Navy Cyberspace Submarine Website Header

MEPS Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

Drugs and the Navy Do Not Mix

Major Update: The Navy, effective, April 1, 2021, lifted the ban on enlistment for those who previously tested positive for marijuana during a two year pilot program (if the failure was due to ANY other drug, the ban remains with NO waiver authorized).

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 you're 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 - let's take a close look at how it might affect 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 marijuana, opiates, 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. Note: Oxycodone/oxymorphone (synthetic opiates) are key ingredients in the drugs Percodan, Percocet, and Tylox, which are commonly prescribed to relieve pain after medical or dental surgery. These drugs are part of the DAT screen panel.

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.

Within your first 72 hours at Recruit Training Command (boot camp), you will be given a urinalysis. If you test is positive, you will be immediately discharged based upon fraudulent enlistment.

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!

The DoD guidelines include the following confirmatory test cutoffs for the specified drug/metabolites:


Alcohol abuse or illegal or improper use of drugs during your enlistment could result in possible administrative separation with less than honorable conditions and loss of all veterans benefits. To further illustrate the Navy's position on drug use and abuse, I highlighted a couple of points from NAVADMIN 108/10, as an applicant for the Navy you had better understand, that was recently sent by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO);


Begin NAVADMIN 108/10


R 251705Z MAR 10
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N00//
TO NAVADMIN
BT
UNCLAS N05355//
NAVADMIN 108/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO/WASHINGTON DC/N00/MAR//
SUBJ/DRUG ABUSE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY AND PROHIBITION ON POSSESSION OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES//

REF/A/DOC/SECNAVINST 5300.28D/5DEC05//
REF/B/DOC/OPNAVINST 5350.4D/4JUN09//
NARR/REF A IS SECNAVINST 5300.28D, MILITARY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL. REF B IS OPNAVINST 5350.4D, NAVY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL.

BT
#0000
NNNN


Begin NAVADMIN 125/19


UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 031653Z JUN 19
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS

NAVADMIN 125/19

PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN//

SUBJ/NOTIFICATION OF DRUG TESTING PROGRAM REVISIONS - INITIATION OF FENTANYL AND NORFENTANYL TESTING//

REF/A/DOC/DOD/29MAR19//
REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/4JUN09//
NARR/REF A IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) NOTICE OF THE EXPANSION OF DOD PANEL OF TESTED DRUGS TO INCLUDE FENTANYL AND NORFENTANYL.
REF B IS OPNAVINST 5350.4D, NAVY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL.

BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//

Page written and maintained by .

If you are seeking information about joining the Navy, feel free to contact me.

©Navy CyberSpace. All Rights Reserved.

Terms of Service and Privacy Policy