Army lowered bar for recruits in '05(1/6 given waivers despite background)

[sabra]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602140118feb14,1,5661316.story

Army lowered bar for recruits in '05
1 in 6 given waivers despite backgrounds

WASHINGTON -- Struggling to boost its ranks in wartime, the Army has sharply increased the number of recruits who would normally be barred because of criminal misconduct or problems with alcohol and illegal drugs.

Last year, almost 1 in 6 Army recruits had a background problem that would have disqualified them from military service. In order to accept them, the Army granted exceptions known as recruiting waivers.

Recruits with medical problems made up the largest single category of those given waivers. However, the largest increase was among recruits with a history of criminal conduct or drug and alcohol problems, according to Army data.

In all, the Army granted waivers to 11,018 recruits in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2005, or 15 percent of those accepted into the service that year. Those figures are up sharply from 2004, when 9,300 waivers were granted, or 12 percent of those joining the Army.

[BOSSHOG]

1. And the Navy's Blue to Green Program

allows poorly performing or not fit Sailors and Officers (who would not be allowed to stay in the Navy) to apply for transfer to the Army and maintain their paygrade and service longevity. Just another item to add to bush's legacy.

[sabra]

2. he will be remembered as the "heckofajob" prez...

[zbdent]

3. Here's a candidate who could get in if he would just lie about his age

could you guess who?

http://www.billpressshow.com/?p=271#comments

[MissMillie]

4. My son's NJROTC commander

was telling me just last night that the military is having no problem meeting its recruiting goals.

:shrug:

[MadMaddie]

5. Meanwhile...the military spent millions to kick gay soldiars out....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2108109

[kineneb]

6. If they don't drool,

The recruiters will take them. Geez, our military is sounding more like the British Empirial military every day; when will they discover press gangs? (maybe I should shut up now...)

[Posteritatis]

7. I'm kinda mixed on this one

On the one hand, I'd definately not mind seeing folks joining the military generally be straight arrows with a good past on 'em. They are, after all, joining a service where they're going to be issued firearms and pointy things.

On the other hand, they're joining a service where they've got a good chance of being on the wrong end of firearms and pointy things as well, something which is becoming increasingly likely with the 20,000 wounded and killed in the present war so far. Much as I despise most American defence policy, I still have respect for anyone who would knowingly put themselves on the thin end of the wedge in this day and age, and I also believe it's possible for people to turn themselves around from some pretty dodgy backgrounds.

I'm not saying "who cares about their past?" or "if they wanna get Darwinned, who am I to stop them?" (the latter oughta be disqualified anyway, if just because they'll probably kill others in the process). It's more that if someone is trying to enlist with a real desire to either live up to the service ideals of Serving One's Country, or with a real desire to turn a bad past around, I do feel that decision ought to be respected. I also know it's easier said than done (usually) to tell how real someone's desire to do something like that it, of course.

So yeah. I dunno where exactly I sit on this one.

Thoughts?

[phusion]

8. I agree

People with minor criminal histories or drug/alcohol problems should be given the chance to serve in the military and "turn their past around." This is a good decision, IMO.

[Supersedeas]

9. Sad really...on so many levels

[Kikosexy2]

10. Well...seeing that...

the standards are being lowered...here's a suggestion to alleviate the prison population all over the U.S....why not send hard core criminals/lifers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan...especially those Bush supporters in prison and bring some of our worthier troops home. Or is that too harsh?