http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7360157.stm

The US Army and Marine Corps recruited significantly more people with criminal records last year than in 2006, amid pressure to meet combat needs.

Statistics released by a congressional committee show 861 people were granted waivers to enlist, up from 457 in 2007.

The crimes included assault, sex crimes, manslaughter and burglary.

The Army says waivers are only granted after careful review and are in response to the challenges of recruiting in a changing society.

The number of people granted waivers are just a small fraction of the more than 180,000 people who entered active duty in the armed forces during the fiscal year that ended in September 2007.

But the perceived lowering of standards is causing concern in some quarters.

* The Army granted 511 felony waivers in 2007, up from 249 the year before
* Some 350 people with convictions joined the Marine Corps, up from 208 in 2006
* The Navy actually recruited fewer people with convictions, down from 48 to 42
* The Air Force did not recruit anyone with a felony conviction

Among the convictions, many were for stealing, including burglary and car thefts, and drug offences.

Waivers were also granted to three people convicted of manslaughter, nine guilty of sex crimes, and nine convicted of making terror threats, including bomb threats.

In addition, the Army and Marine Corps granted 27,671 "conduct waivers" covering what are regarded as serious misdemeanours , up from 25,098 in 2006.

Pentagon officials say that the need to recruit troops for continuing operations abroad, low unemployment at home, and declining interest in serving pose a challenge.

"We're digging deeper into the barrel than we were before," an official told the Washington Post.

The Army also argues that its ranks reflect the society they are drawn from.

Only three in 10 Americans of military age meet the army's medical, moral, aptitude, or administrative requirements, army officials point out.

"We're growing the army fast, and there are some waivers - we know that," said Army Lt Gen James Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations.

"It hasn't alarmed us yet."

So, they're getting a trained workforce, then.. just have to dress 'em up and point them in the right direction..they already know what to do...

Nice to see that the US Military is studying its history and returning to earlier recruiting methods long favoured by the British..The Redcoats's epithet of " Scum of the Earth " was well founded.

and, what the hell, it gets the drunks and indigent off the streets and turned to a ' useful' purpose and cuts down on incarceration costs on the penal system by reducing the prison population and, it gives the felon a chance to be ' rehabilitated ' and become productive..

win-win as I see it.

what's the problem?

No problem at all

Just wanted to show they're getting a good method of recruiting new soldiers again, and putting the people somewhere where they can do a good service for their country, and at the same time help the military effort.

They're getting a good new pool of manpower in this way.

Only problem is, fat ronald and fox mulder will probably have hissy fits over this one.

First thing you should do is look at the source of the information you are commenting on.We only have about 1% support in this Country then the other 99% sit back and join BBC and the rest of the world critisizing the USA the only ones willing to fight for what we stand for.Esp our Northern neighbor.

might shut some of the naysayers up as well..

all those crying over the loss of young men and women in Iraq, etc... can't see many tears shed over the loss of a few rapists, murderers and thieves being ' offed' by crazed jihadists, since these types weren't wanted in America anyway..

or am I being just a tad too cynical and blackly comic?

Rocketeer the only problem I have with the post in general is most of the criminals they are talking about is the ones that the so called Media have stretched out of shape for a story.Yes it is a proven fact that we have gang members in our Military but there was no waivers for these people.The United States has always given problem male Citizens a chance to redeam themselves by serving their Country but as far as I know there were no pardons for murders granted.

Sully,

just trying to make a little joke [ very little it seems ] but..

in seriousness.. the US has a large percentage of its population incarcerated...a good number for ' minor' offences [ mostly drug related ]and other petty crimes...these, certainly, could benefit from the discipline and other strictures of military service...

I am not really proposing that hardcore or socio/psychopathic types be let loose on the ' enemies of America' as a diversion policy to reduce locking up the nutcases and getting them off the streets [ that's the job for the CIA recruiters LOL ]..

Wonder how many ' white collar' criminals are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves through service to their country? Army recruiters ' waiving ' fraud artists, identity thieves, stock manipulators and creditcard scammers for duty? or DUI sons of Senators?..

it is a puzzlement...

Rocketeer I guess I am pretty touchy about comments about our Troops just seames too easy for the Media to pick up on every negative they can find and never see positive and it doesn't matter how or who it hurts.It makes me very angry when you see all the protesters out on the street and the same 1% or 2% of the families fighting for our way of life.

couldn't agree more, Sully...

My country's 'committment' to Afghanistan comes in for a lot of rhetoric and poohpoohing by pundits over the 'willingness' of people to 'put their kids in harm's way '...etc .etc..

Good chunk of the country is ' against ' the war [ though when you look at how' against' is translated it isn't as clear cut as the pollsters would like you to think ]..

as for me; with a wife,one daughter and two sons still serving and my daughter's fiance shipping off to the 'ghan first week of May [ to March '09 ] I'm more than aware of the role the military plays/appears for both the public eye and behind the doors of the family home...

on top of that, I get to see the results of the Missus' job as Brigade Padre, caring for 2000 plus troops coming and going and the effects and after-effects on them and their families.Given that I'm more than annoyed at the utterings of many ' uninformed' folks who feel they have the insights and truth to the situation - which usually is whittled down to - we shouldn't be there or we should just ' talk to them '...

Still, I can see the cynicism in the 'concept' of letting people we can't trust [ i.e. criminals or former felons ] be the representatives of the government in foreign climes and roam freely the streets of other countries[ i.e. the military pointy-end response ] when we normally would want them locked up or off the streets for our own safety ' here' at home..

topic for further debate, yes?

If people did not have the right to protest what would you be defending, we would be no different than russia or any other second world nation.

well, that's the ' fringe element' spoken for..

where you been hiding reppearso? The Zombie Nutbar Convention over? kind of missed your uninformed random mutterings in a weird sort of way - must be something in the water...

sully 1

We only have about 1% support in this Country then the other 99% sit back and join BBC and the rest of the world critisizing the USA the only ones willing to fight for what we stand for.Esp our Northern neighbor.

it may be of interest to know the uk is fighting and we do lose people( 3 yesterday)
so spare us the no allies bit please!

regards

british veteran-I didn't include England or Astraulria in my statement Allies but when the United States sends 140,000 Troops and the total of Allies amount to about 8,000 to 10,000 in Country.I read in Canada .com the 1st deployment the Canadian troops that went to Afagainistan had to wait for their weapons to arrive.The reports as of a week ago the German Military were unable to fire therfore the Taliaban Commander escaped.There was reports last week that the French Military was almost de-morlized because of the maintance of the equipment.At the present there is groups attempts to try Astralias Howard for War Crimes.And yes I do keep track of all Military causalites.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SULLY1,