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The Army & Marines are getting desperate
Bu2
Posts: 1,693
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20071106/military-waivers/
Potsmokers and thieves, unite! How long before we call the Draft?
WASHINGTON — Faced with higher recruiting goals, the Pentagon is quietly looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military, The Associated Press has learned.
The review, in its early stages, comes as the number of Army recruits needing waivers for bad behavior _ such as trying drugs, stealing, carrying weapons on school grounds and fighting _ rose from 15 percent in 2006 to 18 percent this year. And it reflects the services' growing use of criminal, health and other waivers to build their ranks.
Overall, about three in every 10 recruits must get a waiver, according to Pentagon statistics obtained by AP, and about two-thirds of those approved in recent years have been for criminal behavior. Some recruits must get more than one waiver to cover things ranging from any criminal record, to health problems such as asthma or flat feet, to low aptitude scores _ and even for some tattoos.
The goal of the 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. Still, some Army officers worry that disciplinary problems will grow as more soldiers with records, past drug use and behavior problems are brought in.
Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said the review is necessary. Now, he said, many recruits who were arrested as juveniles for what can be considered youthful indiscretions _ minor fights or theft _ are forced to get waivers even if they were never convicted of the crime.
"I do believe it needs to be done," Rochelle said of the waiver review. "There are really anomalies out there."
The waivers require more time, paperwork and investigation, from detailed health screenings and doctor referrals to testimonials about past bad behavior. Depending on the seriousness, the final decision can be made by senior recruiting officers or higher-ranking commanders.
In addition, many waiver requirements differ from service to service, and some officials and recruiters say the policies should be more uniform.
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.
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.
According to the Pentagon data, the bulk of all conduct waivers are for recruits involved in either drug offenses or serious misdemeanors. Over the past five years, the overall percentage of recruits involved in serious misdemeanors has grown.
A bit more than 75 percent of the Marine waivers from October 2006 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.
Relaxing some of the waiver requirements may make it easier for the Army to meet increased pressure for recruits in the next few years.
Bu2's EDIT: (the bold print is my own): The Army is already strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and needs to grow to meet those demands and be prepared to respond to crises in any other hot spot.
The Pentagon has recommended the Army be increased by about 65,000 soldiers to a total of 547,000, and the Marines be increased by 27,000 to 202,000. The services will either have to bring in more new people or convince more current soldiers and Marines to stay on.
Army recruiters attending a recent conference in Denver said they often encounter would-be soldiers whose records are tainted by minor offenses.
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.
Not everyone, however, is enthusiastic about relaxing the regulations.
At Fort Sill, Okla., Army officers said they already spend a lot of time dealing with discipline problems. And in a meeting with Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a number of officers vigorously nodded their heads when he asked if that was a concern.
One officer told Mullen that when he was in Iraq he would spend long hours into the night dealing with "problem children." Mullen later said he is not convinced that increasing waivers leads to more disciplinary issues, noting that it is not unusual for officers to have problem troops. But he said the military will keep an eye on it.
Others suggest the need for more criminal behavior waivers may, in part, be a sign of the times.
The Pentagon's top personnel official noted the Marines' policy on one-time marijuana use and wryly wondered if even members of Congress could pass muster.
"That's a pretty tough standard," said David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. "Not to be cheeky about this, but (if) we apply that standard to our legislative overseers, a significant fraction would need waivers to join the United States military."
___
Potsmokers and thieves, unite! How long before we call the Draft?
WASHINGTON — Faced with higher recruiting goals, the Pentagon is quietly looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military, The Associated Press has learned.
The review, in its early stages, comes as the number of Army recruits needing waivers for bad behavior _ such as trying drugs, stealing, carrying weapons on school grounds and fighting _ rose from 15 percent in 2006 to 18 percent this year. And it reflects the services' growing use of criminal, health and other waivers to build their ranks.
Overall, about three in every 10 recruits must get a waiver, according to Pentagon statistics obtained by AP, and about two-thirds of those approved in recent years have been for criminal behavior. Some recruits must get more than one waiver to cover things ranging from any criminal record, to health problems such as asthma or flat feet, to low aptitude scores _ and even for some tattoos.
The goal of the 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. Still, some Army officers worry that disciplinary problems will grow as more soldiers with records, past drug use and behavior problems are brought in.
Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said the review is necessary. Now, he said, many recruits who were arrested as juveniles for what can be considered youthful indiscretions _ minor fights or theft _ are forced to get waivers even if they were never convicted of the crime.
"I do believe it needs to be done," Rochelle said of the waiver review. "There are really anomalies out there."
The waivers require more time, paperwork and investigation, from detailed health screenings and doctor referrals to testimonials about past bad behavior. Depending on the seriousness, the final decision can be made by senior recruiting officers or higher-ranking commanders.
In addition, many waiver requirements differ from service to service, and some officials and recruiters say the policies should be more uniform.
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.
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.
According to the Pentagon data, the bulk of all conduct waivers are for recruits involved in either drug offenses or serious misdemeanors. Over the past five years, the overall percentage of recruits involved in serious misdemeanors has grown.
A bit more than 75 percent of the Marine waivers from October 2006 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.
Relaxing some of the waiver requirements may make it easier for the Army to meet increased pressure for recruits in the next few years.
Bu2's EDIT: (the bold print is my own): The Army is already strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and needs to grow to meet those demands and be prepared to respond to crises in any other hot spot.
The Pentagon has recommended the Army be increased by about 65,000 soldiers to a total of 547,000, and the Marines be increased by 27,000 to 202,000. The services will either have to bring in more new people or convince more current soldiers and Marines to stay on.
Army recruiters attending a recent conference in Denver said they often encounter would-be soldiers whose records are tainted by minor offenses.
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.
Not everyone, however, is enthusiastic about relaxing the regulations.
At Fort Sill, Okla., Army officers said they already spend a lot of time dealing with discipline problems. And in a meeting with Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a number of officers vigorously nodded their heads when he asked if that was a concern.
One officer told Mullen that when he was in Iraq he would spend long hours into the night dealing with "problem children." Mullen later said he is not convinced that increasing waivers leads to more disciplinary issues, noting that it is not unusual for officers to have problem troops. But he said the military will keep an eye on it.
Others suggest the need for more criminal behavior waivers may, in part, be a sign of the times.
The Pentagon's top personnel official noted the Marines' policy on one-time marijuana use and wryly wondered if even members of Congress could pass muster.
"That's a pretty tough standard," said David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. "Not to be cheeky about this, but (if) we apply that standard to our legislative overseers, a significant fraction would need waivers to join the United States military."
___
Feels Good Inc.
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so, the military is lowering its standards... big deal. we aren't talking about murderers and rapists here, we're talking about some kids who smoked/sold some weed, maybe stole something, etc.
point is, everyone fucks up. if these people want to join the military, then let them. theres nothing like 13 weeks at parris island to whip you into shape. i'll bet boot camp is better at rehabilitating some kids who got into trouble than prison is.
I agree
The court should send you to Prison or Military
Military might change some of their lives
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
12 people may make the one decision but that doesn't make it right.
Free Rob Farquharson, wrongfully imprisoned!!
www.factbeforetheory.net
Yeah.
Remember how Full Metal Jacket ended?
If I opened it now would you not understand?
They learn how to fight in prison as well
At least if he goes into the Military he will have respect instilled in him and a better understanding of life
Prison is a hell hole
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
So is the marine corps.
In any case, one statistic that is being ignored here is the old traditional first offender who's done a bad bad thing, like stolen a car, maybe, and gets the charges dropped because his court-appointed lawyer tells him he can get the charges dropped completely if he's thinking about joing the service.
This sort of thing is as old as the industrial age. This doesn't involve any waiver.
"Got in a little hometown jam, so they put a rifle in my hand..."
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except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
It would change anyone's life, o bright one.
If you're talking about some sort of positive influence for the dark-minded sorts in society, well, maybe a very small percentage learn to acclimate their psychosis for profit and pain.
all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
Nonsense. There's not going to be any draft. Sometimes I wonder if some the people that suggest that, or write things that degrade our military actually know any soldiers or for that matter anything about how the military actually operates. I really doubt it. One of my best friends is a Marine who's volunteering to go over to Iraq next year. I'll go to him if I have questions about the war and the military not the "Huffington Post".
6/30/98 Minneapolis, 10/8/00 East Troy (Brrrr!), 6/16/03 St. Paul, 6/27/06 St. Paul
Fucking excellent eh?
what a genius scenario..
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
don't worry, America is not a country that thinks like that. There won't be a draft - that would force all of America to participate in her wars.
They won't resort to that until they run out of clever ways of recruiting those that they don't care so much about.
No.. the point is the military is lowering it's recruitment standards for one reason... and one reason alone. They need bodies. It's as simple as that. They are not meeting their enlistment quotas, so they widen the net to scoop through more of the pool. It has nothing to do with some sort of percieved benevolence on your part, that the military is in the business of providing second chances to troubled young adults... if you believe that, then you need to run down and see your local recruiter because he is handing out free iPods and vacations in Cabo for anyone willing to provide a signature, right now.
Hail, Hail!!!
Sadly enough I freaking love that movie. Seen it uncountable times...
Even more sadly enough is that this type of cinema is becoming factual..
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Of course it's the dark-minded types, what other types go to jail ?
Mainly repeat offenders should go into the Service, obviously they have no direction in life and need some guidance
Thanks for the o bright one
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
Why is the Marine Corp a hell hole ?
Have you been in the Marines ?
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Good point
The ONLY thing better than a glass of beer is tea with Miss McGill
A protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers
in my opinion, the reason behind the military's lowered standards is irrelevant. if a youth is offered two options, a life of crime leading to jail or the military, and they choose military and straighten their life out, how is that a bad thing? i personally know someone who had only these two options, and they chose the military. it was good choice for all parties involved.
you were/are a marine???
i had to get one of these waivers to enlist. there's no reason to require a waiver for one-time drug use as the marines do.
I remember how people were during Vietnam...I was a kid, but I remember the fear my grandparents had because my uncle was that age...
If the draft was re-instated it might actually anger people enough to get up and say something.
I don't know, but, it seems that way to me...
But, when the military was meeting and/or exceeding their expected quotas... your friend would have been left with one option because your friend would not have been able to hop over the bar in his situation.
The bottom line... the standard is being lowered to accept 'less desireable' recruits to man M-60s and gain access to hand grenades because the recruitment numbers are low.
Hail, Hail!!!
when (in the past 20 or so years) has the military actually met it's quotas?
yr right
if yr ass is on the line, you'll sho nuf take action
i've always thought that a draft is the only thing needed to catapult the iraq war into a vietnam-size debacle.
A: In most of the past 20 years... except the numbers have fallen off since 2004.
...
Did I win the free iPod?
Hail, Hail!!!
Military inadvertently recruits gays
USA TODAY
The Army, Navy and Air Force unwittingly advertised for recruits on a website for gays, who are barred from military service if they are open about their sexual orientation.
When informed Tuesday by USA TODAY that they were advertising on GLEE.com, a networking website for gay professionals, recruiters expressed surprise and said they would remove the job listings.
"This is the first I've heard about it," said Maj. Michael Baptista, advertising branch chief for the Army National Guard, which will spend $6.5 million on Internet recruiting this year. "We didn't knowingly advertise on that particular website," which he said does not "meet the moral standards" of the military.
Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a Navy recruiting spokesman, said his service ordered more than 8,000 ads taken off GLEE, which stands for Gay, Lesbian & Everyone Else. By late Wednesday, most were gone.
Marine Corps ads on GLEE were only for two civilian jobs not covered by the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which allows gays to serve in uniform only if they keep quiet about their sexual orientation.
Most of the military jobs posted were hard-to-fill positions requiring advanced training, although some ads sought to fill core combat slots at a time when the Iraq war has challenged recruiters to meet goals. They included:
•Thousands of Navy openings for doctors, dentists, intelligence analysts, Arabic translators and others.
•Hundreds of Air Force jobs for optometrists, social workers, physician's assistants and nurses.
•Nearly 1,000 Army National Guard and active Army positions, including infantry and artillery.
The ads were placed through GLEE's parent company, New York-based Community Connect, as part of an alliance with jobs-listing giant Monster.com.
Betty Huang of Community Connect says the military services, through private ad agencies, bought Monster's "diversity and inclusion" package, which includes posts on her company's niche websites for Asian-Americans, blacks, Latinos and gays. ...