The United States Air Force will now give applicants who test positive for THC a second chance to join the service as part of a new policy to meet recruitment goals.
While a positive THC test would have previously barred an applicant from joining the Air Force, an aspiring airman can now test positive for marijuana and still enlist if certain parameters are met, Air Force Times reported. This policy also applies to aspiring Space Force cadets. The initial drug test is where the prospective service members will find the newly reported lenience, which takes place during the entrance physical. (RELATED: Air Force Thinks Letting Men And Women Bunk With Each Other Will Boost Sagging Recruitment)
Air Force Spokesperson Ann Stefanek told the Air Force Times that under previous requirements “a positive THC result on the initial test would have led to a permanent bar from entry into the [Air Force or Space Force].” Under the new pilot program, applicants have an “opportunity to retest after 90 days if they are granted a waiver.”
Air Force to (some) THC users: You might get a second chance https://t.co/SSmh4CW6FV
— Dayton Daily News Business (@daytonb2b) September 28, 2022
The waiver requirements include a minimum score of 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test, a clean criminal background free of felony or misdemeanor convictions, and lastly possession of a high school diploma, according to the outlet.
“If those who have been granted a waiver pass a second test, candidates will be allowed to enlist,” Stefanek confirmed. If a candidate is granted a second chance via the program, that service member will be obligated to adhere to the military’s anti-drug policy.
This change is apart of a temporary policy aimed at improving low recruitment figures, according to the outlet. Recruitment has fallen as military branches have threatened to let go of enlisted service members over coronavirus vaccine mandates. The Army was also projected to miss recruitment goals by 25% over the summer, with much of the crisis reportedly being super-charged by “woke policies.” (RELATED: National Guard Prepares To Lose 14,000 Troops Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate)
The use of marijuana and marijuana-related substances is prohibited by all military service members (Active Duty, Reservist, and Guard members) and Department of Defense civilian employees. https://t.co/2bca9XTSYN
— Hill Air Force Base (@HAFB) September 22, 2022
The Army, Navy and Marine Corps already have similar policies in place. The pilot program will come to a close in September of 2024, according to Air Force Times.