question about joining the military

makaveli25 · Jan 11, 2011

My friend is thinking really hard about joining one of the military branches. He has been doing hours of research about the different branches, jobs, and requirments to get in. There is one thing that would disqualify him and that is being on suboxone He has been on the drug for a couple of years now. He is tapering off finally and will be done with it for good.

I know people say meps won't find anything out unless you tell them. Well his insurance covers suboxone so their is a claim filed. You can't get a waiver for suboxone use. If he doesn't tell meps about suboxone use I'm worried it will end up showing up anyways and they will throw him out.

Does meps really check through your medical history?

biggerthanu · Jan 11, 2011

I was on alot of anti depressants and all when I was younger and lied about it and a bunch of other crap. I was in the Marine Corps for 4 years.

btech · Jan 11, 2011

I was DQ'd from joining the Marine Corps because I was using an OTC sleep aid, wasn't truly dependent on it either.

Did you tell your recruiter? How long would it take for the drug to leave your system? You take a urine test at MEPS (lined up side by side in the bathroom with five other dudes, Sgt watching y'all pee), but you knew that already.

My advice is to look (not ask, necessarily. You can if you want, but you'll get 50 dudes saying "NEVER LIE TO THE MILITARY, IF YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS SERVING WITH US") on military message boards . . . . . . but, you're probably already doing that.

makaveli25 · Jan 11, 2011

I'm not gonna ask anything on one of those forums since this is a fake made up account that doesn't actually exist.

My friend Is just worried that they will some how dig up his insurance information or something.

biggerthanu · Jan 11, 2011

LOL.. They wont.. They dont do that for anyone.. You get youre own medical records started when you go to MEPS. Just relax.. And like I told people when I was on recruiters assistance, "your favorite answer is NO".

makaveli25 · Jan 11, 2011

biggerthanu said:
LOL.. They wont.. They dont do that for anyone.. You get youre own medical records started when you go to MEPS. Just relax.. And like I told people when I was on recruiters assistance, "your favorite answer is NO".

You sure bro. What if you get a job that needs a top secret security clearence. Would it be something to worry about then?

biggerthanu · Jan 11, 2011

makaveli25 said:
You sure bro. What if you get a job that needs a top secret security clearence. Would it be something to worry about then?

Yea man.. Im sure.. I was on recruiters assistance for 30days.. And just about EVERYONE lies.... And no.. A top secret security clearance would not check youre previous medical records.. At all... And the chances of your need a TOP secret security clearance for anything is very RARE!

deadliver · Jan 11, 2011

PM me if you don't want to give details on here.

Gravyv · Jan 11, 2011

I can't remember for sure, but I think they make you sign a medical release form so they can check your records. However, I don't think they always check because there are plenty of people that join with pre-existing conditions that they never told meps about.

It is possible to get cleared and do several years in the military, but if for some reason he gets injured or something happens and medical finds out about his previous medical history then he can get discharged. For example, a person with ashma joins and makes it to the fleet then one day on a hump he has a ashma attack and gets sent to medical.

makaveli25 · Jan 11, 2011

I guess there is no right or wrong answer to this.

Gunsmith · Jan 12, 2011

With the current way things are going in the military they are going to look and see if you have had any mental health issues at all.

I was prescribed Ritalin when i was 6 took it for 3 weeks when the relized i was missdiagnoised.
This was found out by a Marine recruiter and he said we may be able to work somthing to get you in but the chances for even getting considered for any special forces was zilch so i looked at the Army then Navy and they all told me the same thing so i diden't join.
Luckly the private sector doesnt care as much , it also had zero bearing on ANY security clearance including "Top Secret"

Apparently their are some cases that these drugs have a nastly way of causing troubles down the line even after being off for years so i think the military just dodges the chances of their every being a problem by weeding you out this way

sgtedrobinson · Jan 12, 2011

Just make sure it is out of his system and don't tell them he was on it. He will be fine.

biggerthanu · Jan 12, 2011

Gunsmith said:
With the current way things are going in the military they are going to look and see if you have had any mental health issues at all.

