More Felons In US Military

The bit in red.. sheesh...

"There was a rapid rise in 2007 in the number of waivers the Army and Marine Corps granted to recruits convicted of serious felonies," Rep. Henry Waxman said in a letter...

The Army and Marine Corps are allowing convicted felons to serve in increasing numbers, newly released Department of Defense statistics show.

...the Army never issues waivers for some types of offenses, including sexual violence, alcoholism and drug trafficking. Recruits were allowed to enlist after having been convicted of crimes including assault, burglary, drug possession and making terrorist threats. Two people convicted of making terrorist or bomb threats [were allowed] to enlist in 2007, up from one the year before.

The Army defended its use of waivers as a response to a changing American society, arguing that only three in 10 Americans of military age "meet all our stringent medical, moral, aptitude or administrative requirements."

"Today's young men and women are more overweight, have a greater incidence of asthma, and are being charged for offenses that in earlier years wouldn't have been considered a serious offense, and might not have resulted in charges in the first place," John P. Boyce Jr. of Army Public Affairs said in a statement to CNN.

source: Army, Marines give waivers to more felons - cnn.com

Hmmm... can I come up with jokes? How about a joke about asthma versus assault? Being overweight versus making bomb threats? Burglary wasn't such a crime before? How about this - Bush to cronies "Those darn drug sentencing guidelines. They tie our hands! Too many for drug trafficking and not enough for drug possession. Dang."

I have to admit they aren't funny enough to meet my stringent humor requirements.