In 1982 a guy who was in my DT "A" school class got busted failing a drug screen 6 months after graduation. He was already on a drug waiver when he enlisted and he sent me a letter telling me he was being discharged. Three months prior he'd sent me a letter telling me how great shore duty in Pearl was esp. the "pakalolo".

I just found this guy's FB page and right up at the top he's claiming he was in the Navy from 1981-1984 and from '81 to '83 he was a SeaBee (mechanic). Given the Navy's "zero tolerance" policy esp. on drug waivers it's suspicious.

Is it possible the guy somehow caught a break?

ETA: Just another person trying to hide a year-long gap in their life. Why, at that age, would anyone bother?

Wow, I did not know they were that desperate for people back then.   IIRC, it was 30/45/90 days before one could go back to MEPS pissing hot when I joined.  I am proud to say I got 3 E1 new private fucks their big chicken dinner right before I ETS'd.   It is the most divisive thing a unit can have and there is no place for it in our armed services.

Needs were different during the cold war but then an accident aboard the USS Nimitz that killed 15 crew members and injured 50 others changed things.

The DoD's "get tough" drug policy started in 1981. It was announced that the Navy had technology to do urinalysis on a widespread basis and that it could detect MJ usage 30 days after cessation of use. A hospital corpsman I knew said it was a "scare tactic". Six months later he and another corpsman got booted out after a narc's testimony got them a trip to the piss jar. Both failed. About the same time the navy started a wholesale campaign of administratively discharging sailors with two or more drug infractions and other disciplinary issues...the start of Secretary John Lehman's "pride and professionalism" campaign.

As of 1982 the drug use policy was this:

One previous drug infraction, detection during MEPS, or previous civilian possession charge: WAIVER - NO MORE CHANCES
First time infraction: standard loss of stripe, restriction extra duty, possible loss of rating due to security clearance and NO MORE CHANCES
Subsequent infraction: DISCHARGE

In the age of the downsized military the policy is even more strict. As you said there are no "chances" now (unless you're Joe BIden's son but I digress).

Six months after I got out I found out an E-5 at the clinic...on his 2nd enlistment and married with two kids...had gotten kicked out. They weren't playing. He was just stupid.

Back to my buddy from "A" school. He was a kid and he fucked up. Forgivable but the charade 34 years later is bullshit.

Probably full of crap.  Who claims to be a Seabee though? That's right, nobody. It's one of those things nobody would question.

<-------CE1, married to EO2

I was in the Seabees (66-69).  Not a good time to be a Seabee!  Construimus Batuimus!

Its not a good time now. Rates are locked up and they want people to cross rate to MA. Some do and some don't. Most I know are staying CB and will go until HYT.

My wife is an EO. 1 st class closed for about 87 cycles.

Now she's just holding on long enough to finish grad school, and get her commission.  I'm ready for full on dependa mode

Close friend is an EO, she's got a few years till HYT. But not looking good.