Question about Employment

[USMARINE]

Now when you officers read this, please do not respond to harshly. Now here's my story. I'm applying all over NE Ohio. I have a few tests coming up in October and I am extremely nervous. Here's what I want to know, will the following disqualify me from being a sworn police officer.

I have had about 7 jobs since I was 18 years old which I don't know if that's high or not, I am 21 yrs. old. I experimented with Marijuanna when I was 17 only twice and haven't touched the stuff since. I entered the Marines in 2005 and I got out last november. I was never a good marine and had an injury late in my enlistment and it was decided that it would be best for me and the marines to discharge me with a General under Honorable circumstances (though i am petitioning to get it upgraded). Since my time in the service I have had a not so good credit rating. It was alot worse than before because I have been working on it alot. I think that is all.

I am really nervous about this, I have been wanting to get back into law enforcement since I got out of the Marines. I feel that I have no greater dream in life to become a police officer. Please respond to this, any advice is better than none. Please don't be too harsh though.

[Roger Dat]

If you had completed your enlistment then it would wipe out your bad job history however you did not. Also police is considered a para military organization. You state you were never a good Marine. I have to ask if you really pushed to get out or if your injury was that bad. If your injury was bad enough to cause a discharge it may be serious enough to DQ you from some departments.

This is all stuff that a background investigator will dig up.

[USMARINE]

If you had completed your enlistment then it would wipe out your bad job history however you did not. Also police is considered a para military organization. You state you were never a good Marine. I have to ask if you really pushed to get out or if your injury was that bad. If your injury was bad enough to cause a discharge it may be serious enough to DQ you from some departments.

This is all stuff that a background investigator will dig up.

It really wasn't just the injury. It was a combination of the injury and 2 NJP's (non-judicial punishments). I screwed up a few times but nothing bad. I wrote a bad check and missed a medical appointment. The base I was at was tough on the little things.

[manahmanah]

Fraudulently writing checks is not a "little thing". I've known Marines that have once written a bad check, it's no big deal if it's an accident and it's once. When it becomes habitual is when the skipper looks at it in terms of sending you to office hours.

I doubt you would get office hours for missing a single sick bay appointment too. Are you being forthcoming with us? If you can't be completely forthcoming with us, you won't with the background investigator, many of whom were prior service themselves and may doubt your story.

[USMARINE]

Fraudulently writing checks is not a "little thing". I've known Marines that have once written a bad check, it's no big deal if it's an accident and it's once. When it becomes habitual is when the skipper looks at it in terms of sending you to office hours.

I doubt you would get office hours for missing a single sick bay appointment too. Are you being forthcoming with us? If you can't be completely forthcoming with us, you won't with the background investigator, many of whom were prior service themselves and may doubt your story.

I am being completely honest about this. I don't know why they sent me up for that. I wrote the bad check because I was a PFC with a big car payment and I needed to eat. I wrote it for maybe 25 bucks at the PX and it never happened again. If I wanted to lie about this, I wouldn't be trying to become a police officer.

[Roger Dat]

Abandoning the military instead of fulfilling your obligation is going to jam you. A large car payment is whose fault???? Yup yours, living above your means is obviously what caused your poor credit. Major uphill battle in which you may not recover from. I still dont think your being completely honest about your time in the Marines. I would also like to know what was this injury? If its a faactual injury that caused discharge why would you miss a doctors appointment.

[USMARINE]

Abandoning the military instead of fulfilling your obligation is going to jam you. A large car payment is whose fault???? Yup yours, living above your means is obviously what caused your poor credit. Major uphill battle in which you may not recover from. I still dont think your being completely honest about your time in the Marines. I would also like to know what was this injury? If its a faactual injury that caused discharge why would you miss a doctors appointment.

I wasn't abandoning the military. It was decided by the command that I be discharged because of my knee injury and the fact that I was a substandard marine. This doctor's appointment was before my injury. I wanted to stay in, but this was the command's decision, not mine. I do realize that the car payments and the credit are my fault and I take complete responsibility for it. This is the truth as I know it.

[SnapShawt]

21 years old, extremely unstable employment history, bad credit history with proven financial irresponsibility, and generally discharged as well as poor performance by your own admission while active.

I'd say right now would be a big no-go. Get a job and STAY WITH IT, clean up your credit history, and try again in 6-10 years. I know 30 sounds an eternity away, but you've got a LOT of work to do before any agency I know of would even consider you at this point.

[marinepilot]

I was never a good marine and had an injury late in my enlistment and it was decided that it would be best for me and the marines to discharge me with a General under Honorable circumstances (though i am petitioning to get it upgraded).

