Military recruiting more felons than ever. "Moral Waivers" versus the draft?

AP:

"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. . . 'Waivers are used judiciously and granted only after a thorough review,' Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington said.

He added that 'low unemployment, a protracted war on terror, a decline in propensity to serve,' and the growing reluctance of parents, teachers and other adults to recommend young people go into the military, has made recruiting a challenge. . .

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."

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

"Including bomb threats???????"

Since Vietnam the military has been very opposed to the draft because of the low order of recruits it wound up providing, many career soldiers din't like it because of the danger their fellow soldiers presented to them, but you know, at this point what's the diff, right?

Where are the barbarians when you need them to fill your imperial army? The Caesars had it good! Hot and cold running Germans to fill the ranks.

Get out of jail free card. Go straight to Iraq.

I have no idea, but we really need to stop sending violent people into violent situations.

they can have a blood, crips, Emme and so forth. When they're not fighting the enemy, they can fight each other.

Think of it as Pelican Bay with heavy weapons.

I have no faith that there will not be a way for the rich/powerful to exclude their kids.

of my prime targets!!!! Get the protestors out on the streets . again!!!

But then, to commit war crimes, you need criminals, eh?


...my ex husband is in the clink, going to Iraq could be good for the &^%%^$%$&^)(!

They used to be the creme de la creme all the services. Of course, I never did see the scense of sending "Marines" into the desert. There was always something very wrong about that whole concept.

He has been back at active duty since Easter. He may be sent to Afghanistan in as little as two weeks.

I talked to him yesterday. He said that a bunch of young guys with his same MOS are getting sent to Korea at about the same time.

He also said that everything has changed and that the young recruits are not as smart as they used to be.

He gets 10 days leave with her in Germany and then he's off. He says his deployment is only for six months because they didn't have time to train him fully, just long enough to get him killed.

So I guess Laura Bush could get in if she wanted to.