I must admit there was some question whether this would actually happen. I was only convicted of 1 felony and sentenced 10 years in prison all for a bag of weed. I spent the last 24 years working hard and doing the right thing.
It took a year after applying for a pardon, investigation, interviews, home visit and then the parole board. I received my pardon on March 8, 2017. I decided to take it one step further and apply for Handgun License. It took 32 days to be granted my license.
Society as a whole performs the most brutal punishment for felons, so called "friends", family, neighbors, work colleagues and employers will never let it go and will never forgive and forget. It is in creditable at what my children and my spouse went through because of my mistake.
And that is my story.
10 years in prison for a bag of weed? it's none of my business, but there has to be more to that story.
I agree that it is far too easy to get a 'felony' for non-violent offenses, and that felonies and other than honourable/dishonourable discharges are treated too harshly by society. Registered sex offenders, too.
Glad you got your license.