Many people enter the U.S. military and for a variety of reasons. It’s a great place to have all of your basic needs met, learn a trade, defend your country, earn a living, and even set yourself up for a free college education once you leave the military. There are some things that can keep people from being able to enter the military, making many wonder if an ex-felon can enter the military.
Can an ex-felon enter the military? :::: The answer to this common question is not straight forward. There is no “yes or no” and that is the final answer. The truth is that it matters what the criminal record was for. The criminal record someone has will play a big role in whether or not they get cleared to enlist in the military.
Being an ex-felon can certainly keep you from being able to enter the military. It does keep some people from being able to enlist. However, some people are still given the green light to enlist in the U.S. military, despite having an arrest record. There is some work to be done if you have an arrest record and want to enter the military, but it can be done. Many people are still able to join the military despite having a criminal record or being an ex-felon.
Crimes Matter When Joining the Military ::::: Ex-felons all have a crime that they have committed, but not all of those crimes will keep them from being able to enlist in the military. Some crimes will be able to be waived, giving them the ability to still join the military, while others will not be overlooked. The ones that are not overlooked will keep the person from being able to join the military.
Simply being an ex-felon does not mean you cannot join the military. The important factor is what type of crime you committed to get arrested in the first place. That is what the military will look at when determining if you, as an ex-felon, have the ability to still join the military, despite having a criminal record.
Why It Matters if You Are an Ex-Felon to the Military
You may be wondering why the military even cares if you have a criminal record. You may think that they take anyone and everyone, regardless of what type of record they have or what they have been doing leading up to applying to join the military. But that is not the case. They, in fact, do care about what you have been doing and if you have a criminal record.
The military only wants to recruit people that they feel have good moral character. This is because you are representing the country and will be in a position where you need to make good judgment calls. They need to know they have people representing the country that will make good decisions and will be of good moral character while they are in the military.
Crimes that Need Waivers to Join the Military
Having a criminal record does not mean that you can’t join the military or that you are not of good moral character. Everyone has a story surrounding what happened to get arrested. You deserve to be able to tell your story and see if it makes a difference when trying to enter the military.
The good news is that you can do that, depending on the type of criminal record you have. There are some things that will not be waived by the military, but there are some ex-felons who will be able to get a waiver and still be able to enter the military. Getting an arrest record waived is not automatic. It is a process that you have to engage in to make it happen.
Some of the crimes and arrest records that will need a waiver to enter the military include:
- Possessing drugs
- Burglary
- Assault
- Disturbing the peace
- Stalking or harassing
There is a military board that comes together to review the cases of ex-felons who want to join the military. If you want to join the military as an ex-felon, you need to submit for a waiver, and you have to have that information into the board months before the come together to look at the cases. Once they convene, they will review all the cases of those who are ex-felons who want to join the military, and they will make case-by-case decisions regarding whether or not they will get the approval to do so.
How an Ex-Felon Can Enter the Military
If you want to join the military and you know you will need a waiver or additional work to be done to get the approval, you may want to work with an attorney. There are military attorneys who specialize in such cases. They will take your case, gather the necessary information, and properly and professional present it to the military board. They are persuasive in being able to get the board to hear the case and give it serious consideration for approval.
You can work on your own to submit the necessary information to get a waiver to still be able to join the military. Having a criminal record may make you feel more comfortable having someone represent you and be able to share your side of the story. The board will want to know the information surrounding the incident and what you have been doing since that time.
Applying for a waiver is your time to share your side of the story, how your life has changed, and why you want to join the military. Be sure to have your side of the case presented well, so that you have a good chance of getting an approval. Being able to enlist in the military as an ex-felon can make a world of difference going forward. It will be a life changing event. Don’t give up, because if you want to join the military you may still be able to!
