Can I ever recover from a DUI that I received about 5 years back?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 18:02:42 -0400

I got a DUI about 5 years back. Can I still get promoted with it? I got my 1st E7 look coming up.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 7:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:09:41 -0400

It depends on who looks at your file on the board and what you've done since then. Ultimately.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Nov 3 at 2022 8:12 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 20:12:29 -0400

5 years is enough time but it all depends on what your record looks like and what you’ve done during that post dui time.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 8:35 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 20:35:56 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member Here is a previous post with information.

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/how-will-a-dui-5-years-ago-affect-future-promotions-or-retention

How will a DUI 5 years ago affect future promotions or retention? | RallyPoint

I got a DUI as a new SGT and received a GOMOR and a negative 1059 for it being at a school. What are my odds at promoting through the ranks? I am promotable to SSG and will most likely pick up next month but what can I expect after that? Centralized boards?

Response by COL Randall C. made Nov 3 at 2022 8:38 PM

COL Randall C. — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 20:38:27 -0400

Bottom line: CAN you? Yes. WILL you? To quote the Magic 8-ball, 'Outlook not so good'.

I'm going to play the odds here and assume that you were convicted off-post and the military DIDN'T slap you on the wrist and said "don't do it again".

Likely you received a GOMR and if you were a stellar Soldier before the DUI, it might have even been kept from being a permanent filing.

Additionally, you likely received (at least) an Article 15 as well as well as a bad NCOER for that period.

While all those things are from the same action (I know ... DUI - the gift that keeps on giving), it means it will (likely) show up in your AMHRR and be brought to the attention of the board multiple times.

IF you can show the board that you've turned your life around and have been a stellar NCO since that incident (i.e., a profile that screams "Most Qualified") then the odds are a bit in your favor, but if its not been a stand-out rating ... I'd make sure you have a good fall-back plan.

Your problem is that you have a big weight around your neck. A DUI by its very nature shouts out "I cannot make good decisions!" - the primary thing that we look from in our senior NCOs. It's not very likely that your file will be viewed favorably by the Selection Board unless you have something equally as strong to mitigate that view.

If in fact you were somehow able to avoid a GOMR, anything in your permanent file and didn't have it impact your NCOER ... you've lead a charmed life -- buy a PowerBall ticket and move on.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 9:13 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 21:13:36 -0400

I will say...it's possible.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 11:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 23:05:51 -0400

recovery starts my abstaining... one day at a time.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2022 11:21 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 23:21:03 -0400

8 years back I was to be replaced from my deployment by an incoming SSG.

He apparently got hit with a DUI and of course never showed up to replace me (someone else took his place).

Last time I saw him he was a Diamond wearing E8.

Stranger things have happened, but as others said it depends, and that's the tough reality of the army. I had a soldier have a fender bender with a military vehicle during battle assembly. It falls into the ream of "things happen". Highway patrol showed up and dealt with the whole thing.

That incident had Brigade up my business day after day after day, and all I could say is we have to wait for the Highway patrol report, and they wanted to know how I as company CO was going to handle it.

At the end of the day it was a little fender bender and stuff happens when you put soldiers in big military vehicles that hardly ever touch them. Chill.............

My point here is I also had another soldier basically have an on post hit and run with a civilian vehicle while driving a military vehicle. He hit a parked car, and took off. He was caught by MPs via a witness. This was in a different state, ON POST, and during an Annual Training for reservists.

The Provost Marshall dumped the ENTIRE judicial process in my lap. They could have arrested him ON SIGHT locked him up, and who knows what. If that happened OFF POST, and a civilian cop stopped and made an arrest that's what might have very well happened. Then it would be all in his civilian drivers license history and all that stuff.

So in scenario #1 it's hardly worth mentioning but Brigade won't let it go. Then in scenario #2 the young soldier is lucky to not have been thrown in jail, stuck in the other state until the courts got done with him, and now they just blew the whole thing off at the Company level, and only hassled me until I filled out my portion of paperwork disclosing what I was going to do via UCMJ. They didn't CARE what I did, they only CARED that I signed the form on their system disclosing what it is I would do. I threw my book at him as far as the company level could. Which in the end, because he was a SPC (at the time) wasn't very far. Easily recoverable in the realm of bigger picture.

Life is unfair, and I hope you SSG Johnson that karma favors what you deserve in life. Hopefully someone will see you're worth hanging onto and it will go that way.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Nov 4 at 2022 6:12 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:12:26 -0400

You can recover from it, you were obviously impacted, but the same drive and motivation that got you to SSG will carry over if you apply yourself, take care of your soldiers and set the standards within your organization.

What you cannot afford to do is walk around moping and feeling sorry for yourself. Lead the pack.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2022 11:34 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:34:40 -0400

I'd say your outlook is not great but I don't know what your NCOER looks like, if you received a letter of reprimand that was placed in your permanent file, if you served time in jail, etc. Tons of factors are in play but this may be something that will haunt you the rest of your career. However, all is not lost! You're still actively Serving and all you can do is work hard and continue to prove that the mistake you made was a 1 off.