Hey everyone, here is my dilemma. When I was young and stupid I chose to smoke weed for the first time a month before I was going for my military MEPS screening, thinking I would be fine since I don't do any drugs. I ended up failing my drug screening and have never forgiven myself since. I am a private pilot with 100 hours of flight time and a business degree. I desperately want to start a career as a commercial pilot and start my training, but I don't know if that test I failed over 6 years ago for MEPS will hinder me from getting a job with the airlines once I achieve my 1500 hours. Will they find out or will it come up on a background check? Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated, thank you.

You'll be fine, just keep your nose squeaky clean and when it comes time to begin interviewing, consult some interview prep companies. Emerald Coast is a good one I've heard. Right now concentrate on getting your ratings and keeping out of trouble.

Wouldn't this show up on a background check?

Keep clean from now on, and be honest and upfront about your mistake when you get an interview. I don't think it should affect you too bad.

The specific questions which I've seen asked by airlines all relate to drug tests administered under a formal DOT drug test program (ie truck drivers, airline pilots, etc). IIRC it only goes back a couple years, I think there are legal limits on what employers can ask.

However...airlines can and do ask about your military record. So a very critical point here is did you actually begin military service? If so you would have received a DD-214 with a discharge code which may indicate lack of suitability or possibly even specific drug test failure.

If you just started the MEPS process, then you would probably not have actually entered military service and may not have to address this issue with airlines. But don't lie to the FAA, read the medical form carefully.

I doubt there is any way for an employer background check to find out about MEPS.

That's a very good point. The two systems (FAA & Mil) probably don't communicate.

I said employers can't find out about MEPS. The FAA could in theory access any federal records, but as of right now they don't seem to go after military or VA records. But they could change their mind in the future (probably will) and since those records are computerized it's just a flip of a switch. Don't lie to the FAA.

I had a Major, post-Desert Storm, who was asked to go to Brooks for a heart problem that showed on his AF physical. Opt'd to leave the Reserves so not to go to Brooks. When he showed up at his American Airlines job (maddog F/O), first question was, "how'd the Brooks physical go and we need the results?"

You never know,

GF

They are never ever going to find that out - because they don't have the time or money to look that deep. First off you'll get hired by some crappy regional, who will do the bare minimum required by law to get you in the door, and then after a few to several years of 121 flying the Major you apply to is going to be concerned with criminal, and PRIA stuff.

As far as the American airline heart problem story - well that's a HEART problem, AND all those boys in the USAF know all those boys at American. Somebody told on somebody is my guess.

Not USAF they're not plugged into the airlines like that, but possibly Guard or Reserve.