More convicted felons allowed to enlist in Army, Marines

[RB TexLa]

By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer 9 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Under pressure to increase their numbers, the Army and Marine Corps are sharply raising the number of recruits with felony convictions they are admitting to the services.

Data released by a congressional 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 were for burglaries, other thefts, and drug offenses, but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080421/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_felons_1

[NC_Nurse]

1. Have they started cruising death row yet? I bet those folks are motivated.

Serial killers actually enjoy killing people, don't they? Then we could let the poor folks who just wanted a college education come home form this POS war.


:sarcasm: Of course, I'm kidding. I wouldn't unleash those folks on innocent Iraqis. ;) Although, God knows how many of them are actually innocent of the crimes they were convicted of.

[treestar]

2. Naturally

They need new recruits and the warmongering freepers won't go.

[Dr.Phool]

3. Get the recruiters out of the high schools and into the prisons.

Could be a good no-bid contract for CCA and Wackenhut.

[Javaman]

4. Coming soon, the all privatized military.

The Taco Bell First Airborne

The Xerox 10th Mountain division

The AT&T Signal Corps.

[islandmkl]

6. 'private army'.....

has kind of a nice third-world charm to it, doesn't it?

[Javaman]

12. We will be a nation of corporate controlled feifdoms...

and just like in the middle ages, when the "US" goes to war, it will have to call upon it's corporate army's to "lend a hand" at a price of course.

Private: sir! the Peter Pan Peanut Butter armored division was just bombed by the Hersey's Chocolate Tactical wing!

General: oy, not chocolate in the peanut butter again!!!

[maxsolomon]

5. i have no problem with this

second chances are good. the military cannot afford to be bellicose AND punitive at this moment.

its the war that neccessitates this policy i object to.

[flvegan]

9. Good way to learn discipline and potentially, a good trade.

Might be a good career move, too.

I'm sure that my opinion on this is unpopular, but I've always said that if there's room in the military, give minor offenders the option of enlisting rather than going to jail. No sociopaths or the like, but the drug offenders and that sort, with careful screening. Maybe the military is a better rehab and might actually help some folks become good, productive citizens.

[NNN0LHI]

14. Learning to kill innocent people might actually help some folks become good, productive citizens?

I can't believe what I am reading.

Don

[flvegan]

15. This is all with the understanding

that we stop occupying other nations and having illegal wars. I think that there are scores of folks that went into the military and came out as good, productive, successful citizens. I don't see the military as all about killing innocent people.

[NNN0LHI]

18. But we have to look at the reality of things

Our military is currently occupying other nations and having illegal wars and killing a lot of innocent people in the process.

Don

[NNN0LHI]

13. Yea I hope some other country sends its felons over to police us some day

Oh the joy.

Don

[maxsolomon]

19. the EU may have to

to save the world from american fascism.

some day.

[uppityperson]

20. Some perhaps. Others, like Steven Green, not a good choice.

RIP Abeer and family.

[L. Coyote]

7. More felons trained to kill people.

[magellan]

8. More comforting news for families who have loved ones over there

Mercs, gang-members, soldiers suffering from PTSD, and now an influx of violent felons -- shoulder to shoulder with regular volunteers.

And they're still slightly better off than the Iraqi civilians who'll face these "proud and few".

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Apparantly the military is seeking more "experienced" workers.

Although, there were no lack of misfits, sociopaths, and criminals when I was in.

[Ganja Ninja]

11. Way to support the troops.

Not bad enough you have to worry about snipers and road side bombs, now you have to sleep with thieves and cutthroats. Having these dregs around is bad for morale.

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. I can see the dialogue now:

Uncle Sam : "All you convicted drug users: off to Afhganistan with you !"

" Oh boy....poppies ! ":woohoo: :woohoo:

"Me -me -me..send me" :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[chat_noir]

16. Waxman questions DoD waivers for felons

The military has granted questionable waivers to convicted felons, allowing them to serve in the armed forces, according to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, California Democrat.


Waxman today wrote a letter to David Chu, an under secretary at the Department of Defense, demanding to know why these waivers had been granted to felons convicted of sexual assault and terrorist threats. The full text of his letter is below:

The Honorable David Chu
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
U.S. Department of Defense
4000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-4000


Dear Dr. Chu:


Thank you for responding to the Committee's request for information regarding military personnel waivers issued to U.S. service members. The data you provided the Committee shows that there was a rapid rise in 2007 in the number of waivers the Army and Marine Corps granted to recruits convicted of serious felonies, such as aggravated assault and burglary. Some recruits were even granted waivers for felony convictions involving sexual assault and terrorist threats. I am writing to seek more information about these trends and their implications for military readiness.


In response to our October 18, 2007, request, you provided the Committee with statistics regarding personnel waivers granted in 2006 and 2007 to enlistees who had been convicted of felonies. Your office informed Committee staff that due to poor recordkeeping and maintenance, you are unable to provide similar information for prior years or regarding serious misdemeanors. According to the data provided to the Committee, the Army and Marine Corps significantly increased the number of waivers they granted for enlistees with felony convictions from 2006 to 2007. Army waivers increased from 249 waivers in 2006 to 511 waivers in 2007, while Marine Corps waivers increased from 208 waivers in 2006 to 350 waivers in 2007. Both branches increased the number of waivers they granted for almost every type of felony offense.


In addition, the new data provided to the Committee shows for the first time some of the offenses for which the Army and Marine Corps have granted waivers. In 2007, the Army and Marine Corps granted 87 waivers to enlistees who had been convicted of "ggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, maiming," 248 waivers to enlistees who had been convicted of "burglary," and 130 waivers to enlistees who had been convicted of "arcotics or habit-forming drugs; wrongful possession or use (marijuana not included)." The Army and Marine Corps also granted small numbers of waivers for the crimes of "ape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, incest, or other sex crimes," "ndecent acts or liberties with a child, molestation," and "errorist threats including bomb threats."


I understand that there can be valid reasons for personnel waivers and recognize the importance of providing opportunities to individuals who have served their sentences and rehabilitated themselves. At the same time, 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.


To help the Committee understand these issues, I request that you provide the Committee with the following documents:


1. Any documents created by the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, or Marine Corps that explain, discuss, or relate to the increased number of personnel conduct waivers since 2001;


2. Any documents created by the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, or Marine Corps that explain, discuss, or relate to the lowering of standards for enlistees and whether this has any relation to meeting recruitment goals;


3. Updated 2007 and 2008 data on the Distribution of Conduct Waivers by Offense Type for the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force;


4. Any data, studies, or analysis done by the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Air Force on the impact of increasing the number of personnel conduct waivers or on the performance of those enlistees for whom waivers were granted; and


5. Documents describing any programs that the Department of Defense, Army, Navy, or Marine Corps have in place to provide additional training, counseling, or oversight to those enlistees for whom waivers were granted.


Please provide these documents and information to the Committee as soon as possible but in no case later than May 20, 2008. In addition to the above documents and information, we also request that you provide a briefing on these issues on or before May 22, 2008.


The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee in the House of Representatives and has broad oversight jurisdiction as set forth in House Rule X. An attachment to this letter provides additional information about how to respond to the Committee's request.


If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Susanne Sachsman of the Committee staff at [phone].


Sincerely,

Henry A. Waxman
Chairman

http://video1.washingtontimes.com/fishwrap/2008/04/waxman_questions_dod_waivers_f_1.html