What law are you talking about? The CHP law in NC? It's identical to most CHP laws in every other state. NC was a "no issue" concealed carry state prior to 1995; i.e., you could not get a permit to carry in the state at all.
Even if it was not on the books at the time, it does not make it an Ex Post Facto law. Such a law makes something illegal that was legal at the time, and enforcement retroactive. What the OP did (doing drugs while in the armed forces) was illegal then, and it is still illegal. The penalty is still the same in the military. The provision for carry has actually gotten LESS restrictive in NC (going from no issue to shall issue) over time, but the restriction on the level of discharge from military service that applies has not changed at all
My mistake, still IMHO excessive, heavy handed laws from a to often draconian oppressive gooberment.
You mean the one that governs how people who are serving (in his case - VOLUNTEERED) in the military and who are the nation's line of defense, in whose hands are trusted the lives of many, are barred from doing drugs? Laws like that one?
He hasn't had a problem with the discharge in 36 years and only now cares when a law that went into effect that gave most people in his state the privilege to carry concealed (a privilege that did not exist in that state prior) impacts him because of his previous illegal activities.
The CHP law won't change unless/until it goes Constitutional Carry. Getting his service record changed (the only avenue left open to him after more than 15 years out from discharge) is damned near impossible - ESPECIALLY for something that still carries the same penalty or worse in the uniformed armed services today.
