Felons in the Military
A USA Today article today says the military is allowing individuals with felons on their record to enlist because of the pressure to increase their numbers.
Army Felons: 249 in 2006 and 511 in 2007
Marine Felons: 208 in 2006 to 350 in 2007
The article says that a majority of them are thefts and drug offenses but there are some with manslaughter, aggravated assault and sex crimes being allowed to enlist. Some of these offenses included incidents with weapons. Does that feel wrong to anybody else? Somebody who was convicted of a crime with weapons is being handed a weapon and taught to use it...and use it well? Huh?
Some were sex crimes. So these people being allowed to enlist are on a sex offender registry somewhere? Would that be accurate? Who is going to ensure they aren't committing any sex crimes during war to women and children? Who is going to monitor them then?
The article does say that most of the crimes were committed when they were juveniles but even at that...if they are the more serious crimes, I don't like that at all. Even juveniles, teenagers, should know better and who is to say that they aren't or won't commit anymore criminal acts?
Are we that hard up that we have to enlist felons to serve? We've stretched ourselves that thin that we've resorted to this?
This doesn't sit quite right with me today. I'm not sure what to think and obviously need more information than just this one article. I do have a bad gut feeling that I don't want any of these criminals with the more serious felons serving next to my nephew in the Army!
2 comments:
I always would say if they want to shoot each other than send them to the army. They can shoot all they want. I see what your saying about the sex offenders. They are not a good choice at all. But, maybe, some of the ones who have commited lesser crimes could learn something. Then again they will learn how to shoot better and sneak up on unexpecting people better. Who knows?
Hi. This is my first visit to your blog. Thanks for dropping by mine.
I knew that some young offenders were given a choice of jail or army, but I never knew it was serious offenders.
You've given me much to think about.
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