First I would like to thank anyone and everyone who responds to this message. When I was 19 back in 1999 I was arrested for unlawful possesion of drug paraphenalia and possesion of a controlled substance. To make a long story short I was driving with "friends" when I was pulled over for speeding, my "friends" hid their contraband in my car without my knowledge and since it was in my car and they denied owning the above mentioned articles, I was arrested and charged. It has been 10 years since then and now that I know I want to become a firefighter I am afraid that this will keep me from obtaining my dream...so I guess my question is, am I screwed? Should I just try and forget about becoming a fireman? What if I can get this felony expunged? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I had a clearance also, (Army). That doesn't mean I couldn't have done something "bad" since I've been out. As far as the "bad" things I did while I was in the Army, you can probably read about them in 30 years or so.
And as Ben said: A security clearance that has expired doesn't really mean much, especialy if you're no longer with the agency that issued it.
Scott, nobody cares about you and your drama. Notice when you went away, everyone was happy go lucky and having a great time. Im very glad we live so far apart, I would def. have 2 felonies by the end of the night.
Getting back on topic, a security clearance that expired 18 years ago means very little to a fire department looking to hire a firefighter today. What counts is a clean criminal background check run immediately prior to hire. That backround check covers the candidate's entire adult life, including any time since a military discharge occurred.
The criminal background check is an industry "Best Practice", and no amount or level of prior military background or security clearance is going to change that fact. Nor is a previous security clearance going to get you hired at any fire department that requires all candidates to pass a pre-hire criminal background check if you can't pass the background check.
And... I understand something very important. I understand that no one will be hired by my department without passing a pre-hire criminal background check, no matter what previous clearances may have been held.
Scott, no one here is either a) trying to make you look bad or b) ignoring the fact that a long-expired security clearance doesn't necessarily equal law-abiding behavior in the intervening years.
No one has forgotten who started the discussion. Nick has been very up front about what the situation was, what he'd like to do, and in seeking advice about how to proceed. You wouldn't hire him at your department, fine. There may be other departments that don't consider a non-violent and non-moral-turpitude drug conviction to be an automatic employment disqualifier. That was the point several other posters made.
Pointing out obvious facts doesn't equal taking up for one person or attacking another.
And...If you start a flame war, don't be surprised when it gets hot.
Scott,
I have nothing to hide either. I just wonder what your problem is in going out of your way to give Nick a hard time. You keep trying to point out how much "better" you are than he is. But all you've succeeded in doing was embarrassing yourself. Even law abiding citizens can be a$$holes as you've so eloquently demonstrated.
Ben, thank you. Very well said and exactly the point I made 4 hours ago.
Scott, Your demeaning comments are getting on my nerves. I would appreciate it if you stop calling me a felon and a convict. If you cannot handle yourself like a man, especially since your 40, then please just move on to another forum topic. Your gross display of disrespect is not welcome here.