# Military and felons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-and-felons/462960>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 10, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-and-felons/462960 "2008-09-10T16:35:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-and-felons/462960/1 "2008-09-10T16:35:23Z")

</div>

We’ve all read stories or seen movies where the judge tells the defendant to enlist in the Army or go to jail. How prevelant is that these days?

I’ve heard that the military is very reluctant these days to accept someone with a criminal background because of potential future problems from them. The sites I’m finding on searches are split on the subject.

Can anyone on active duty or recently out shed some light on this?

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-and-felons/462960/2 "2008-09-10T16:43:53Z")

</div>

I have to think that those stories involved misdemeanors. Felonies are serious crimes, and I rather doubt that any judge would let someone “opt out” of a felony charge. I’ve never met someone who was given the option, myself.

In any event, felons are not allowed to possess weapons. If you are already in the military and you are convicted of a felony, you’re gone. The same goes for people under a PFA order (unless it’s lifted) or someone convicted of domestic abuse due to the Lautenberg Amendment. If you can’t carry a weapon you’re no good to the military.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-and-felons/462960/3 "2008-09-10T17:07:20Z")

</div>

**SSG Schwartz** partially covers this [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9755844&postcount=22).