Okay, my first question to you is, if you say you were "never a good marine" (couldn't even capitalize Marine...), then why did you pick as your RP name, USMARINE? Are you one of those guys who did 1/2 an enlistment, got himself booted for some reason 'cause you didn't like it, and now run around talking about what a great time you had and all you did in the Corps? Believe me, I've seen these people having been in the Corps for over 21 years, and you sound just like one of them. I'm just sayin'.....

It really wasn't just the injury. It was a combination of the injury and 2 NJP's (non-judicial punishments). I screwed up a few times but nothing bad. I wrote a bad check and missed a medical appointment. The base I was at was tough on the little things.

2 NJP's? WOW! What base were you at that was so "tough on the little things"? I have been stationed on MANY bases and have NEVER seen someone get 2 NJP's simply for the reasons you have mentioned in this post. And as others have said, writing rubber and being UA ARE bad things!

I, along with grussem, call BS on your "only one" time of bad check writing. I've known way too many skippers who would understand an accidental bounced check. Heck, if you made amends your command would probably never have found out. Also, as others have mentioned, the inability to live within your means speaks VOLUMES about your maturity level and responsibility.

And in the same vein, I don't believe you were only UA to one medical appointment. For the same reasons mentioned above, you must have been on the radar screen for the command to hammer you with a NJP for it. I just can't help but believe you're being less than truthful.

It was decided by the command that I be discharged because of my knee injury and the fact that I was a substandard marine. This doctor's appointment was before my injury. I wanted to stay in, but this was the command's decision, not mine. I do realize that the car payments and the credit are my fault and I take complete responsibility for it. This is the truth as I know it.

Ahhhhh, now the truth comes out. About your injury, like someone else said, if it's bad enough to discharge you from the Corps, it may be bad enough to DQ you from LE service as well, but that will depend on any department that might possibly look at you long enough to get you a physical.

I love the "substandard marine" comment, again without capitalizing Marine, yet calling yourself USMARINE on these boards! Yet more evidence of being a false motivator...

And just to let you know, the decision WAS yours, you simply made it for them way before they decided to discharge you. By being a "substandard marine" you sealed your fate when it came time to decide whether or not to keep you. The substandard performance was obviously your choice to give back to the Corps after they had given you multiple chances. So, since you can take full responsibility for the bad finances and credit, I think you should convince yourself to also take full responsibility for the fact that you did basically "abandon" your military contract by being a drain on your NCO's, Staff NCO's, and Officers while in service to your country.

That is how I would see it if you were to apply at my agency and I was asked my opinion of your case.

[crow1984]

The base I was at was tough on the little things.

And most departments will be tough on "little things." Police officers are always being watched by the (often skeptical) public...and they're held accountable to the public for their actions. You fill out a PC affidavit wrong or exagerate something even slightly in a report and you'll probably find yourself sitting in IA.


Military experience is a bit of catch 22...you don't have to have it make a good officer, but if you do have it and your Pro/Con marks are substandard it's going to screw your chances.

I don't think many departments would give you a go just based on what you've already said. You need to get out of the hole you're in, stay out of it, and behave in a responsible and mature manner for a few years before you start trying to apply.

Maybe you could get on as a jailer at a county jail...you could get your foot in the door, stick with it and bust your butt for a few years...build up your reputation and put some distance between you and your history. They might give you a shot at Sheriff's deputy.

[bell4fan]

You didnt earn the right to continue to call yourself a Marine.

[USMARINE]

Well it's obvious I will have problems. I don't know what to do, I know that Law Enforcement is my calling but I fear that the mistakes that I made in the past will affect my dream. What does anyone here think I should do? Should I wait to even apply? I certainly don't want to waste the department's time that's for sure. If I cannot start now, I think I should just hold onto my job for as long as possible, and continue to train. Any Suggestions?

[USMARINE]

You didnt earn the right to continue to call yourself a Marine.

Yes I did. I did 2 1/2 years in. Once a Marine always a Marine.

[crow1984]

Whoops.

[crow1984]

I don't know what you're doing right now, or how much you like it, but I'd suggest finding something manageable and getting comfortable with it.

You're going to have to show that you can commit to something...see something through. Think of today as day one and start taking steps to get where you want to end up right now.

Live within your means...live modestly...do whatever you have to do to fix your credit. Stay on good terms with your employer. The people that you're working for/with now (as well as previously) are the ones that are going to be talking to a background investigator should you decide to apply to an agency in a few years.

Go to work, pay your bills, and stay out of trouble. If you're able, go to school (while military experience is generally accepted in lieu of college, yours isn't going to cut it) and maintain good grades.

Obviously, if you've ever done anything beyond marijuana or supplied or sold drugs of any kind...forget about law enforcement and just take what I've already said as good advice.

Best of luck.

Yes I did. I did 2 1/2 years in. Once a Marine always a Marine.

Well, I'm a Marine. You can call yourself one if you like, but I won't.

Again, best of luck in any case.