More convicted felons allowed to enlist in Army, Marines

Originally posted by Bunch
If you ask me, as a present member of the military, I would not like to serve, work, live or have anything to do with a convicted felon that serves in the military and here is why.

1. This people have chosen to violate the laws and more than likely the rights of this country and its citizens. Is that the kinfc of people you want representing your country in other nations? Do you really think they would care about the rights of Iraqis, Afghanis, Koreans, Japanese or any other overseas place we serve?

2. We have our fair share of bad apples as it is right now, and every single case of a military member doing something bad gets so much attention that I don't see why they would even take the risk to place people like convicted felons in the military.

3. The best thing about the military in my opinion is that we have a strong sense of community, we live on our bases like it was the 1950's, doors open, cars unlocked, kids play outside with nothing to worry about. You start bringing people that don't share or don't care about those values and then you place an unnecessary burden on military members, because we going to have to worry about, whose my neighbor? Was he a thief? A rapist? Would my neighbor hurt my family or rob me when I'm deployed. It just place unnecessary worries on those who don't need that.

4. By way of number 3, it just going to make it hard to have fully integrated force if are not able to trust each other.

Serving in the military should not be a right, it should be a priviledge for those who conduct themselves honorably.

My .02


[edit on 23-4-2008 by Bunch]

Star for you my friend. One of the most important factors contributing to my best memories in the service was the people I knew and trusted. And I was honored that they trusted me.

Throw a felon into the mix and we have to start 'pausing' and 'reconsidering' what we can expect. It's bad enough when one of ours 'goes nuts' or something overseas thus engendering a wave of anti-American hate we have to live under. Start sending known 'perpetrators' out there, and we could soon become the laughing stock of the world.

Maybe that's the point. Reduce the effectiveness of the military by degrading its enlisted base - thus justifying the needs for (or maybe even promoting the demand for) private military organizations to 'take over' with their more stringent corporate accountability. But, I digress into the conspiratorial...

Honorable service is a choice, and shouldn't be a path for redemption or a vehicle of punishment. But if these people already served their sentences and thus 'paid their debt to society', why shouldn't they be allowed to join? Doesn't that imply that we are not through punishing them? It's a real quandary if we are to hold to the belief that we 'rehabilitate' criminals.

I have to chime in on this.

1.) When the millitary went all volunteer it was quite common in small town america, for a young person to get themselves in trouble and when they got infront of a judge the judge would give them a choice. Millitary or Jail. My active duty service was in mid-90's and there were many senior NCO's that I knew who benefitted from those choices.

2.) The numbers accepted though percentage wise look like a large increase the actuall number is minute.

3.) I would imagine that the vast majority of those accepted are due to drug crimes (cannabis is a felony in some states), property crime, and violation of probation (VOP is often considered a felony even if the initial crime was a misdemeanor).

The millitary has a fetish with urinalysis so the drug offenders will straighten up or be out on thier butt. The troops tend to handle the thieves themselves you do not want to be caught as the barracks thief, period. I've seen leadership turn a blind eye to retaliation against thieves who would steal from thier own unit ( but every unit needs a scrounger, their utillity is an assett).The numbers seem to be small so I don't think it's a problem that capable leadership (mainly at the Sgt./ SSGT level) can't address properly. My main concern with this is the youth of alot of e-5's and e-6's i've noticed lately. I'm certain that they deserve the chevrons and rockers, but I wonder sometimes how an early 20s SSG handles the non-job related aspects of leadership he often has to face in his troops(family probs, debt probs, etc).

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
reply to post by AnAbsoluteCreation

 

You shouldn't call me a liar.

I don't care you like it or not, but don't call me a liar.

[edit on 2008/4/24 by GradyPhilpott]

Sir, I never called you a liar. I was referring to the Administration and their terrorizing diatribe. How could I call you a liar? You never answered my questioned until now...

I shared the truth with you as I experienced it.

Now, is it possible that your experiences makes you biased?

AAC

Originally posted by jefwane


3.) I would imagine that the vast majority of those accepted are due to drug crimes (cannabis is a felony in some states), property crime, and violation of probation.

WASHINGTON - 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.

This is what first struck a chord with me. I have no real problem with young men experimenting with marijuana or other natural highs, and then finding solidarity in the service.

But it's those fragile minded souls with something to prove that scares me. Sex offenders should NEVER be allowed in the armed forces, IMHO.

AAC

reply to post by Maxmars

what about the felons that made a mistake as a young adult? they deserve the chance to make a wrong into a right. i am a felon and i would give anything for the chance to make my wrong a right. my offense was not a violent one. not saying what i did was ok by any means. i was 19 at the time and young and showed the wrong things growing up. i have been haunted by this for almost 9 years now. it is impossible for me to get a good job. i so bad want to turn my life into a complete positive but how can i do that with people like yourself not willing to let me have a chance. i admit i made a mistake but i have done my punishment. it should not be held over my head any longer.

Are they allowed to vote again after serving their country or are they just being used for cannon fodder?

reply to post by GradyPhilpott


dude your way off base.