Waivers to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds double from 2003 to 2006

The number of waivers granted to Army recruits with criminal bacckgrounds has doubled in three years, according to press reports on data released by the Defense Department.

"The Army and Marine Corps are letting in more recruits with criminal records, including some with felony convictions, reflecting the increased pressure of five years of war and its mounting casualties," Lolita C. Baldor reports for the Associated Press.

In Wednesday's New York Times, Lizette Alvarez notes that "the number of waivers the military granted to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds has nearly doubled in the past three years, jumping to more than 8,000 in 2006 from about 4,900 in 2003, Department of Defense records show."

src: globalresearch.ca...

How does this go again....honor, duty, theft of country ? I can't say I'm really surprised by this but given the nature of war and the battleground you would think those on the front lines would be of decent moral character. I'm not implying that a large percentage of the military is otherwise but when you have a person who has committed a felony, is a warzone really an appropriate setting? I guess if your in the Pentagon it is but I can't help but think that for the few that are other there (at least I think its a few) given some of these individuals backgrounds some might look at a combat situation with no regret. It would lighten the load on the judicial systems though.

More importantly I think if the military/US gov't can offer up waivers in situations that best suites them then this same logic should applied to the rest of society. Would it be ok for a convicted sex offender to teach at a school if there were teacher shortages provided they too signed a waiver. I didn't think so.

brill

sry mods dont know if this considerd WOT or current event.