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More Convicted Felons Allowed to Enlist

By LOLITA C. BALDOR,
AP
Posted: 2008-04-22 07:46:52
Filed Under: Nation News
WASHINGTON (April 21) - Under pressure to meet combat needs, the Army and Marine Corps brought in significantly more recruits with felony convictions last year than in 2006, including some with manslaughter and sex crime convictions.

Data released by a congressional committee shows the number of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350.

A military recruitment center
AP

Those numbers represent a fraction of the more than 180,000 recruits brought in by the active duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2007. But they highlight a trend that has raised concerns both within the military and on Capitol Hill.

The bulk of the crimes involved were burglaries, other thefts, and drug offenses, but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions. Several dozen Army and Marine recruits had aggravated assault or robbery convictions, including incidents involving weapons.

Both the Army and Marine Corps have been struggling to increase their numbers as part of a broader effort to meet the combat needs of a military fighting wars on two fronts. As a result, the number of recruits needing waivers for crimes or other bad conduct has grown in recent years, as well as those needing medical or aptitude waivers.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, who released the data, noted that there may be valid reasons for granting the waivers and giving individuals a second chance.

But he added, "Concerns have been raised that the significant increase in the recruitment of persons with criminal records is a result of the strain put on the military by the Iraq war and may be undermining military readiness."

The services use a waiver process to let in recruits with felony convictions, and many of the crimes were committed when the service members were juveniles.

For example, in several of the Marine sex crime cases, the offender was a teenager involved in consensual sex with another underage teen. In one Army case, a 13-year-old who threw a match into his school locker was charged with arson and had to receive a felony waiver six years later.

"Waivers are used judiciously and granted only after a thorough review," said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington.

He added that "low unemployment, a protracted war on terror, a decline in propensity to serve," and the growing reluctance of parents, teachers and other adults to recommend young people go into the military, has made recruiting a challenge.

According to the Army, 18 percent of the recruits needed conduct waivers in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2007, compared to 15 percent in the 12-month period ending in Sept. 30, 2006.

"We are growing the Army fast and there are some waivers; we know that," said Army Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations. "It hasn't alarmed us yet."

He added that "the better part of making soldiers is about leadership. Somebody invested in me, you know. That's the beauty of the United States Army. It's about leadership ... You've got to give people an opportunity to serve."

Late last fall, the Pentagon quietly began looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military. The goal of that review is to make cumbersome waiver requirements consistent across the services — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force — and reduce the number of petty crimes that now trigger the process.

According to the data released Monday, a bit more than half of the Army's 511 convictions in 2007 were for various types of thefts, ranging from burglaries to bad checks and stolen cars. Another 130 were for drug offenses.

The remainder, however, included two in 2007 for manslaughter, compared to one in 2006; five for sexual crimes (which can include rape, incest or sexual assaults) compared to two in 2006; and three for negligent or vehicular homicide, compared to two in 2006. Two received waivers for terrorist threats including bomb threats in 2007, compared to one in 2006.

At least 235 of the Marine Corps' 350 waivers were for various types of thefts in 2007, and another 63 were for assaults or robberies that may also have included use of a weapon. The remainder included one for manslaughter in 2007, compared to none in 2006; four for sex crimes, compared to one in 2006; and five for terror threats, including bomb threats, compared to two in 2006.

The total number of sailors who received felony waivers dipped from 48 in 2006 to 42 in 2007. Most were for a variety of thefts or drug and drunk driving convictions. Two in 2007 were for terror or bomb threats compared to three in 2006.

There were no Air Force recruits with waivers for felony convictions in 2007.

Waivers must be approved by an officer who is ranked as a brigadier general or above, and recruits must have written recommendations and endorsements from community leaders showing they would be a good bet for the military.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-04-21 17:32:32
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williamsnedigar 03:05:04 PM Sep 07 2008

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I am a 2 time convicted felon, Recieve stolen property and 2nd degree burg (I used a stolen US forestry service credit card to buy food and clothes to help my family) I have 2 midemenor DUI's all this in the last 8 years. I am willing to go and put myself in harms way to help give something back. The DUI are keeping me from joining they tell me. I am so glad that the mothers in the good old USA would rather send their YOUNG children out to get shot at, blown up, and lost in the desert, than someone who is just out of incarceration and looking to make you good hardworking people another target. Wow your daughter is hot! I'm going to go and get her drunk and f*** her when she passes out. Thank you for making it easier for me! All I want is a chance to be a better person. Why should you deny anybody to fight for your country? Guess people these days are made of money and can afford to spend 43,000 a year to keep non-violent offenders locked up. Why don't you people just give me 43,000 a y

shirllewis13 07:21:19 PM Aug 01 2008

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FELONS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENLIST BUT ONLY IF MCCAIN WINS...THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER

shirllewis13 07:19:49 PM Aug 01 2008

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FELONS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENLIST ONLY IF MCCAIN WINS. THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER.

shoes04me 08:44:02 AM Apr 28 2008

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As the mother of a United States Marine in Iraq, I am certain that the military is exactly what some of these young people need. They will be taught the respect, responsibility and accountability that they are lacking. Prior to my son's enlistment he was working with students in high school that were behavior problems and about to be kicked out of the public school system. His job was to work one on one with them and guide them on the right path. The problem is not our youth, it is you, the parents! Saddle up and take some responsibility for your own mistakes! Mamazeets, you are a disgrace to the military community and an embarrassment to all military mother's for your comments! There is no need to name call and curse when trying to make your point, if you cannot articulate in any other way, perhaps YOU should keep quiet. As far as your son's back, don't worry, my son has it...He is a Marine!
OOH RAH!
Proud Marine Mom

jbelc95206 10:41:48 PM Apr 24 2008

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Unleash the dogs of war

lassmith36 08:33:05 PM Apr 24 2008

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I personally have been convicted of vehicler homicide. I am an eighteen year old woman. I would like to join the marines, until this article I wasn't quite sure how or if that would work.
But I know that I made a HUGE mistake and would never do that again. I have greived and greived for the loss i caused. My feelings have been full of deep and painful regret.
I know that i would never harm anyone who wasnt trying to kill me if i did join. Its just the thing is maybe its the waivers that need to be more strict. Because i don't feel its right to say no felons whatsoever. Some people can learn from there mistakes and change.
And to jwrmnfzy1, the people that are prison are there because they have commited a crime. We can't trust them to be in our society, but you think we can trust them to fight a war for us? If they can't even follow a civilians laws, why would they be able to follow strict orders placed by the government. I mean sure it sounds good, but in reality many of those people a

chizmarlan 04:10:48 PM Apr 24 2008

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VERY BAD DECISION ON PART OF DOD!

jwrmnfzy1 06:23:50 AM Apr 24 2008

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Put the oil company ceos and share holders and ceos and share holders of the companies that send jobs out of this country on trial for treason !

jwrmnfzy1 06:20:39 AM Apr 24 2008

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Hello ! Haven't yall heard of the dirty dozen ?
It's about time that these losers were put to good use ! why don't we empty out our prisons and dump them on cuba like castro did to us when carter was president ?

mamazeets 02:05:21 AM Apr 24 2008

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As a mother of a son fighting in a war that thus far No One has mentioned, Afghanistan, I personally frown on felons going to war unless, we pull our voluteered enlisted out, I in no way want a scum bag that would, be a felon (for what ever reason) Watching my law abiding son's back!!! Until you or a family members walk the walk, keep quiet, and fly your flags proudlly, and the last thing you do every night should be to hit your knees and pray for these people who defend you're right to speak out of your ass!!

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