I was prescribed Ritalin when i was 6 took it for 3 weeks when the relized i was missdiagnoised.
This was found out by a Marine recruiter and he said we may be able to work somthing to get you in but the chances for even getting considered for any special forces was zilch so i looked at the Army then Navy and they all told me the same thing so i diden't join.
Luckly the private sector doesnt care as much , it also had zero bearing on ANY security clearance including "Top Secret"

Apparently their are some cases that these drugs have a nastly way of causing troubles down the line even after being off for years so i think the military just dodges the chances of their every being a problem by weeding you out this way

He will be fine.. I joined when I was 19 and got out 2 years ago.. Im 26 now. Its still all the same.. Just dont tell them and youll be fine like I said.

burman · Jan 12, 2011

biggerthanu said:
LOL.. They wont.. They dont do that for anyone.. You get youre own medical records started when you go to MEPS. Just relax.. And like I told people when I was on recruiters assistance, "your favorite answer is NO".

this is correct they don't research anything except your arrest record and your military medical records start once you begin to process in through meps and at basic. i think sub and methadone will show up on the standard drug test but im not totally sure, if so then that is bad and they will not take him. it's best to tell your friend to get off the subs before he goes to basic, you can't get them in at basic so it's better to get off now then to be sick at basic because if your to sick then you will just get recycled or thrown out for lying.

any more questions just ask bro.

SGT U.S. ARMY

LEX · Jan 12, 2011

There was no medical record search for me. they did send agents to my check my references and past work...bur no medical to my knowledge.

rotty · Jan 12, 2011

They don't check medical records. They count on people being honest when answering questions so they can disqualify right away. Then give you a physical and some physical tests. If you pass those you are good to go. Unless you fail a drug test for anything...then you're screwed and won't get in...If you have any arrests that will screw you too...

burman · Jan 12, 2011

rotty said:
They don't check medical records. They count on people being honest when answering questions so they can disqualify right away. Then give you a physical and some physical tests. If you pass those you are good to go. Unless you fail a drug test for anything...then you're screwed and won't get in...If you have any arrests that will screw you too...

if you fail a drug test you will be suspended for 30 or 60 days until you can try to join again. if you have a arrest record you can get in on a waiver as long as the record is not to bad, tons of people get in on waiver including me. this info is for ARMY, different branches have different standards.....

Devil Dog · Jan 12, 2011

They do not check past medical records unless you state you have had an injury or a condition. DONT state either! Do Not say you have taken any medications or mental issues. You will be fine and enjoy the experience like I did!

DD

rotty · Jan 12, 2011

burman said:
if you fail a drug test you will be suspended for 30 or 60 days until you can try to join again. if you have a arrest record you can get in on a waiver as long as the record is not to bad, tons of people get in on waiver including me. this info is for ARMY, different branches have different standards.....

You can definitely get in with a record but it will severely limit MOS options and it depends on what drug you fail for. I don't know for certain, but I was assuming that suboxone would probably permanently disqualify someone. I don't think you can get a waiver if you've done heroin so I think it would more than raise some eyebrows if someone fails for suboxone. They might want to see medical records then to see what it was prescribed for...

burman · Jan 12, 2011

rotty said:
You can definitely get in with a record but it will severely limit MOS options and it depends on what drug you fail for. I don't know for certain, but I was assuming that suboxone would probably permanently disqualify someone. I don't think you can get a waiver if you've done heroin so I think it would more than raise some eyebrows if someone fails for suboxone. They might want to see medical records then to see what it was prescribed for...

the only thing that will affect your options (mos) is your asvab scores jobs are not closed to soldiers who entered on waiver, the only thing a waiver will affect is your security clearance which does disqualify you from some jobs but there jobs that require a security clearance. you will still be open to almost all military jobs but say goodbye to special forces or any other hooooaaaahhhh military groups, once again you need a upgraded security clearance to serve with these groups.