THE US Marines Thread (merged)

by **duke3522** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:03:43

A friend of mine told me that a story today that surprised me. It would seem that a young man he works with was out doing something stupid, as young men do, and had a bit of a run in with the law (shoplifting). When the young man went to court he was given a choice. He could either pled guilty to theft, pay high fines & court costs, spend 30 weekends in jail, and be on probation for 18 months, or he could join the Marines and all except the court costs would be forgiven.

I knew this went on back in the ’70s because I had a couple of cousins end up in the Marines this way. But I thought the practice was long dead. Anyone else hear of this kind of thing going on?

by **k_semler** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:11:30

I wasn't aware that this ever stopped.

by **Specop_007** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:14:17

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('k_semler', 'I') wasn't aware that this ever stopped.

by **duke3522** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:17:34

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('k_semler', 'I') wasn't aware that this ever stopped.

by **I_Like_Plants** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:34:22

That's been standard policy in the US since ...... the Revolutionary War. No shit. That has been constant, standard, approved, sanctioned, policy. Jail or the military.

by **turmoil** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:45:25

I'd choose marines... more interesting

by **duke3522** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 02:47:20

My understanding has been that the Professional All Volunteer Military did not want such recruits anymore. Also, I know someone who has been a juvenile court judge for many years in one of our states largest counties and she has never mentioned such a case to me.

But hey I might well be wrong, or it could be a state to state thing. In the last 5 years has anyone out there actually had a friend or relative end up in the military because a court gave them a choice of the military or jail?

by **3rd_shift** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 04:31:45

I have a cousin who joined the Marine Corps last April on his own free will.

His Father was an Army helicopter pilot in desert storm.
He has just completed training now.
He was promised Florida by a recruiter, but now he is going to Iraq instead. [smilie=angry1.gif]

by **dmtu** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 05:21:08

I thought that method had gone by the wayside. For one thing it is quite easy to act like a nut case to be outed or just act overtly homoerotic (not saying homos are crazy either so don't touch it). Yes the all volunteer quality force thing. It would certainly make sense if the recruiting numbers are as bad as reported. If the judge said the military then I would opt for 1USAF 2 USN 3 ARMY 4 USMC. In essence it is a catch 22, join up or have a life record.

by **I_Like_Plants** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 06:33:57

The Professional All Volunteer Military has raised the enlistment age to 42, and in troop retention, they're overlooking things like rape and even murder to keep troops in rather than lose them.

by **The_Virginian** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 07:38:43

Had a great uncle get knocked over to okinawa in the USMC over a knife fight.

He had great stories to tell, sleeping on dead enemy, living fighting like an animal etc.

Still better than jail, I suppose...

Jail would be a death sentance to me, I'd have to "prove" myself by shanking anyone who tried to "punk me out"...I suppose i'd never get out, ever...

The fix is in, they are desprate for manpower (roumer is they are even looking to Colombia! -no not D.C.!), I am 90% sure Iran is on target.

by **Hawkcreek** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 14:13:09

by **KiddieKorral** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 15:10:40

That happened to my English teacher during Vietnam. Never heard of it happening recently.

by **killJOY** » Sun 14 Aug 2005, 15:42:17

They're even taking queers now. What's this world coming to?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'E')ven though his admission violated "don't ask, don't tell," — he quite literally and publicly "told" — Stout was permitted to remain in the military until his normal discharge seven weeks later, as long as he signed a document.

by **The_Virginian** » Mon 15 Aug 2005, 17:44:59

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hey're even taking queers now. What's this world coming to?

by **threadbear** » Mon 15 Aug 2005, 18:27:22

The US has the largest per capita inmate population in the world. Wouldn't it make sense to draft minor offenders, but also muscle bound violent convicts? Isn't that basically what the armed forces are looking for? Very fit individuals who like to shoot people. I think that the incarceration rate in the US is something like 2%. Let's see, that would be about 6 million people. Anyone want to check my figures here? That'd be quite the army. Maybe when govt says they won't draft, they mean it.

by **The_Virginian** » Mon 15 Aug 2005, 19:04:51

I don't think many officers would want that, too afraid they'd get FRAGGED by an "ex-con" with a grudge.

The millitary loves 18-23 y.o.'s that FOLLOW ORDERS.

by **Pops** » Sun 04 Sep 2005, 13:25:24

The 82nd airborne 1st Cav, 1st and 2nd marine expeditionary, etc will be deployed to NOLA. Since we now can jail US citizens without trial or representation, I guess deploying paratroopers against looters isn’t really a big deal.

At first this worries me because we have quite a few National Guardsmen serving quite well in Iraq and I wonder why we need regular Army in NOLA. Of course it may be because we have quite a few NG in Iraq… Then there is the myth of the Posse Comitatus act. I say myth because I had always thought it prevented the use of regular army on US citizens but I guess I’m wrong:

Washington University Law Quartly: "The need for reaffirmation of the PCA's principle is increasing because in recent years, Congress and the public have seen the military as a panacea for domestic problems. …
Exceptions-in-fact include protection of the rights of a discoverer of a guano island,[126] removal of persons illegally occupying Indian lands,[127] protection of national parks, [128] investigation of crimes against the President or others in the line of succession,[129] and protection of civil rights where local authorities do not or cannot protect them.[130] Exceptions-in-fact also include the quelling of civil disturbances and labor strife that rises to the level of civil disorder. For example, Troops were used to put down the Whiskey Rebellion[131] long before the PCA was passed and to maintain order during school desegregation in the South after the Act's passage. Troops have also been used to quell riots in Detroit and other cities.[132] More recently, they were deployed on the streets of Los Angeles in 1992 after the Rodney King verdict.[133]" http://law.wustl.edu/WULQ/75-2/752-10.html

And of course from the DHS: "President Bush and Congress should initiate action to enact a new law that would set forth in clear terms a statement of the rules for using military forces for homeland security and for enforcing the laws of the United States. Things have changed a lot since 1878, and the Posse Comitatus Act is not only irrelevant but also downright dangerous to the proper and effective use of military forces for domestic duties." http://www.homelandsecurity.org/journal ... itatus.htm

Sort of ironic that originally the PCA was enacted to prevent local officials from using regular army troops in their area to chase fugitive slaves but doesn't prevent the president from using it at all - kind of the opposite from what I thought. What is your view of regular army pointing weapons at Americans?

by **Pops** » Sun 04 Sep 2005, 13:30:36

Beat me to it by one minute:
http://www.peakoil.com/post175302.html#175302

by **Specop_007** » Sun 04 Sep 2005, 13:34:24

No, Specop wont be an insurgent because Specop is damn well smart enough not to shoot at those people who might be trying to help him!
In other words, Specop aint some dumb guy who watches MTV and dreams of "Striking back at Da Man" and wont shoot at th epolice and military when their rendering aid and assistance in rescue operations!!