No, I told them it was the wrong one. Like I said, the social security number they read to me might have been the sticker put on MY test sample. I was not able to see the sticker placed on the test sample, so I can not rule it out that they put the wrong SS# on my sample. The only identification I could see on those test samples is that sticker with your SS#. Since they could have gotten two samples switched around, they might not notice anything wrong because I did not see any other identification on the test sample that would verify whos sample it is.
When they asked me my SS# and I corrected him, I am fairly positive my sticker was already placed on the sample, because I was looking at the guy asking me the question while the other person took care of the samples and put the stickers on them.
When they asked me my SS# and I corrected him, I am fairly positive my sticker was already placed on the sample, because I was looking at the guy asking me the question while the other person took care of the samples and put the stickers on them.
They do at every MEPS, every duty station, everywhere. The sample has to be able to withstand a chain of custody examination to exclude the possibility of tampering. Hopefully Don_Vito will show up and shed some light on this. Like how many guys use the false positive defense and win, how many guys use the "somebody must have slipped it into my drink" defense and win. It has been my experience that the answer to both of those questions is none.
But hey you live long enough and you get to see everything.
Like I said before as well, I didn't know you were supposed to see them put your SS# sticker on the sample and verify the SS# until my recruiter talked to me after we got the results back. I wasn't really in the mood to stay there looking at my pee, because they force you to sign your name on paper before washing your hands, and their is only one pen used by everyone who does the test. I wanted to wash my hands ASAP after touching that damn pen.
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 25,383
- 1,013
- 126
You ought to submit your story to some of those websites you're speaking about which inform folks about how easy it is to get a false positive. I'm sure yours will be just another evidentiary nail in the coffin of their definitive study about the fallibility of drug testing.
That's a good synopsis. The old adage for the Drug and Alcohol NCO was "I take alot of sh*t off people, but this is ridiculous!"
I've seen two active duty positives overturned. One in '94 by an O-5 at battalion level because of chain-of-custody improprieties. Another at Court Martial in '99. Again because of chain-of-custody improprieties.
Andrew111: I believe MEPPS (where you took your physical) may not have changed too much since "back in the day" 12-13 years ago when I recruited for active.
If you are being totally honest with us here on this board, and most importantly yourself, then try this:
1.) Go take a drug test from an independent testing laboratory. Results from two different laboratories would be better. ASAP.
2.) Yes, get your congressman involved as well as your parents.
3.) Perhaps your parents might contact the recruiting battalion SGM and Battalion Commander. It is up to you to prove MEPPCOM wrong. I've seen results on drug tests proven wrong before, but such things are rare. Especially nowadays. Perhaps this may prompt an examination of MEPPS chain-of-custody procedures.
I'm not in anyway implying such measures will actually work. However, if you are serious, this is probably one of your few alternatives.
Formerly, Marijuana DQs were 6 months and Cocaine DQs were 2 years. But seeing as how they tightened up the drug policy in recent years, disquals may now be permanent.
goto a local news station and tell them ur story and take a 3rd party test and stuff and show the news what happen wrong i guess and see if theyll air it 
Dave that sounds like how the Air Force does it. I guy where I work just got knocked out on such a test. His defense of false positive failed. He is lucky he gets to keep his retirement.
Ritalin will also indicate methamphetamine, since Ritalin IS methamphetamine. hehe
Sorry to hear about your experience, no test is 100% accurate, for better or worse. It is indisputable that urinalysis can produce all sorts of false positives and negatives, the sample can be adulterated and contaminated, etc. There is all kinds of cocaine residue floating around on paper money that has been rolled-up and used as a snorter. It is quite unreasonable that the military has a 'no exceptions' policy, simply because it is well-known that many things can erroneously skew these tests.
I think you should protect yourself, whether or not the military will allow another test, by having an independent lab do another test ASAP! Also, there are tests that can detect drug use as far back as 6 months, using fingernail or hair samples. I don't know how accessible or affordable those tests are, but if you tested negative through one of those tests, it would go a long way towards protecting yourself if this should ever come back and haunt you. As you have discovered on the internet, these things CAN come back and haunt you.
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 25,383
- 1,013
- 126
The Uniform Code of Military Justice is what applies here (Article 92 and 112a in particular), the creation of and contents of which are acts of the United States Congress. You may feel that it's unreasonable, but evidently the Legislative branch of your government does not.
Zebo
Elite Member
- Jul 29, 2001
- 39,398
- 19
- 81
The armed forces ask you if you have taken any poerscription medications what did you say? NO i bet and in fact you took some codine or another signature for cocain. You need to find out what you took and notify proper authorities. Also you can appleal for a re-test with a claim of custodial error.
