Newly released data show that the Army and the Marine Corp, under pressure to increase their numbers, have sharply raised the number of recruits who have felony convictions.
The information, released Monday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, shows that the number of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350.
The bulk of the crimes involved were burglaries, other thefts, and drug offenses, but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions. Several dozen Army and Marine recruits had aggravated assault or robbery convictions, including incidents involving weapons.
The use of felons to the fill the ranks comes as 2 people every day are dropped from the military for being gay under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the armed services. In the 10 years that DADT has been in force more than 10,000 personnel have been discharged as a result of the policy, including 800 with skills deemed 'mission critical,' such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists.
The number of gay men and lesbians turned way by military recruiters is unknown.
A study conducted last year for SLDN concluded that the U.S. military could attract as many as 41,000 new recruits if gays and lesbians in the military were able to be open about their sexual orientation.
Legislation to repeal DADT is before Congress. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act has bipartisan support but is unlikely to get out of committee during this election year, but hearings could be held.
Last week, Lawrence J. Korb,former Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan, told a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Korb to "get rid of outmoded social restrictions," such as DADT.
"First, repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," Korb told the joint hearing.
"The Army and Marine Corps cannot afford to place unnecessary obstacles in the way of qualified men and women who want to serve."
Last year former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili also called for the ban to be repealed.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, who released the data Monday on felons in the military, said: "Concerns have been raised that the significant increase in the recruitment of persons with criminal records is a result of the strain put on the military by the Iraq war and may be undermining military readiness."
The information, released Monday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, shows that the number of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350.
The bulk of the crimes involved were burglaries, other thefts, and drug offenses, but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions. Several dozen Army and Marine recruits had aggravated assault or robbery convictions, including incidents involving weapons.
The use of felons to the fill the ranks comes as 2 people every day are dropped from the military for being gay under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the armed services. In the 10 years that DADT has been in force more than 10,000 personnel have been discharged as a result of the policy, including 800 with skills deemed 'mission critical,' such as pilots, combat engineers, and linguists.
The number of gay men and lesbians turned way by military recruiters is unknown.
A study conducted last year for SLDN concluded that the U.S. military could attract as many as 41,000 new recruits if gays and lesbians in the military were able to be open about their sexual orientation.
Legislation to repeal DADT is before Congress. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act has bipartisan support but is unlikely to get out of committee during this election year, but hearings could be held.
Last week, Lawrence J. Korb,former Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan, told a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces Subcommittee and the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee Korb to "get rid of outmoded social restrictions," such as DADT.
"First, repeal the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," Korb told the joint hearing.
"The Army and Marine Corps cannot afford to place unnecessary obstacles in the way of qualified men and women who want to serve."
Last year former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili also called for the ban to be repealed.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, who released the data Monday on felons in the military, said: "Concerns have been raised that the significant increase in the recruitment of persons with criminal records is a result of the strain put on the military by the Iraq war and may be undermining military readiness."
No comments:
Post a Comment