Military Using Convicted Felons To Replace Drummed Out Gays

[WillParkinson]

(Washington) Newly released data show that the Army and the Marine Corp, under pressure to increase their numbers, have sharply raised the number of recruits who have felony convictions.

The information, released Monday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, shows that 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.

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.

The use of felons to the fill the ranks comes as 2 people every day are dropped from the military for being gay under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the armed services

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/04/042108ask.htm

[msongs]

1. military trains criminals to come home and be more effective...criminals. way to go, military nt

[whistle]

2. It fits with the water-boarding and torture image the U.S. Military now has

...esprit de thugs

[AnnieBW]

3. Oh, heavens!

We don't want the QUEERS to be corrupting our brave boys in the military! :sarcasm:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

4. This ain't your daddy's Army

The Army of today is nothing like yesturdays Army... I remember when the Army were proud people..
Change that I thought I would never see.

[ccharles000]

5. The military should be ashamed.

:grr:

[Moloch]

6. The Clinton "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy...

is nothing but institutional discrimination. Bill Clinton promised to end discrimination in the military and caved in at the first sign of opposition. For shame.

[Creideiki]

7. I was in the military at the time.

It wasn't the first sign of opposition.

But go ahead thinking that someone that has now got the guy that insisted on maintaining the ban and then was pushed as far as DADT as an advisor will fix things.

[blayne]

8. They will take anybody.

I personally knew a gay guy that just signed up for the Army. He had a rather large tattoo on his ankle. It was 2 interlocking male symbols. Something like this:



He asked the recruiting officer about it, and the guy told him to cover it up with another tattoo. I couldn't believe it when he told me that. They will take anybody.

[insleeforprez]

10. Not to nitpick....

but those are definitely two female symbols :)

[blayne]

12. Haha. Sorry.

I swear I googled "gay male symbols," and that came up. I didn't even pay attention I guess. How about this?

[Toasterlad]

11. The RECRUITERS Will Take Anybody...

...because they have to make their numbers. Whether or not a GLBT person gets to serve is up to the tolerance level at his/her post, and the extent of the person's willingness to hide who they are.

[helas girl]

9. "but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions"

and yet these people would be better than members of the GLBT community? As far as them "taking anyone these days", they still use DADT to kick people out, and they have a systematic ban on people who are transgendered.