Moral Waiver

A moral waiver is an instance when an individual is, by exception, recruited into the United States Military despite not ordinarily meeting the standard requirements in criminal convictions.

Potential effects

Maintaining higher troop levels in the face of higher causalities required two changes in the army. Tours of duty were increased and the exclusions of volunteers with a history of criminal acts were relaxed. Both of these changes are expected to increase the probability of violence against Iraqi non combatants.Fact|date=July 2008 A defense department sponsored report described increased length of tours leading to higher stress which increase manifestations of anger and disrespect for civilians. [ [http://www.armymedicine.army.mil/news/releases/20070504mhat.cfm Mental Health Advisory Team IV Findings Released ] ]

Increasing use of moral waivers has implications for killing of non combatants: John D. Hutson, dean and president of the Franklin Pierce Law Center in New Hampshire and former judge advocate general of the Navy, said the military must tread carefully in deciding which criminals to accept. He says that there is a reason why allowing people with criminal histories into the military has long been the exception rather than the rule, "If you are recruiting somebody who has demonstrated some sort of antisocial behavior and then you are a putting a gun in their hands, you have to be awfully careful about what you are doing. You are not putting a hammer in their hands, or asking them to sell used cars. You are potentially asking them to kill people." [cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/us/14military.html|title=Army Giving More Waivers in Recruiting|work=The New York Times|date=2007-02-14|accessdate=2008-03-25]

References