Hunter Biden, the youngest son of Vice President Joe Biden, has been kicked out of the military after testing positive for cocaine.

I guess it doesn't pay to step on it when you are related to someone in a high profile position, like I don't know, the vice President of the Untied States. There are dozens that are tossed out every month (that is just a number I made up, no analysis or research conducted by me) with absolutely no public fanfare or ridicule. I guess the take away form this is that decisions made, whether good or bad, are made by the individual, not the bloodlines that they come from.

Sad. He's 42, not like he's a young kid. Getting a direct commission at that age though, wonder what was up with that?

Not gonna change my high opinion of the man over some dumbass shit his kid did. Dam shame too. Family has had some strife

It is an administrative discharge under "misconduct." Members may receive up to a General Under Honorable Conditions if they ask for counsel. Also, treatment for addiction must be offered before discharge.

Let me share my $.02 worth here. I was going to post this much earlier but I was banished from the site for a little while for not being bonafide (name that movie).

I have some experience with this issue. I am going to put myself out there so if you don’t like what I say than that is your right.

I have had a long experience with drug abuse throughout my life. It started with alcohol (the true gateway drug) at a very young age. It escalated in high school. It affected my military life. I do not know how it is now but in the late 70s and early 80s there was a lot of drug use in the barracks and yes I participated regularly. When I rotated back to the states from Germany I was caught with some hashish. I don’t think they had any treatment options other than an outpatient treatment programmed on the base which I was “obligated” to attend. I did not learn a damn thing in that program and continued to drink the entire time. I was told that reenlistment was not an option for me and was allowed to depart with an honorable discharge (administrative since I was already signed up for college).

After the military I took a five year descent into hell. It got very bad, DEA bad. In February of 1986 I was a self-admit to a treatment center. I have not used drugs or alcohol since then. I continue to attend 12-step meetings to this day. Life is good now, in fact it is great.

Alcohol abuse is almost condoned in my experience in the military. My NCOIC , who hated me for using drugs, came in most mornings extremely hung over and smelling like booze. He would go in his office and close the door until about 1000 or 1100. There were no ramifications for this while I was there. I am not justifying my actions or his. I was responsible for my behavior and no one else’s. I am just saying that during my time alcohol abuse and drug abuse were treated dramatically different. I cannot say if the same is true today.

I do not know the entire story behind Mr. Biden’s drug use while he was in the military. I do hope that he gets the help he needs if it is warranted.

With all of that said I wanted to also reach out to any veterans or current military that are in recovery or those interested in recovery. Please free to contact me.

My only two questions are:
1. Why is this public knowledge? It should be kept between the Navy, his Commanders, and him.

2. Why is it such a big deal? There are servicemembers everyday that do drugs, but those packets are sitting on someone's desk to be processed. Why is it such a big deal of this one person getting booted? This is only news because of who his father is. This is shameful that this got in the news and everyone is overlooking the larger issue of how much drug use is going on in the military and how to stop it.

To add to 1LT John Martin's post

Love me some Joe Biden but very disappointed to see that my precious military is infected with this unequal justice disease. Understandable about young Biden's situation however, sometimes when you lose someone so close to you, you lose a lot of yourself. His mother dying at such a very young age probably will haunt him until that day when God calls him home to be with her again.

I encountered multiple people in the military who used cocaine for the express purpose of it leaving their system so quickly. I think with the military it is almost always a bad seed, but this is not the first time that he has been caught with drugs, and maybe this is an example of considerations that should be made under the waiver process.

That's a shame if the drugs is a real thing. Typically Cocaine results in a courts martial and a verdict with Jail Time and a Dismissal from service for an officer. They usually throw the book at a officer for it, which is rightly so. I know that the process is that after 1 failed drug test they do another one and if that one comes back dirty than they proceed with punishment. In his since he is a reservist he might have been on title 32 orders which is basically a civilian wearing a uniform versus title 10. In that case it could be just simply a administrative discharge. I think if that happens you are barred from federal employment as a civil servant. Although you not bared from elected office.