Military Lowers Standards To Fill Ranks

(CBS)  The longer the war continues, the harder it's proving to fill the U.S. Army's ranks. A strong economy also means there are easier jobs around.

So the Army is accepting a growing number of new recruits with everythging from health and weight issues to lower academic test scores to criminal records.

The number of incoming soldiers with prior felony arrests or convictions has more than tripled in the past five years. This year alone, the Army accepted an estimated 8,000 recruits with rap sheets, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier.

Most are guilty of misdemeanors, but around 100 in the past year had felony convictions.

"Burglaries and narcotics are probably our two top categories," according to Col. Sheila Hickman.

In the Dallas recruiting office, Staff Sgt. Anthony Garcia says he enlists only those who are ready to leave that past behind.

"DUI, drug paraphernalia charges, more than three curfew violations," Garcia says. "It could be anything minor or some stuff major."

No violent crimes, but for "major stuff" like breaking and entering or arson, the military grants what's called a "moral waiver."

It's an old formula judges used to pronounce: Join the Army or go to jail.

But today, recruits are going from boot camp to a hot war in Iraq. Some former Pentagon officials call it a recipe for chaos.

"In order for the Army to meet its quota, which is going up … they have to resort to giving, taking more and more chances on people," says Lawrence Korb of the Center for American Progress.

Some chances work out. Cpl. Angelo Vaccaro was granted a waiver. He was awarded two Silver Stars after he was killed rescuing wounded soldiers.

But then there's former Army Pvt. Steve Green, also awarded a waiver, who is on trial for raping and murdering an Iraqi girl, then killing her entire family.

"The stakes are very high," Korb says. "You're going to give these people lethal weapons… so you better be damn sure that this man or woman has the self-discipline and the strength to be able to use that weapon only when he or she must."

Yet across the services, commanders are not told when someone has a record. The idea: With no stigma, the recruit has an equal chance to succeed.

"We've always been an Army that's been known to give patriotic citizens second and third chances," Hickman says.

They are risking their lives for those second chances, but officials also admit the people they really want are being driven away.

[sjv4488]

A follow-up story that discusses all of the services would be very interesting. The real number is over 1,600 moral waivers.

[bennyblack1]

Michelle, I agree.

[bennyblack1]

Adrian...and don't forget combat pay, adding around $600 a month. And that $70,000 of combat zone pay in a foreign country is tax free. Raise his benefits? Surely, you jest.

[bennyblack1]

Adian;
Soldiers get FREE EVERYTHING. You want to raise their BENEFIT payments? They get FREE education. FREE medical care. FREE life insurance. HEAVILY discounted dental insurance. FREE housing and food. Please understand the value of what a soldier gets. An E-2 with all these benefits may only get paid 12,000 a year, but add on all these things he would otherwise have to pay for, he makes nearly $30,000 his first year. An E-6 may get paid $24,000, but the value of those benefits add up to around $60,000 per year. After he gets out, honorably, he still gets FREE education and FREE health care by VA, and his family gets education at a discounted rate. So, you want to raise his benefit payments? Come on lady, get real.

[bennyblack1]

Well, speaking as an ex-recruiter, the standards were never changed. The Army standard for recruiting people is a high school diploma with no more than 2 felonies and 3 misdemeanors, none of which could be drug related or of a sexual nature. The standard for whether they needed a high school diploma is a variable, but not their records. For instance, during times when it is hard to recruit, having a GED may be the requirement, but passing the test at a certain score. If it got really hard, they dropped the standard to non diploma persons. The focus should be on the standard that fluctuates. So in a regular month of recruiting in a bad area, one recruiter may get 3 regular army (having a HS diploma). That is the Gold Standard. In a not so productive month, the same recruiter might find 1 regular army, and 1 GED, the GED having a felony and a misdemeanor. In a bad month, the same recruiter might pull in 1 GED having a felony and a misdemeanor, and a non-diploma person having 2 felonies and 2 misdemeanors. The standards and goals are set by the recruiting headquarters. Recruiters do what they are told and are told what they are allowed to do. Don't ask them, it's a waste of time. The members of the military don't have an opinion, figuratively speaking. Ask US Army Recruiting Command. The numbers come from the President, and ultimately he determines what he needs to accomplish goals. Ask the person who advises the president. That is where the "why" will come from.

[iam1usmarine]

The real story is REINDEAU not gang members.
THIS IS TOTALLY BULL ***!!!!!!!!!!!

[iam1usmarine]

This is ***. Do the story about REINDEAU

[harp1963]

A strong economy makes joining the Army less appetizing for many, so the military has had to reduce its standards to meet its enlistment goals?

How about a stupid war in Iraq that forces the soldiers to serve tour after tour after tour with no end in sight?

The economy where lots of people are working for peanuts had nothing to do with the lack of recruits.

[can069]

Still, they would take felons before taking anyone over 40 years old...

[michellem99-2009]

Who has the power to declar war..Congress ..Not Bush..The US congress only..They did 2 times and that being WW1 and WW2. no others. So that is an illegal one at that. No I can't fight it as a legally blind . So dear I say get rid of greed as that is the root of the problem. So forgive vets I thank you and my Dad. But CHARITY STARTS HERE AT HOME FIRST..So we need to take care of the ones here. That means gangs. That means bringing the boys and girls home. I am 52.