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Want to join Military w/Felony & Probation
Asked Oct 20, 2008, 02:43 AM
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15 Answers Hello. I am new to this website. Before I start my story I just want to say many of the people who are helping answer questions from posters like me that God bless your souls and your lucks in lives. I have few issues in my life that may get in the way of joining the military; something I wanted to do when I was 18. I am currently 24. I have friends, family and a pastor that was at court that would vouch for my personality and this story.. So please listen to me like your son. 1) Like many other people, my life has been a roller coaster. I was a troubled child and grew up with a lot of gang influence. I grew up with only my mother but it was the happiest days of our lives. I was never a violent person, but I believed more in protecting the people that I thought was weak. Stupid move but I have learned many lessons and mistakes to conduct the difference between right and wrong in my life presently. When I was 16 or 17, I was caught with a spray can, bb gun, and screw driver with a friend after we spray canned a wall that wrote "187 (murder) and the name of the gang and my nickname and my gang's name". I took all the blame and my friend got off by just going to boot camp. I instead fled and nobody has ever came to get me until this day. 2) I moved to get away from trouble and I was doing fine. I was going to a high school in a rich neighborhood where gangs were just seen in music videos on BET. It was God's blessing and I grew out of it very quickly. I was preparing for college to have enough credits to be ranked higher in the military while I worked out preparing myself for the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) which I heard would've helped me get one rank higher. I was studying hard while I took AP classes. I even took the pre-asvab test in the Navy office and the recruiter liked my score and wrote me a "recommendation" letter to present to the judge at court. Yes, at court.. One day God gave me a test. I was at a cafe' with a friend (girl) of mine and a guy came looking at me like he was looking for somebody to fight with. I was surprised somebody could look at me that way. It was like he came looking for trouble and I happened to be the guy there. Moments later, he asked me what gang I was from and I answered "I don't do that man. I don't want to fight you or anything" Then he started dancing and threw up his gang signs saying this and that. I will try to make this short as possible. I walked away 200 feet but he followed me and hit me two times on the head with his fist, asked his friend to go get the gun from the trunk as he hit my friend (girl) and me on the head on his third time. I was wearing slippers and his friend was a pretty big guy so I felt I was in trouble... (Here I was.. Moved away to stay away from trouble and literally trouble has came to me...) Feeling threatened I took out my pocket knife, the blade being smaller then a palm size.. I told him "I don't want to fight you or use this man. What is your problem?" (The only time I used a knife was to cut green onions, no prior record) He replied "Who do you think you are?" and came at me swinging. I closed my eyes and swung and hit his ribs. He looked at his blood and shouted "Hahaha this ain't shiet! You bi**ch !" and came running towards me. (Thoughts rushing in my head: This guy was crazy when he looked at me, hit me for no reasons, possibly has a gun, where is his big friend and is my friend going to be okay.. And lastly if I stabbed this crazy guy how crazier is he going to get?" I swung again and it stopped. He lost a lot of blood and had critical injuries from second stab. The second stab just happened to get one of his arteries. The jury (8 White Conservative Married Women, 1 Black Female, 1 Black Male, 2 Hispanics) found me guilty of 2nd degree felony aggravated assault with deadly weapon and gave me 10 years probation. Notice how I mentioned the race. The selection of the jury didn't seem fair because the self-defense story was overwhelmed by his injuries told gruesomely by the doctor to the majority 8 conservative white woman whom may have the least experience or prior knowledge of a situation like this. To make the story more sad, the only witness that was mutual from both parties at the scene was suppose to my witness. Somehow the DA got him to go on their side and subpoenaed him. He innocuously lied at court saying we both hit and cursed at each other. We sure did. The guy who hit me cursed with aggravated passion "Fu*k you you little pu*ssy as*s bi*tch" and I just cursed like a normal confused person talking to an angry person trying to hit him like "What the fu*k do you want from me man?" As of hitting each other? I just raised my hands to block him from hitting me, that's it and I swear that on my family's last name! I am guessing the witness has some history himself for the DA to have power to bring him in instead. The guy who hit me also has a history of drugs and gang history. The house I use to live at with my family with two children was shot 17 times with a gun late at night after I was free. Luckily those children were not at the house at the time. Thank God.. Lastly I had a very bad lawyer. He was so bad, lawyers I met after him told me to sue him.. I was a naive kid meeting the lawyer by myself while my mother worked hard to send the money. 3) I was relieved that I didn't go to jail but I still felt that I was innocent. So I began studying for LSAT, GMAT, and the asvab with the hope of still joining the military. I began visiting recruiting offices and they all said they cannot accept a felon still on probation. As of today, I have 8 years left, I already finished 2. In a situation like this my brothers and sisters.. What can I do to join the military? I will do whatever it takes to join the military. I have too many signs from people that I should join the military since I was a child and my heart tells me too. I have always been intrigued by the work and heart of soldiers. I always wanted to be one because I was felt that I was born to help the world not change it. I was always known to help others more then myself. But now I am trying to help myself so I can help others more successfully. I believe this was God's guidance for me to post on this forum and I hope it will be God's guidance that will help everyone. Your answers will be appreciated and will be with me forever. Military Accepting More Ex-Cons The article above explains that the military are taking more and more felons but it does not mention anything about felons on probation, especially a person in my scenario. God bless you all and America. |
