Originally Posted by smokie700 
I think that your taking the article and twisting the meaning. Having been arrested before should not disqualify someone from service. There should be a review (which there is) and then let the command decide if the person warrants entry into the service. Minor offenses should not be used to stop a person from joining. If there is a pattern or serious offense then they should be stopped.
About the crimes, There are different levels to each crime and I would hope that if someone was charged with stealing a pack of smokes would be be grouped with someone who stole a car. Which is why we have misdemeanors and felonies.
I have found that some of the best soldiers have had hiccups in the past with the law. Having the review process helps weed out most of the people that could not conform to the military or commit sames crimes again.
I work with an Ex Marine and my wife and I have become good friends with him and his wife. He is the most mellow mild mannered person I have ever met. To know him you would never think he was ever a Marine. One day at dinner I asked him if he liked it in the Marines and why did he join. His first response was "The Marine Corp saved my life." And his wife nodded her head in agreement.
I guess when he was young he was a trouble maker. Always looking for a fight. Getting drunk and mean. He started to get into drugs. He said that one morning he realized he was on a path to self destruction and decided to join the Corp. He loved it. It put him on the right path. He learned respect, which he said he had never had before. And came out with a good electronics background and got on with the giant electronics company I work for.
Some people have to hate the military to try to justify their political agenda. They will take a story and exaggerate it's relevance to try to make some kind of political point. Thankfully, not many are as easily brainwashed and realize the good that the military does for us and it's soldiers.
07-16-2007, 01:34 PM
