Drugs and the Navy Do Not Mix

MEPS Drug and Alcohol Testing (DAT) Program

July 9th, 2008

We have heard it all of our lives, stay away from drugs, just say no and hundreds of other comments and phrases meant to make us aware that using drugs and abusing alcohol can have a huge negative impact of your life. Many of the reasons are health related – use and abuse of drugs and alcohol can lead to deep psychiatric problems and damaged organs not to mention the fractured relationships and self esteem issues your bound to encounter.

It is sometimes mentioned, but rarely accentuated, that your use and abuse of drugs and alcohol can have a profound negative effect on your future – lets take a close look at how it might effect the Navy.

When you go to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to process for the military one of the very first things you are going to do (shortly after filling out some forms) is to take a drug and alcohol test. The Military Drug and Alcohol Testing (DAT) Program is actually two tests; The alcohol test will be a breath test which is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the drug test will be a traditional urinalysis following the procedures set forth by the Secretary of Defense for Health affairs.  The test results are considered final – if you even THINK you may produce a positive result DO NOT go to MEPS!

If you test positive at the MEPS for even a trace of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine you would be ineligible for enlistment.  If you were preliminarily enlisted pending receipt of drug test results you must be discharged from the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) when the result is annotated in you record.  Keep in mind if you test positive for marijuana, cocaine or methamphetamine on your initial test you are permanently barred from reprocessing for the Navy.

If it was a positive for alcohol on the initial DAT you are ineligible for military service for a period of 45 days from the date of the DAT. You can only retest on or after their 46th day following the initial test. You produce a positive result on your second test you are then permanently ineligible for the Navy.

Also, if you had a previous MEPS positive DAT for drugs, regardless of service processing for, you are permanently ineligible for enlisting in the United States Navy.

More and more companies across the U.S. and the world are adopting the zero tolerance position on the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol – heed this and the other warnings you are hearing and just in case let me say it one more time for the people in the back row – Stay away from drugs, just say NO!


Read Comments (14)

14 Comments »

  • Drug Abuse and Addiction are becoming more and more serious, with the consequences becoming more and more dire, as seen above. The best course is of course to just not do it. For those of us who did do some experimentation there are options for fully detoxifying the body of unwanted drugs and toxins. This is not a temporary fix to pass a drug test, but a full handling and detoxification requiring weeks to complete. More information is available at (click commenter’s name link) for anyone interested.

    Comment by kayakotto (1 comments.) — July 9, 2008 @ 11:38 am

  • Ensure your drug and alcohol abuse is being treated effectively.

    Comment by Drug And Alcohol Abuse (1 comments.) — July 11, 2008 @ 6:35 am

  • If a person had a possession of a small amount of marijuana on his record from 3 years ago and has nothing since, can he still enlist

    Comment by Cindy — September 24, 2009 @ 6:11 pm

  • Cindy,

    Yes, that charge will be waiverable provided the possession charge was not linked with “intent to distribute or sell”.

    Comment by NCCM(ret) — September 24, 2009 @ 9:28 pm

  • what about if they test dirty while at RTC?
    my brother went and we heard he tested dirty for marijuana..
    please fillm e in..

    Comment by Ashley — October 29, 2009 @ 2:39 pm

  • Ashley,
    If you test positive for illegal drugs when you get to RTC, you will be discharged and sent home in very short order.

    Comment by NCCM(ret) — October 29, 2009 @ 3:17 pm

  • Ok, so this is really hard for me to talk about. I have always planned on joining a branch of the service ever since I was a little kid dressing up in uniform. However, last May I became interested in the Marine OCS program. I was immediately roushed within a week to MEPS. The week prior to speaking to the RO, I had tried Marijuana for the first time. I am in college, an engineering student, So it was my first time. Needless to say I did not pass the pee test at MEPS. What Can I do? Is this the end for me? I want to serve my country, and I am sober as a judge. MEPS was never explained to me, I had no clue what it was. Please help!

    Comment by John — November 5, 2009 @ 5:48 pm

  • The Navy’s policy is clear. With the positive DAT at MEPS you are not eligible to join. I suggest you check with the other services as I am not fully aware of their policy.

    Comment by NCCM(ret) — November 5, 2009 @ 5:59 pm

  • I went through rehab a couple of years ago, and have been clean ever since. I’ve never had any legal issues except for speeding tickets. I have not told my recruiters about rehab, because I’m nervous that it will keep me from being able to enlist. What are my chances of getting through RTC… I’m almost done with MEPS.

    Comment by Gene — November 22, 2009 @ 1:26 am

  • Gene,

    MEPS or the Navy may never find out about your past experience with rehab,
    but you will know. The rehab, and the drug or alcohol use that lead to it,
    may very well be disqualifying and the result may hurt, but your conscience
    will be clear by being up front and honest.

    http://www.navycs.com/blogs/2007/02/22/complete_disclosure

    Good luck to you.

    Comment by NCCM(ret) — November 22, 2009 @ 2:27 am

  • My 19 year old son went to see a Navy recruiter with out me or his dad knowing anything about it. He called me later and told me that he had went to see a recruiter & that he did a urine test and the following week he was to go to MEPS. Well sometime later after he went through MEPS he received a letter saying that he tested positive for pot. They had done a blood test that revealed that there remained some trace of pot. He has been clean for months and tried to re-enlist but was told that he could’nt enlist in the Navy or Airforce due to that test, his S.S. # has been flagged. His dad or I approve of the use of pot and he was raised in that way. My question is to you why does the Navy have double standards–if he would have tested positive to alcohol he would be in the same situation yet it is sold on post!! Our son has never been in trouble in any way. He has no criminal record of any kind, yet because he made a bad decision once (that I might add harmed no one), and was not informed by his recruiter he will not be able to serve in the Navy!!!! Something is wrong with this picture!!!!!

    Comment by Sussy — January 4, 2010 @ 3:52 pm

  • i have already taken my drug test at meps…actually i completed everything there and passed everything with good marks. this was like 4 months ago. my recruiter is putting me into delayed entry and he says i need to swear in and they are going to review all my tests and stuff including my physical, will i be screened for drugs again?

    Comment by henry — January 18, 2010 @ 2:17 am

  • You have passed the DAT test, but I suggest that you NEVER go to MEPS if you think you will produce a positive test because you never know if they had an issue with your first test and you need a retest (lab lost the initial sample, it got contaminated somehow, etc.)

    That said, if you used drugs after meeting with your Recruiter and taking the physical, you really need to do some self evaluation on how you plan to live your life.

    Comment by NCCM(ret) — January 18, 2010 @ 5:05 pm

  • Don’t use drugs in DEP. It ruined my entire life. I’ve got nothing left but the small, small hope that one day I may get the chance to serve again….but, probably not.

    Comment by Ian Kazy — January 26, 2010 @ 2:48 pm

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