15 Answers
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| My son is in a similar situation. His probation officer told me today that he will have to serve 1/3 of his probation before they will consider releasing him in order to go into the military. He was given 8 years probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon ( vehicle accident where he went to go stop his friend from fighting and hit 4 people with his car). None of them pressed charges but he was dui. | ||||
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| You have left out one important part of your story. You have not spoken with your PO about getting off early so you can join the military. I'd suggest you make an appointment to sit down and speak with your PO and find out what they would recommend for you. You might have to do more probation time and if that is the case, the PO may be able to ask the Judge on your behalf just how much more time you would need before the Judge would let you join the military. Lots of times people don't feel or think the PO is an important player in post conviction matters. They are. They can make or break you as a probationer. Hopefully you and your PO are on great terms with each other. The nicer you are to them, the nicer they are in return. (and then there can be the jerks as well, not all PO's are nice either, but they do respond to a courteous, pleasant probationer in a positive way versus a combatative nasty person). 10 years is a long time, granted, but on the other hand doing 10 years in prison is certainly worse, much worse. At this point in time you don't seem to feel that you've been given a break but blame everything on your lousy lawyer for doing an awful job. If you felt that way about his representation of you if he was a private attorney, you should have sued him long ago. If he was a public defender, you basically got what you paid for. You took the self defense out of your situation the moment you had any sort of weapon - regardless of how small the knife was, it was still a knife able to inflict bodily damage. The judge took that into consideration as well when he sentenced you. You got off pretty light considering the scenerio of what could have happened. The jury did find you guilty due to the fact you did inflict bodily injury to the other guy regardless of what transpired prior to you attacking him. They did not err though. If anything I would have sent the Judge a nice thank you for not sending you to jail. If you really want to see a case scenerio similar to yours, see the 2008 movie called Felon. That movie will definitely turn your thinking around, my friend, as to what could have happened to you. You can definitely thank the Judge that you are out here walking around versus caged up for 10 years. | ||||
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| 1. What has your probation officer said when you asked them if they would ok it. 2. What has the amry recruiter said when you talked to them about it. Each case is different and would be reviewed by both specificly And not really accepting more, in my day in the 70's the court judge used to give them a option of jail or joining the army, as part of their sentence. | ||||
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| Look brother, I feel everything that you are saying. It sounds like it was complete self defense but of course the nut azz jury does not ever see it that way. I too had a very wild childhood and got into many fights as a kid. I have an aggravated assault on my record too just without the deadly weapon part. I really really want to get in the military myself but every time I go to a recruiting office they shoot me down within 5 minutes. Is crazy I don't even get another chance, it's like my life is all over now because of one stupid mistake. I know that I isn't giving up though, I'll keep on trying. The one got was right too, you have to talk to your PO and see if he would let you off early as long as you joined or if he can work something out with you. Believe me themilitary is hurting right now so they are taking anyone you just go to fing that willing recruiter to go all the way with you. Keep you head up good brother and don't give up on your dream, God forgives everyone so don't even worry if this world will forgive you, he already did! Goodluck man! | ||||
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| As a navy recruiter for 6 yrs I have heard it all. It does not matter what the situation was.. A felon today a felon forever. Funny you mention the races and political affiliation of the jury...that tells me that you must be a bigot and somewhat disrespectful towards people not of your race. The navy definitely does not need someone like that. If indeed you feel that you were done wrong by the jusy, you should appeal the sentence. Just be careful what you are asking for... When there's an appeal filed, whatever sentence was originally given, it gets overturned, so your case might get thrown out or you can actually get time behind bars... Its up to you...my felon american. | ||||
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| A former recruiter whatever, The truth is I served 20 years in the military and have a son who grew up in some troubles was prosecuted just for having a pipe and communicating a threat. He has grown out of his dumb self and has cleaned up his act. However, He has a felon and like the recruiter said once your a felon its pretty tough unless you can get that removed from your records if not forget it. Find another profession brother. Doesn't make you a bad guy maybe just a bad decision. Move on find something else that's just as rewarding. You have to fill out a form in the military its called a DD 2670 basically ask you if your ever been committed of a felon with a dangerous weapon or other. If you have the military can not let you carry a weapon ever. Sorry bro. | ||||
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| Since he called you a bigot here is an idea for him. I started doing research due to the fact my fianc? Has a very well... Lets say colorful back ground including fraud checks in the least but its a felony. I was hoping to find more things that said he couldn't get into the military (even though his dad is a master chief) unfortunately for me I found articles talking bout how the country is letting more felons in that ever before ill help you out and give you encouragement I just hope he doesn't find out honestly | ||||
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