed to individually waiver the standards, depending upon the particular needs of the service. If the medical officials at MEPS disqualifies an applicant, the chief medical official will usually make a recommendation about whether or not he/she recommends that the service waiver the disqualification. The doctor normally makes this recommendation based upon his/her professional opinion as to whether the precise nature of the medical disqualification will significantly interfere with the proper performance of military duties (either now, or in the future). The waiver requestis then considered by medical officials assigned to the individual service. If the chief medical official at MEPs recommends a waiver, the chances of receiving the waiver from the service concerned is pretty good (although still not a certainty). If the chief medical official at MEPs does not recommend a waiver, the chance of receiving an approved medical waiver is slim. Bef ore even sending a candidate to MEPS, the recruiter will complete aDD Form 2807-2, (Applicant Medical Prescreening Form). The Form was developed to help recruiters screen out applicants who are obviously not medically qualified for military service. Use of the form helps the military to avoid needless expenditure of funds, and discourages applicants from further processing if they are obviously unqualified (e.g., missing a limb, missing an eye). Miscellaneous Provisions In general, the following additional conditions will render one ineligible for enlistment, and waivers will not normally be granted 1. Intoxicated or under influence of alcohol or drugs at time of application, or at any stage of processing for enlistment. 2. Having history of psychotic disorders or state of insanity at time of application for enlistment. 3. Questionable moral character. 4. Alcoholism. 5. Drug dependence. 6. Sexual perversion. 7. History of antisocial behavior. 8. History of frequent or chronic ve nereal disease. 9. Previously separated for unfitness, unsuitability, unsatisfactory performance, misconduct or bar to reenlistment, with 18 or more years of active Federal service completed. 10. Applicants for retirement and persons receiving retirement or retainer pay, except for combat-wounded personnel. 11. Persons unable to present written evidence (official documents) of prior service claimed, until such service has been verified. 12. Persons whose enlistment are not clearly consistent with interests ofnational security. 13. Last discharged or separated from a component of a U.S. Armed Force, with other than honorable discharge, or general discharge. 14. Criminal or juvenile court charges filed or pending against them bycivil authorities. 15. Persons under civil restraint, such as confinement, parole, or probation. 16. Subject of initial civil court conviction or adverse disposition for more than one felony offense. 17. Civil conviction of a felony with any one of the followin g 18. Subject of initial civil court conviction or other adverse dispositions for sale, distribution, or trafficking (including Intent To) of cannabis (marijuana), or any other controlled substance. 19.Prior Servicewith an RE-Code of 4. 20. Persons with a schwimmbad Conduct or Dishonorable discharge. 21. Persons with prior service last discharged from any component of the Armed Forces for drug oralcohol abuse, or as rehab failure during their last period of service. 22. Three or more convictions or other adverse dispositions for driving while intoxicated, drugged, or impaired in the 5 years preceding application for enlistment. 23. Confirmed positive result for alcohol or drugs (test administered at MEPS) (May be waived by some of the Services). 24. Persons with convictions or other adverse dispositions for 5 or more misdemeanors preceding application for enlistment. 25. Alien without lawful admittance or legal residence in the United States. 26. Permanently retired by reason of phy sical disability. 27. Retirement after 20 years of active Federal service. 28. Officers removed from active or inactive service by reason of having attainedmaximum age or service. 29. Discharged by reason of conscientious objection. a. Three or more offenses (convictions or other adverse dispositions) other than traffic.b. Applicants with juvenile felony offenses who have had no offenses within 5 years of application for enlistment may be considered for a waiver in meritorious cases.