Flying high with Goose, Maverick and Stoner

Until recently, would-be US Air Force personnel who tested positive for THC were immediately dismissed from the service, sometimes even if they had used cannabis months earlier. However, the American military is now having problems recruiting new personnel. So much so that certain military branches appear to be reconsidering their policy of blanket rejection of recruits who test positive for THC.

According to the latest release, the United States Air Force will begin a two-year pilot program that will give applicants a second chance if they initially test positive for THC. According to the statement, the Department of the Air Force will allow retesting for prospective recruits who test positive for THC during entrance medical screening at the Military Entrance Processing Station.

The pilot program

The pilot program follows current DoD policy and incorporates insights from the Navy and Army that have already conducted comparable pilot projects. A positive THC initial test result in the past would have resulted in a lifetime ban from DAF.

According to Military.com, the new pilot program will allow candidates who fail the THC test to be retested after 90 days if they receive a THC waiver, according to Military.com. The second test must be passed before candidates can join the DAF. Previously, a candidate testing positive for THC would have been disqualified from entering the DAF.

If applicants meet a number of criteria, they are deemed to qualify for an exemption. Requests for THC exemptions are reviewed at various stages of the review process before being approved.

• No category 1 or 2 moral violations.

• Is medically fit

• Has high school diploma

• Scored at least 50 points on the Armed Forces Qualification Test.

The US Air Force, Air Force Reserve, US Space Force and Air National Guard are all impacted by this new policy, which is effective immediately. Once enrolled in the Waiver Program, participants must comply with the DAF Drug Use Policy and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. According to the press release, over the following two years, DAF will collect and review data to assess the feasibility of implementation as a continuous adjustment of DAF’s recruitment and enrollment policies.”

According to Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, applicants who test positive for THC at the MEPS are never allowed to join the Air Force or Space Force. However, as more states legalize marijuana, more applicants are testing positive for THC.

Thomas added that the pilot program is about making smart decisions based on societal norms and applicable regulations, and creating a process that better conforms to the country’s rules. However, he warned that the program was not intended to be a free pass for recruits and stressed that drug use had no place in the United States Air Force.

The pilot program is not intended for people who lied to their recruiter, smoked cannabis, went to MEPS the following day or week, and tested positive. It’s not for her, Thomas remarked. He argued that the regulation was designed to help prospective airmen and guards when recruiting commanders believe the positive test was caused by the residual effects of THC in their system or accidental exposure.

Thomas added that those who test positive are not always allowed to retest; the waiver program merely allows the US Air Force more discretion.”

difficulties in recruiting

According to military leaders and lawmakers, the recruitment environment for the armed forces is the most challenging it has been in decades. According to figures released this week, the army’s recruitment has fallen 15% (15,000 troops) short of its recruitment target this year. All military branches are struggling to fill the shortage of young people who are physically and mentally ready to enlist. Every other service had to accept late admission applicants to meet their quotas, although the Army was the only branch that missed its target.

Air Force Department spokeswoman Ann Stefanek confirmed that this pilot program is one of the new avenues for candidates previously rejected from the military. She added that prospective recruits who eventually qualify must comply with the Uniform Code of Military Justice and DAF policies, which prohibit drug use if candidates test negative for THC 90 days after applying and enrolling.

The military generally takes a zero-tolerance stance toward illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. However, due to increased acceptance and legalization, many branches, including the Navy and Army, have recently begun granting exemptions to select cannabis users.

Only 11 states – Idaho, Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Texas – ban cannabis. However, a 2021 study by military think tank Rand Corp found that more than 50% of freshmen are from states where cannabis is already legal for adult or medical use. Stefanek went on to say that the Air Force may decide to make the pilot program a permanent policy adjustment for recruitment and evaluation.

An easing of the THC restriction could increase recruitment in the upcoming new recruitment year, which started October 1st. According to an August Gallup poll, 16% of Americans say they actively smoke marijuana, while 11% of American adults say they currently smoke cigarettes.

Not the first waiver

In 2017, the US Air Force increased the number of medical time-offs it grants to prospective recruits who use cannabis for therapeutic purposes, according to a recent report from Military.com. This helped the growth of the service. Other service industries are also taking similar action.

The Navy began its two-year trial program in April last year, during which candidates who meet all other requirements but test positive for THC at MEPS can receive a waiver. You can register for the boot camp with the release after a waiting period of 90 days. The program is scheduled to last until April 2023. Exemptions have already been granted for a recruit to return if a recruit tests positive for THC during basic training or Recruit Training Command.

Similar to the Army, there is a 90-day waiting period if applicants to MEPS test positive for THC. You can also apply for exemption from military service. On the other hand, a recruit is permanently barred from enlisting in the Army if he tests positive for a substance on his second test.

Conclusion

All military departments have historically struggled to meet their recruiting goals, underscoring the need for greater flexibility in the hiring process. The Air Force, in particular, missed its FY2022 active duty goal and missed the guard and reserve mark.

According to surveys, the recruiting population for the service is more likely than ever to have used marijuana once or frequently. Therefore, the agency will analyze the statistics and decide whether the policy will become permanent once the initial pilot program has run for two years.

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