Ummm....as a cop, I'm going to just say my .02.

Someone getting popped for a DUI isn't something to get "out of". You drive drunk or stoned, and you put MY LIFE and everyone else's in jepardy. I personally don't care if your DUI and crash and kill yourself, but after cleaning up mess after mess and making notifications that mommy isn't coming home anymore, well Fuck You.

Hopefully, as this was an old post, he got what was coming to him. Cops don't have a soft spot for criminals wanting to enlist. You make a bad choice, that's all on you.

Rant off.

From a strictly "Clearance-Related" perspective: No, this circumstance won't AUTOMATICALLY keep him from getting a secret clearance. However...it's certainly going to raise a few eyebrows and get the background investigators going over his file with a fine-toothed comb.

Tell him to do what he can to avoid a conviction- accept a plea of Reckless Driving, education, etc., whatever they do in your state. Unless your friend speaks 6 languages and is a protected minority with tits, a recent CONVICTION for an alcohol-related offense will almost certainly keep him from getting any sort of clearance.

Not sure how it would affect his whole enlisting with the military, tho.

This shouldnt affect the clearance issue unless it was a felony dui. I was one of those guys "who got what was coming to them" and am fine. It took about 5 months for my clearance to go through but it did. A mistake is a mistake as long as he learns from it. The day I get pulled over by a cop whos is perfect is the day I'll eat me own . Tell him to get a truck with a topper and a nice sleeping bag, it makes a great mobile motel!!