Dui

[Jwattz]

I just turned 21 a couple of months ago and about 2 years ago almost exactly I got into some trouble here in the state of alabama and got a DUI. I was under 21 and judge granted Youthful Offender. My lawyer said the case would be completely sealed from everyone. I did not want to join the military back then so I did not ask. So does anyone here know if at MEPS or the recruiting officer can dig up these "sealed" youthful offender cases? If I did try to hide it and they eventually found out would I really get into serious trouble like my recruiter said? He doesn't know yet.

I am working on my degree now and really want to get commissioned. I hope this doesn't affect it though. I want to kick myself in the head for this one. If it does affect me getting in as an officer do you think I can get away with hiding it and enlisting instead?

WATTZ

 

[NeoCortex]

DUI is a big deal. When they do the background check they may find out. If you lied about it they'll kick you out.

 

[ryann24]

Someone I know had a defered judgement and this did not affect his chances at getting commissioned. What were you convicted of? It is better to be upfront about it, but be clear about "what" you were convicted of. Remember it was before your military career, etc. It would really burn you if it was more recent or after you had joined the military.

 

[Chubby]

For the record, when they do a background check they WILL find out about it. It is sealed to the public, not the federal gov't. Tell 'em now and try to sort it out from the start.

 

[zippy]

Absolutely do not hide it.

If there is a paper trail chances are they will find it. If not during the initial screening, then during your security clearance background investigation. Get a certified copy of your docket disposition sheet (or whatever that piece of paper is telling the final outcome of your case) and be prepared to give it to anyone who wants to see it.

You may get a break for having it judged a youthful offence, you may not. Talk to a couple of officer recruiters to see what they say.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

send a PM to to RockyMtnNFO. He is the Officer Programs Officer for Naval Recruiting District Denver. In any event, you're going to have to come be forthcoming about the issue, most likely for the initial application and definitely for the security clearance questionaire. However, PM that guy I suggested and see what his take is.

 

[Av8or72Dan]

A MIDN in my NROTC unit got a DUI and didn't tell anyone. After about 6 months, he told the Captain. I don't know all of the details but the CO is debating whether to keep him around. One main thing that the CO did tell him was that he should have come forward when it happened.

 

[MIDNJAC]

A MIDN in my NROTC unit got a DUI and didn't tell anyone. After about 6 months, he told the Captain. I don't know all of the details but the CO is debating whether to keep him around. One main thing that the CO did tell him was that he should have come forward when it happened.

wow....I'm suprised to hear that; at my unit it is an automatic disenrollment if you get a DUI (or piss positive for that matter) let alone not telling the staff about it. It's the CO's policy but it makes sense....as an officer your career will be more or less over if you get a DUI, if for no other reason, because you probably won't be granted a security clearance. One guy last year waited until the end of christmas vacation to call on the Captain after his DUI, and in addition to being dropped, he got the chewing out of a lifetime and the CO's promise to make his disenrollment as painful as possible (I think he may have been shipped off to Great Lakes). But i guess things vary around the fleet; different people have different pet peeves

back to the original poster though, like others have said DO NOT try and hide it. It is somewhat likely that they won't find it during your initial application process, but it is highly unlikely that they would miss it when they do your security clearance background check. You have time since the incident and the fact that you were not in the military at the time of conviction (or whatever ended up happening) on your side, but on such a serious issue, you will not get any leniancy if you aren't forthcoming and they find out. Don't make it harder for yourself.

Oh yeah, I would also like to think that the officers I will be serving with have the moral courage and honesty to admit their mistakes even if the truth is painful. Not trying to preach but I think that if you look at the Navy Core Values, the answer to your question is pretty clear.

 

[fc2spyguy]

. . .as an officer your career will be more or less over if you get a DUI, if for no other reason, because you probably won't be granted a security clearance.

This is the definition of bad gouge. A dui will not keep you from getting a clearance by itself.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

And we all know how I feel about bad gouge!

 

[MIDNJAC]

This is the definition of bad gouge. A dui will not keep you from getting a clearance by itself.

well, I'm not talking about the original poster....I'm talking about an already comissioned officer who goes ahead and gets a DUI. Maybe it is not a definite, but I have heard several stories of this happening and our staff officers definitely made this a point to all of us. Maybe they were just trying to scare us, but then again maybe they weren't.....you've probably seen more stuff happen in the fleet than I have if you are in NSI, but that is the gouge that I have gotten from my NROTC unit.

 

[skidkid]

There is no such thing as sealed records, I knew a guy who got bit hard by this. Be forthright and honest.

 

[IFT2O]

I just turned 21 a couple of months ago and about 2 years ago almost exactly I got into some trouble here in the state of alabama and got a DUI. I was under 21 and judge granted Youthful Offender. My lawyer said the case would be completely sealed from everyone. I did not want to join the military back then so I did not ask. So does anyone here know if at MEPS or the recruiting officer can dig up these "sealed" youthful offender cases? If I did try to hide it and they eventually found out would I really get into serious trouble like my recruiter said? He doesn't know yet.

I am working on my degree now and really want to get commissioned. I hope this doesn't affect it though. I want to kick myself in the head for this one. If it does affect me getting in as an officer do you think I can get away with hiding it and enlisting instead?

WATTZ

I'm from Alabama and had the same thing not DUI but Y.O. The clerk at the court house told me that she could not release sealed records to ANYONE but me. Call the courthouse and ask. I ran into the same dilemma, but chose to disclose the information, although mine was not as potentially damning as yours. It's not really going to matter what you did outside of the Navy (w/ some exceptions) or before a commissioning program. I would disclose it. Like someone said ealier you srewed up and now you know better!

 

[The Chief]

I'm from Alabama ... clerk at the court house told me that she could not release sealed records to ANYONE but me. ... /QUOTE]

Not quite correct. State law maybe yes, Federal law trumps state law. National Security issue, Feds want it, they got it.

We (the Navy) are less interested in mistakes you made years ago as a teenager, more interested in your integrity and honesty now.

IFT2O is correct, honesty is the road to travel. Always.

 

[astrov99]

Everyone here is right on ont thing: don't hide it. The potential for later disaster is far too much, and it's always better to be honest. And there is no such thing as a one strike and your out policy. You wern't in the Navy, you wern't even old enough to be in the Navy. I think it would look so much better upon you that you VOLUNTEERED such information.

And for the record, a DUI is not an automatic clearance buster. Actually nothing is an automatic buster because all clearances are adjuticated by DONCAF and they follow the "total person concept" when deciding to grant/revoke clearances.