Was it this one ?
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Now exAVM.
At risk of outing myself i am no longer in the corps.
Why? Because someone who isnt a member of rafac reported me TO rafac for being in possession of a joint while i was on holiday.
We shall obviously ignore my medical issues, the fact my doctor knows about it and doesnât suggest i stop and its positive effects.
I never nor would ever be in possession while on any rafac activity. However without even having a hearing of any sort i was suspended and then kicked out by the commandant with no right of appeal.
Doesnât even matter that i was well known as âthe best cfav weâve ever worked withâ by multiple squadrons across the country.
Zero tolerance lost the corps a valuable resource that day.
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Hold up. So youâve been kicked out of the organisation because someone claimed you smoked a bit of weed whilst on holiday. And you at no point had a chance to defend your self? And thereâs no police involvement or anything?
Seems a bit of an over-reactionâŚ
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Whatever the merits or otherwise of a zero tolerance policy, thatâs what having one means and thatâs what we currently have.
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So what youâre saying is, if I donât like someone I can just make an accusation and theyâll be kicked out without any checks?
That sounds like a great systemâŚ
/s
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No. Having a zero tolerance policy would still involve a suspension without prejudice, followed by an investigation to prove, based on a balance of probabilities, that what has been claimed is true. And then a decision made based on that investigation.
What is being claimed here is that someone has made an accusation, and then theyâve been kicked out, without a proper investigation. Thatâs not a good system.
As @Giminion has said whilst Iâm writing this, that would just lead to a very easy way of removing people I donât likeâŚ
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I would disagree on the basis that it doesnât inherently require instant dismissal without evidence or investigation.
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For clarity I was working on the assumption that the possession was not ever in doubt, based on the lack of any denial in the way the scenario was presented. Obviously, a zero tolerance policy doesnât mean kicking people out on the back of false vexatious claims with no evidence.
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The implication is that the truth wasnât ascertained, not necessarily that the decision would have been different.
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For the avoidance of doubt, I completely agree.
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The problem with cannabis for medical usage is that no-one has carried out randomised controlled clinical trails and use of and efficacy is subjective rather than objective. as such it remains a Class B drug.
Consider some CFAVs may actually be taking far stronger drugs such as Fentanyl or Morphine but they are prescribed.
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So what I gather from this is:-
- you were in possession of a class B drug
- you we reported to RAFAC
- you were suspended
- you were then dismissed
I assumed between stages 3 & 4 you were asked if it was true and you admitted as such with implication that you would continue to do so whilst here in the UK.
Looking at Wikipedia the number of countries where cannabis is legal for medical use is very low.
Whilst you may feel aggrieved at the drugs policy, by the sound of things you are/were fully intend to smoke cannabis whilst in the UK.
On that basis I canât see that the commandant had any other option but to dismiss you. the only mitigation would be if your doctor had actively prescribed cannabis to you & given such prescription in writing.
Otherwise you are unlawfully using an unlawful substance & associating with criminals in order to obtain it. You are responsible & are a role model for young people. As such you cannot be in a position where young people maybe encouraged to go against the law of the land.
RAFACs policy is very clear for staff & the fact a non-RAFAC person reported you indicates that it at least seems unrelated to other RAFAC politics. You can always appeal to OC 22 group but in all probability unless you have a doctors letter or a process wasnât followed, potentially with discrimination against a protected characteristic, I canât see things changing.
Iâm sorry that the organisation has lost a good volunteer but I donât see how this situation would be any different if you were working for the police or in teaching or any other regulated profession.
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I donât know, at the Bar you can be convicted of supplying drugs (that leads to your partnerâs death) plus other possession and drink driving convictions and only get a suspension.
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Thereâs a couple of items that concern me here:
-
The actions surrounding cannabis possession were always illegal, as there is no legal mechanism to secure cannabis in the UK.
-
You appear to be suggesting you cannot fully function without resorting to an illicit substance.
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Given point 2, how long before cadet activity has this substance been used and what is the likelihood of being under the influence of an illegal drug whilst responsible for other peopleâs children?
I have worked with several people with chronic pain complaints before and you have my every sympathy in that regard. However, RAFAC appear to have been correct in their actions given the risk that you could be responsible for children whilst in an impaired state. It also leaves me with 2 questions;
- If you can function without taking an illicit substance, why are taking it?
- If you canât function without resorting to an illicit substance, are you medically fit enough to be responsible for other peopleâs children?
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Sincw when has volunteering been a regulated profession ?
When itâs working with children & hence a regulated activityâŚ? 
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Whilst in the 'Mob," I used to volunteer to help out with a pre-OASC week, that was run for airmen / airwomen who wanted to attend OASC. As a previous DIOT flt cdr, I used to sit on stn pre-commissioning boards if necessary.
It was a mini-OASC with group / individual exercises, discussions, various âcross the shark infested custardâ leadership exercises & of course, living in 12 x 12âs. 
One of the group discussion topics was âthe use of soft drugs amongst the Armed Forces should not be penalised.â
Boy, oh boy, did that throw up some nasty surprises. There were some rather stern âone to oneâ debriefs afterwards.
"For example, âYeah, itâs OK to get stoned over a weekend, but Iâm fine for my early Mon morning techie shiftâŚâ
When asked if it should be OK for aircrew to act that that, there was a bit of shuffling about, âEr, um, no, because they fly the aircraftâŚâ
Hard rules - take Class B (or other) drugs anywhere / anytime - donât be a CFAV.
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Unless prescribed by a registered medical practitioner.
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Personally, I find really hardcore attitudes to class B almost amusing these days. I mean, do we even prosecute possession of Class B offences anymore? I canât remember the last time I saw one!
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