The U. S. Army is easing standards so that criminals/dopers can enlist, your thoughts ?

Question

As a retired veteran I find this shocking.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071106/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_waivers

poopsie ... by all means, punish the good soldiers by making them fight along side criminals

USN 77-99...now go guard my gate you wanna-be squid

Trumain ... my DD Form 2 is blue, how about your's jarhead ?

Answer 1

I agree it's horrid that they are lowering the enlistment standards I'm currently in adn have been for 8 years, and every year our soldiers come in worse and worse, but it is our jobs as leaders to fix what's wrong with them. But what it is, is that the gays wan tto serve openly and we are lowering our standards enough to a point where sooner or later we will allow them in.

Answer 2

I'm surprised that as a retired veteran you find it shocking.

I served for 27 years from 1967 to 1994. During the height of the Vietnam war the Army and Marines were so desperate for troops they took anyone... High school drop outs, druggies, guys with felony records, underweight, overweight, illiterate etc.

In the late 1970's, after the war was over, it was impossible for the Army to make any quotas so they recruited anybody!!! As long as you could breath you were in...

As a Medic I saw them all !!!

Answer 3

i think you need to go back an re-read that article ... here let me help.

The starkest difference involves Marines and drug use. The Marines require a waiver for one-time marijuana use, while the other services don't, and 69 percent of conduct waivers for Marines who joined from October 2006 to June 2007 were for previous drug use. It was 12 percent for the Army.

did that say 12% as opposed to the 69% for the marines?

The bulk of the Army's conduct waivers during that time — 71 percent — were for serious misdemeanors, which can include thefts worth more than $500, any incident involving a dangerous weapon on school grounds, or minor assaults and fights. A waiver is required even if the recruit was a juvenile and the charge was dismissed after restitution, community service or other conditions were met.

just because a waiver is required doesnt mean one gets approved.

A bit more than 75 percent of the Marine waivers from October 1996 through June 2007 were for conduct, compared with about 73 percent the previous two years. In both years, the bulk of the remaining waivers were for medical issues.

Similarly, about 77 percent of the waivers for Air Force recruits in 2003 were for conduct, compared with 80.8 percent through June 2007. The Navy was the only service that saw a decline, with 56.7 of waivers in 2003 for conduct, compared with 40.3 percent through June 2007.

Several related the story of a 15-year-old who was trying to smoke out bees in a hive and accidentally set the hive on fire. The flames spread to a nearby house and caused damage. Police charged the youth with arson as a juvenile. At age 22, he tried to join the Army, and officials had to go through the waiver process to get him in.

In another instance, detailed by the Pentagon, two 14-year-olds had a fight at school, and police charged both with aggravated assault. One was charged with using a deadly weapon — a shoe. That person is now 18, and needs a waiver to join the service.

and all of you who are shocked, even the poster. i bet you dollars to donuts i can disqualify you for the army in a falt minute.

Answer 4

They did the same thing during Vietnam.......look where that took us! As for me ...a volunteer is a volunteer! Your next door neighbor may be a felon. We are all human and with faults. A bullet fired in anger at you doesnt care if you robbed a bank or jacked a car.If they want to go and serve their country and possibly make something of themselve....so be it!!

Answer 5

In defense of the army we need the people, and people change...maybe they made a mistake in the past, but I do not know what it was like when you were in but now, we have really good leadership and training, I trust everyone in my company....do you believe in the draft more? because that is what it would come to, the army needs the number, at least this way when they join they know what they are getting in to and are ready, I trust that more than a person who gets drafted and does not wanna be here.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, there are not too many people will join the army to risk their neck for the measly salaries they offer.

People who join the armed forces are doing it for college money or out of economic necessity. Criminals as well join for the same reasons, because the "bad" criminals can't make crime pay. The "good" ones join the mob or the republican party.

Answer 7

It depends on the time since the crime and what the crime was.
Maybe the got fdone for petty theft at 15 and have kept their nose clean for the last 5 years. People make mistakes.

And US pilots regualrly use drugs to improve their reactions although its not official.

Answer 8

before the volunteer army was initiated, a choice of enlisting was the alternative to going to jail for minor crimes, including drug use and possession.

in 67 or 68, restrictions were relaxed because of the well running dry for draftees. many who had been 4f before because of physical problems or low iq were drafted and accepted. i think they were called project 68. their serial numbers started us68....

Answer 9

Why should only outstanding citizens have the right to die for there country, While the criminal and dopers stand on the sidelines? I say give all the convicts an M-16.

Answer 10

I think the Dems will bring back the draft. Rep. Rangle already pushed for this once and the Repubs said no. Now I think the Dems will work to put it through after next election.