I think I just caused a hell of a headache for my recruiter.

[Ikonovich]

When I was 13 or 14 I got put on probation and sent to a juvenile facility (HIT) for six weeks


At MEPS when they asked me about criminal stuff I honestly never once even though about it. But I've been looking into the possibility of ranger school and joining the 1/75th, and the Rangers require a security clearance. I looked at what they do for the clearance, saw that they check juvenile records It dawned on me, oh ****. I screwed up.


So, called my recruiter, he told me not to worry about it, but I pressed and we're going to discuss it tomorrow.


I have a while till I ship out (January 27th) so hopefully I can clear it up by then and this won't impact my career in any way...But I really don't know at all.


Does anyone here have any experience with this? Know what I can expect? Am I screwed?

[CVal]

I can't help you with your questions, but I do hope you get it worked out. You did the right thing by telling your recruiter as soon as you remembered.

[CrustySMSgt]

There is NO way when you got asked about your criminal history you "forgot" you went to Juvi for 6 weeks... get your shit together and start telling the truth ALL the time... or you'll go nowhere in the military, much less the Rangers.

[Ikonovich]

There is NO way when you got asked about your criminal history you "forgot" you went to Juvi for 6 weeks... get your shit together and start telling the truth ALL the time... or you'll go nowhere in the military, much less the Rangers.

I didn't exactly sit there long and hard and dwell on it. The thought truly never occurred to me during MEPS processing.

[Texpat]

Agree with Crusty. Dodgy, untrustworthy, contorted-reality recruits are not what the armed forces needs. If a six-week stint in kiddie prison a few years ago can "slip your mind," I'm doubtful regarding your success in uniform.

Crusty's advice is sound.

[CrustySMSgt]

I didn't exactly sit there long and hard and dwell on it. The thought truly never occurred to me during MEPS processing.

I smell dookie... you don't forget you went to jail (call it juvie if you want). You figured since you were a juvenile, it wouldn't be on your record, and when caught, you tried to cover your ass. Another lesson.. you ain't the first person to try and pull one over on us crusty folk... we've been around awhile youngster... and pretty much nothing we haven't seen or heard.

[Ikonovich]

<i>you don't forget you went to jail</I>


It was a mandatory military-oriented summer camp. They called it a boot camp but it was much less strict than that.

If it was anything like a jail, you'd be right, but I went to similar places voluntarily during other summers. I was never in handcuffs, I never saw a bar, I slept and ate decently. It's not something that imprinted itself on my mind in any specific way, and it's very easy for me to forget that it ever happened at all.


At any rate, whether or not you believe me is unimportant. I'm worried about what impact this might have on my military future. Not the fact that I have it on my record, but the fact that I revealed it after MEPS.

[dan5522]

If you have already processed through MEPS you will require an after the fact waiver. Not sure who signs off on those in the Army. Be prepared to have a copy of your record, a letter of what the circumstances surrounding the issue were, and basically do everything that your recruiter tells you. As a recruiter they have a rule called recruiter discretion that they can enact at anytime. What that does is stops everything and you could basically be SOL. I will tell you that if you are hiding or think that something else may come up you need to show the cards NOW. Good luck!

[SailorDave]

Was this "boot camp" participation court ordered ? If there is a record in any court of action against you, it will be found out with a standard records check. That you did tell someone prior to actually going to basic is a good thing, better for them to find out now then later. Secondly, depending on what the infraction was for, it could be waived off. I have a TS/SCI and had my own trouble as a youth. The important thing is that you be honest and forthcoming with any security related information. Let the classifiers decide what's important and what isn't.

[Ikonovich]

I went the circuit court clerk's office today to see if it's even still in my records as opposed to being shredded. They'll have it for me tomorrow.


Oh, and it's for truancy. I stayed out of school too much.

[SailorDave]

If you've been on the straight and narrow since then, it shouldn't give you any problem.

[SSG79R]

If you have already processed through MEPS you will require an after the fact waiver. !


As a recruiter they have a rule called recruiter discretion that they can enact at anytime. What that does is stops everything and you could basically be SOL.


Dan5522,
Could you please enlighten me as to what you are talking about, because I can honestly say that I have never heard of either an after the fact waiver or a rule called recruiter discretion. These maybe for other services but no such animals in the Army.