Good luck and if you are using stop.
Good luck and if you are using stop.
Don Vito Corleone
Elite
- Feb 10, 2000
- 30,029
- 66
- 91
I cannot speak for the other services, but I know the Air Force has very specific, incredibly finicky requirements for sample collection (in the unlikely event anyone is curious, you can see our regulation here), and the member being tested is required to sign over the tape sealing the bottle, obviating any chance for the kind of error Andrew theorizes. I do not know whether every MEPS station follows similar rules, but I would think they would, and frankly I would regard MEPS as the last place I would expect to see a false positive, since the people taking the samples are so experienced.
To the best of my knowledge it has been several years since any of the military labs who actually process the samples were known to have any false positives due to mishandling once the samples reach the lab (though I really only deal with the Brooks AFB lab on any routine basis).
I concur with Glenn: if you tested positive for BZ (the cocaine metabolite found in urine), you almost certainly HAVE been exposed to cocaine.
To the best of my knowledge it has been several years since any of the military labs who actually process the samples were known to have any false positives due to mishandling once the samples reach the lab (though I really only deal with the Brooks AFB lab on any routine basis).
I concur with Glenn: if you tested positive for BZ (the cocaine metabolite found in urine), you almost certainly HAVE been exposed to cocaine.
Correct, they test for metabolites, which if you got highly concentrated residue on your fingers, then put them in your mouth...
A friend of mine successfully challenged the results of an NTSB drug test several years ago, back when people were saying the same things about the accuracy of urinalysis and how it was impossible to adulterate the sample.
I worked in the medical field for several years, and judging by the number of incompetent people I worked with on a routine basis, a reality that is precipitated by all facets of the medical services community being under pressure to reduce costs by hiring inexperienced, incompetent, or untrained people, nothing would surprise me anymore.
If you told me that someone spilled a bottle of urine on the floor, then soaked it up with a sheet of Bounty and rung-it back in the cup, I would not find it unbelievable in the least.
The cocaine urine test checks for chemical that is a product of the body getting rid of the cocaine, but not cocaine itself. This chemical does not occur in any over the counter or prescription drug. If you fail this test, there has been cocaine been cocaine in your body.
I had to go through MEPS (the one between Baltimore and Washington DC) four times (long story) in the early 90's, and I don't remember that level of care in handling urine samples - certainly no 'escort' or anyone watching you fill the bottle, as glenn1 describes. As I remember, they handed a bunch of us prospective recruits a bottle each, told us to put our stick from this pre-printed sheet on the bottle, and to fill the bottle. After filling it, we just placed it on a shelf where a very bored med tech later retrieved it. Lots of room for error. I'm surprised Andrew111 isn't at least being offered the opportunity to be retested.
The briefing I received at the Jacksonville, FL drug lab told us there was only one way for someone to come up positive for the level they tested for. One way and one way only.
The time between the test and the last medication I've taken is well into two months difference. I did get sick the day after going to MEPS, but I highly doubt I accidentally ate something that had cocaine in it. I don't think mom would use cocaine to season her food, and the only thing I ate the day before the test was a bowl of Crispix, Mountain Dew, and the meal they feed you at the hotel near MEPS. It was pepper steak, and that didn't look suspicious either. On the day I went in for testing, I hadn't eaten a single thing before taking the test. Not even water.
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 25,383
- 1,013
- 126
I can't state definitively what goes on at a MEPS station, as i've never been assigned to one. I'm speaking strictly of my experiences in active duty service as a member of a line combat unit, and occassional holder of the additional duty affectionately known as the "pecker checker" (urinanalysis control officer).
BTW, here's a quick link to the UCMJ article i spoke of earlier... UCMJ Article 112a, Wrongful use, possession, etc., of controlled substances
There are quite a few prescription drugs derived from cocaine, tylenol with codine, hydrocodone, etc. Don't know if they test as cocaine but I'm sure some would.
I don't doubt what you say, but it wouldn't surprise me to see different levels of testing for mere recruits (who will be denied admission to the services, but probably won't face criminal prosecution) and current active duty troops (who WILL likely face criminal prosecution if found positive). For one thing, because there's no legal 'right' to enlist, a drug test for enlistment purposes will never face scrutiny by any court, so where's the incentive to meet chain of custody requirements, etc.?
Found some interesting discussion regarding the prosecution of urinalysis cases in the military, if anyone's interested.
JAG training materials from August 2001
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 10K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 7K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter