Does the military accept convicted felons as recruits?

I think it depends on how bad they need recruits. In the past the military has used recruits that had less than sterling reputations.(Paris Island)I suspect they would use convicted felons before any son or daughter of a US congressman/woman went to war.

You would think no, but it seems that yes, sometimes they do.

In February 2006 , Salon.com reported:

“Facing an enlistment crisis, the Army is granting "waivers" to an increasingly high percentage of recruits with criminal records -- and trying to hide it...
Through the use of a little-known, but increasingly important, escape clause known as a waiver. Waivers, which are generally approved at the Pentagon, allow recruiters to sign up men and women who otherwise would be ineligible for service because of legal convictions, medical problems or other reasons preventing them from meeting minimum standards...
According to statistics provided to Salon by the office of the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, the Army said that 17 percent (21,880 new soldiers) of its 2005 recruits were admitted under waivers. Put another way, more soldiers than are in an entire infantry division entered the Army in 2005 without meeting normal standards. This use of waivers represents a 42 percent increase since the pre-Iraq year of 2000”.

Yes, they do. As mentioned before "only under certain conditions". And why would'nt they accept them? the more soldiers they recruit the better, they dont really care as long as someone is fighting the battle that is all that matters to them.

Most likely no, but it depends what service you want to join and what you did.

To find out if you can qualify for the military with a felony on your record contact your local recruiter to find out if you are eligible. Be honest with your recruiter and he will be honest with you. Just because you go see your recruiter doesn't mean you have enlisted. You have to go to MEPS to enlist.

They Recruit in prisons

Nope. Felons aren't allowed near guns. It's the Law. See: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Convicted_felons_gun_rights

Unfortunately= yes.

Defense Department statistics show that the number of Army and Marine recruits needing waivers for felonies and serious misdemeanors, including minor drug offenses, has grown since 2003. Some recruits may get more than one waiver.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/14/national/main2474041.shtml

After fort Hood, I'm not surprised.

For more recent info.. It looks like today, more and more felons are being accepted.. Check out the link..

http://www.palmcenter.org/press/dadt/releases/military_enlistment_of_felons_has_doubled

No, according to the recruiter I spoke to at college.

No. They were getting pretty desperate for recruits before this economic debacle, and they were discussing removing a lot of requirements like HS certificates, no tattoos, but now I believe they are doing better to meet their quotas because so many young people need work and are turning to a stint in the military. But you never know. Go down and see a recruiter. A friend of mine went down to one during the Viet Nam war and he had a couple of things on his record and the recruiter was so aggressive, he made phone calls and worked on it for a month and got a judge to agree to reduce the convictions on the condition that he join the Army, which he did. They sent his ass straight to Nam and he came back in a bag. Good luck.

Only the U.S. Army & Marines Will accept persons with "certain" felony backgrounds but the individual cannot have but one felony and it cannot be for serious drug offenses, murder, rape, kidnapping and the like...more than that is a disqualifier.

I think the French Foreign Legion have a no questions asked policy. I remember talking to a legionaire in Paris. (We called him Tony the killer!) He was on leave, and he told me they take a lot of guys who are on the run, and if you're not a criminal before you join, you sure as hell have a good chance of being one once you do!!!! He was wanted for war crimes in Croatia!

Reminds me of the 'Dirty Dozen' movie - although in that movie I think the crimes they committed were while in uniform (and they were facing court martial). I know this does not answer the question, just thought it would be an interesting side note.

Let me remind you all that the Green Berets was first started by brig rats, and see what they have become today. There is redemption for people who try to better themselves, so I will show them the door and all they have to do is step through it.

I GUESS AFTER READING SOME OF YOUR RESPONSES I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU ARE PERFECT HUMAN BEINGS,I FIND THAT AMAZING CONSIDERING MOST OF US ARE NOT!I WAS ENQUIRING ON BEHALF OF MY BOYFRIEND WHO HAS MADE A MISTAKE IN HIS PAST BUT IS TRYING VERY HARD TO MAKE IT RIGHT.I THINK IT'S CRAZY THAT WE WOULD GIVE A CHILD MOLESTER ANOTHER CHANCE IN AMERICA BUT NOT A GUY WHO FULLY UNDERSTAND'S HE WAS WRONG AND WOULD LIKE A CHANCE TO PROVE IT.I TRULY HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK HE IS NOW A WASTE OF SPACE WILL CONSIDER THAT HE JUST REALLY DID USE BAD JUDGEMENT AND WOULDN'T THE MILITARY BE AN IDEAL PLACE TO MAKE THAT KIND OF CORRECTION?ANYHOW WE ARE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT AND I THANK YOU FOR TOUR RESPONSE.

No, I received a misdemeanor and they didn't entirely like it, though I was still a candidate. But did not accept as I'm not interested in it.

Well, do you have a B.S. or better too?! They'd make you an officer!
;-)

I think depending on the type of conviction, and the position or branch your going for you can in some instances I guess it might also depend on the recruiter

the answer to that question is no....The US Military service does not accept FELONS. nowadays you even have to get a waiver for unpaid parking tickets. Some misdemeanors will also disqualify you for enlistment. But to the point..the answer is no.

no i don't think so.

Yes, it's happened often in past wars. In fact, one thing the government does before a war is to rewrite laws to criminalize previously normal behavior, then have the police micromanage the population to arrest as many folks as possible and put them in jails (holding tanks) until the war gets more roused up, at which time they can send them all to fight.

It depends on...

1) Which branch are you joining?
2) How undermanned is that branch at the time?
3) Do you have any special qualifications (e.g. - an ASVAB score over 95)?

If you mean the U.S. military, hell yes. They'll accept anything with a pulse they are so desperate. Personally I'd rather serve jail time than be a bullet-catcher in Iraq, but tastes vary I suppose.

ok ok people. this is fact becuase i have been at this for many months already.

An individual with a felony convitions can join the united states army. However, it depends on the felony.
A prior military individual that has since been convited of a felony can not join. Right now anyway.

I was convicted of a few felonies becuase i made a bad choice of people to hang out with and so far the recruiters have said not to prior service. Again, However, a career councelor has said that once i get off of supervision i should call him. A judge can change a conviction at any time which will then allow a person to join the army freely.

Yes i think they should but they should not accept felons that are not learning. also if they did it when they were younger it should not matter.

how is it unfortunate? just because they have a felony(s) on there record doesn't mean they shouldn't have the chance to serve in the military. for many if not all, the military is the best thing in my opinion. it will give them discipline, a steady pay, and a chance at a new life. stop hating.

I will be attempting to find out tomorrow.

I was medically discharged in '04 after being wounded in Afghanistan, I was an E-5 with the 82nd Airborne. EIB/CIB, jump wings and Ecuadorian jump wings, great PT records, a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Valor... I was an honorable man, my family was proud of me, and being raised by a police officer and surrounded by the law-enforcement and first-responder community, I felt like I'd found my own place where I belonged, among professionals, as my Dad had.

But I took an IED at close-range, set by a 8yo boy on his bicycle, in the basket on the handlebars. I reacted in a way that has had me fascinated in sport psychology since, the way adrenaline can affect a person in a stressful, or crisis situation...

Unfortunately since I left, I've struggled and made bad decisions in heated moments. I've accumulated two assault charges, one a felony. And a burglary, also a felony, and a very serious one. In all honesty (please, I have no reason to lie on an anonymous chat board that probably won't even be read), the burglary could be appealed and it should be expunged, or reversed. I took a plea deal to serve 15 days, to be with my daughter with little interruption, rather than trial, and time, and potential serious time in prison. I believe I will have that charge reversed - but that's neither here nor there, just background.

Anyway. I'm going to go speak with the recruiter tomorrow. I'm not hopeful, but I will see. Otherwise... I have it in me. I just need to surround myself more in the VA system with others having difficulties. I'm 30. I've also started my own successful little website that I will be working on, while I start school on my GI Bill next term.

So we'll see. But you felons out there with the heart and desire to better yourselves, to serve your country, I have a lot of respect for ya. We have a struggle in front of us, self-imposed it may be. But if you have the drive to succeed in the military, you have the drive to overcome a little obstacle like a felony, so keep at it.

Alright. Kinda cool to blow off some steam. Anyone ever wants to talk, or know how it turns out, I'm at ohearn.thomas@gmail.com

Night!

I having recently plead on an alfred plea too a felony would hope this does not disbar me from future enlistment, true according to the state of ohio i am now a felon and i accept this disgraceful status. To be fair though why shouldnt i be allowed to become a part of something greater than myself and get a chaance to put my life back on track? the structure and discipline the military provides is unequaled in any private sector and isnt that the idea behind the justice system; to rehabilitate those of us that are going down the wrong path.

not trying to put anybody down but you need to just face the fact your screwed for the rest of your life you do not get to succeed in any real type of career the laws need to change trust me on this if there is somebody trying to butter up the situation for you tell you there might be a chance trust me its a lie i know for a fact there is no chance been trying for the past 10 years still get the same BS in any field worth making a life of

The answer is Yes under certain conditions.
That applies to a lot of countries

the french foreign legion does

Nope.

Share your answer...

I got busted at the US/MEX border for illegally importing Cocaine; I was a "mule." Will they consider this a serious offense that makes me not eligible for entry into the Army National Guard? I have 16 years of prior service (honorably). Need to get four more years to retire. Any ideas?

i recently got caught with 5000 lbs of weed trying to enter Mississippi on a 80ft sail boat i am trying to get the ada to allow me to jion up rather than get sent to prison ...seems to me the gov would rahter someone helping the situation than being a dependent on it,,,we shale see, the response i got was that they let people with small drug offenses such as an ounce not thousands of pounds in...im continually tring and being hopefull though....kinda ironic how a life time of good choices is cancelled out by one bad one...