Terrorists and sex offenders can join military., page 1
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ATS Members have flagged this thread 2 times
Topic started on 12-11-2008 @ 10:28 PM by gullychief
Late last fall, the Pentagon quietly began looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military. The goal of that review is to make cumbersome waiver requirements consistent across the services — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force — and reduce the number of petty crimes that now trigger the process.

According to the data released Monday, a bit more than half of the Army's 511 convictions in 2007 were for various types of thefts, ranging from burglaries to bad checks and stolen cars. Another 130 were for drug offenses.

The remainder, however, included two in 2007 for manslaughter, compared to one in 2006; five for sexual crimes (which can include rape, incest or sexual assaults) compared to two in 2006; and three for negligent or vehicular homicide, compared to two in 2006. Two received waivers for terrorist threats including bomb threats in 2007, compared to one in 2006.

At least 235 of the Marine Corps' 350 waivers were for various types of thefts in 2007, and another 63 were for assaults or robberies that may also have included use of a weapon. The remainder included one for manslaughter in 2007, compared to none in 2006; four for sex crimes, compared to one in 2006; and five for terror threats, including bomb threats, compared to two in 2006.


abcnews.go.com...

How about that then? Would you like to serve alongside terrorists (just making a terror threat is still terrorism) and sex offenders? I know I wouldn't.

If you join a unit, IMO you need to be able to totally trust the other members, I couldn't trust people like that.


reply posted on 12-11-2008 @ 11:28 PM by styxxz
reply to post by gullychief



I dunno, maybe if they only used these crims for cannon fodder, perhaps...



reply posted on 12-11-2008 @ 11:31 PM by gullychief
reply to post by Djdoubt03



Well, I agree for people who just got caught with some milder drugs years ago, or shoplifting as a teenager, stuff like that, but when it's as serious as some of the things listed there, I can't forgive people like that.

If a sex offender moved in next door to you, would you really be able to just ignore that part of their past? I know I couldn't.


reply posted on 12-11-2008 @ 11:42 PM by rapinbatsisaltherage
reply to post by ANNED



Why would the marines stop someone that only got convected of streaking a basket ball game from enlisting.


Now that person I fully agree should be allowed to enlist. I guess the smart thing to do is to go by a case by case basis, which I think they have been?



reply posted on 13-11-2008 @ 12:18 AM by Enigma Publius
reply to post by Djdoubt03


i totally agree. my best friend cousin is in the navy. before he went, he stole cars, sold drugs, got into fights, he was a VERY shady person i did not like to be around. well he has served and is back home, and he is totally changed. he was racist before. now he understands that those beside him in the navy were all brothers of his, no mater the color, now he knows he can do positive things for his country and cares not for making trouble at all, he is a peacemaker, a problem solver, and a compassionate human being now. the military will fix u. if you are screwed up; they UN-screw you. he was never caught at his previous crimes, what i want to know is, if someone had something like a petty theft charge or a misdemeanor DUI or something minor like that pending, or were on probation for, would joining the military be an option to getting charges dropped like back in the vietnam war? i know this used to happen because my uncle did it. would their probation vanish because it says they cannot travel out of state, so it would have to be dismissed just so they could go to boot camp. anyone know how that works?


[edit on 13-11-2008 by Enigma Publius]


reply posted on 13-11-2008 @ 12:24 AM by Djdoubt03
Originally posted by Enigma Publius
reply to
post by Djdoubt03
what i want to know is, if someone had something like a petty theft charge or a misdemeanor DUI or something minor like that pending, or were on probation for, would joining the military be an option to getting charges dropped like back in the Vietnam war? i know this used to happen because my uncle did it. would their probation vanish because it says they cannot travel out of state, so it would have to be dismissed just so they could go to boot camp. anyone know how that works?


I know someone who not too long ago got in trouble with the law, when he asked the lawyer this question, the lawyer said NO the feds put a ban on that option.


reply posted on 13-11-2008 @ 12:37 AM by angel of lightangelo
Originally posted by Djdoubt03
Hey sometimes people make very bad mistakes or get caught up in something they shouldn't. Everyone deserves a second chance. The military will straighten up any bad apples or they will end up in the brig. I'd rather have a criminal serving his time in the military than working at the local department store. Just my 2 cents.


Criminals is one thing. And yes, you can be a sex offender for things that really are not that big a deal. But...when you see reports and VIDEO proof of soldiers committing acts of terror against civillians and the reports of rape are through the roof...it kind of makes you wonder just how well they are straightening anyone out before they send them to stand next to you with a loaded gun in a warzone.

I am sure it used to be a great idea but when you have lower test scores, lower physical scores, and more felony waivers than ever along with the fact that we need bodies to get shot at. It is not like they are all going into the military for decades of reform. They are getting the fast and quick and then being sent to protect and represent us.

I think there are more than enough criminal charges and videos to prove this is not working out so well. Either that or it is working out great and they are turning all the good kids into terrorist rapists because someone in OUR military is over there raping and terrorizing and it is not making us safe and it sure as hell is not making their fellow soldiers any safer.


reply posted on 13-11-2008 @ 12:41 AM by mkiii
ooh I'm going to jump in on this one.

Army didn't have a problem giving me a waiver for my terrorist threat.
Even gave me a $20,000 bonus and sent me through Warrant Officer school and Fort Rucker for flight school. Then they went and put a $6m UH60 in my hands.

Wanna know the kicker on this? My conviction for a bomb threat consisted of:

As I watched the news footage of a suicide bombing in Gaza...
"God I just wish he (referring to my boss) would blow himself up so we wouldn't have to deal with this #." as we sat through a sensitivity training on how to handle uncomfortable situations with "our arab friends" as he put it.

In this day and age, I could have been thrown in Gitmo, luckily back then I took a plea deal which screwed me royally, but the Army was more than happy to forgive that in exchange for 6 years of my life.

Yeah there are a lot of criminals who are bad people, but not all of us are...before I became a "terrorist" I was an Eagle Scout, a National Merit Semifinalist, a certified lifeguard and a search and rescue volunteer with Phoenix FD and MCSO, and the speaker at both my baccalaureate and high school graduation. I graduated with honors, and with the most hours of community service in my school, over 5000. I have never been in trouble with the law before or after, with the exception of a speeding ticket when I was 17.

But I was a "terrorist" under the laws of the land.

If there is any person who fully commits him or herself to the service of this country, I think there should be an opportunity for loyalty to be proven. If a former thug decides that he wants to serve his country and is willing to abide by all the rules and regulations of the armed services, I say give him a chance. I saw plenty of men who came in with the option of either jail or service and most left as stand up characters that I am proud to call friends.
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