While deployed in Kuwait, Rosales, a member of the Texas Army National Guard, threw a birthday party for her husband. Some of the guests allegedly brought alcohol, according to the Army, “in a nation where such substances are illegal.” She was investigated and fingerprinted by an Army investigator, but received nothing more than an administrative reprimand.
...
But here’s the problem: Every branch of the military shares titling records in criminal databases with more than two dozen agencies, including the FBI, even if the case was dropped.
The fallout can be devastating because the records are retrievable for decades. Veterans can be passed over for promotions, rejected on apartment applications, and denied firearms clearance, advocates say. With the stain on their record, some struggle to get a job for years.
“Who will take my word over the plain text of the FBI’s criminal history?” Rosales, 39, asks in an affidavit in her lawsuit.
22 Comments
fonix232@fedia.io · 71 pts · 289d
what the fuck is wrong in the US? You can have the money, the income, etc., and still be rejected an apartment just because there was a dropped criminal investigation in your past? Not even a conviction, just an investigation. I was investigated (case dropped) in Hungary because my ex flatmate defrauded a bunch of people in relation to the flat (landlord, electric, water and heating providers, among other things), then tried to blame me for them, going as far as reporting me to the police (who quickly discovered that I wasn't the responsible party at the times indicated and all the fraud happened after I moved out, so the case was dropped). In the US, a landlord could seriously deny my application for housing purely based on such an investigation taking place? This is beyond ridiculous.
fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net · 37 pts · 289d
America is a shithole
protist@mander.xyz · -5 pts · 289d
I doubt this has to do with run-of-the-mill housing applications. I bet this is in regards to VA-specific housing programs
ThinkBeforeYouPost@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 289d
It's not.
fonix232@fedia.io · 5 pts · 288d
Sounds like at this point if you want to kill someone, it's enough to report them to the police.
They either get swatted or the investigation opened will make life impossible enough for them to commit suicide...
fonix232@fedia.io · 5 pts · 288d
Even if it is... You'd seriously deny a vet housing because they had an investigation opened against them, that, again, was closed without further action?
socphoenix@midwest.social · 1 pts · 288d
Many places (jobs and housing) will say anything on a record is enough if it’s potentially worse than a parking ticket basically.
JoMiran@lemmy.ml · 64 pts · 289d
For a country where half the population fetishises the military and the vast majority "thanks them for their service", we sure do treat them like shit.
SassyRamen@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 289d
Wait until you're a combat vet trying to get custody of your kids. My lawyer warned me that the judge sees that worse than having a fellony.
Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca · 14 pts · 289d
It's pretty comical from an outsider's POV. So god damned desperate and/or gullible.
minnow@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 288d
Fascists love what the military and police represent (to them, strength and order) but any individual who deviates from the script is a traitor who deserves to have their life ruined or worse.
Just look at Kegbreath's speech to all the generals. Fascists don't care about reality (whether those generals were competent) but only care about the appearance of power (facial hair and too much weight around the middle don't "look powerful" and therefore are as bad as treason).
foodandart@lemmy.zip · 34 pts · 289d
If ever there was a reason to hesitate to join the military - regardless of what benefits it may offer, this is it.
Sweet Jesus, what a fiasco.
FunctionallyLiterate@lemmy.ca · 14 pts · 289d
For America, that's more of a SNAFU.
FerretyFever0@fedia.io · 29 pts · 289d
Is it also punishable for queer service members to fuck in a country where it's illegal? Or even just unmarried service members in the same situation? It seems a bit silly.
whiwake@sh.itjust.works · 11 pts · 289d
If you go to a country and break the laws, you broke the laws. It doesn’t say if the party was on a military base or not
ToastedRavioli@midwest.social · 13 pts · 289d
The US military itself imports alcohol to Kuwait to provide to military members on holidays or very special occasions. Its rare, but they do it
FunctionallyLiterate@lemmy.ca · 8 pts · 289d
Which is absurd. While deployed, there's nowhere to relax and be themselves like every other human needs to do regularly. The bases should be considered "home" while off duty.
whiwake@sh.itjust.works · 14 pts · 289d
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title10-section892&num=0&edition=prelim
So I’m guessing that to be nice to the host country, there was an order for no alcohol. Having alcohol would technically be disobeying in order. I know it sounds ridiculous. I am not at all a fan of the military lol Or obedience
PolarPirate@lemmy.zip · 7 pts · 289d
Can confirm. The US military follows host nation laws while over seas. That being said, they aren't necessarily going out of their way to enforce those rules. The alcohol thing is common because people start acting stupid and cause a scene, but you should be fine to peg your boy as long as you keep the noise down.
FerretyFever0@fedia.io · 2 pts · 288d
Alright, so just be quiet about breaking the law then. Don't tell everyone about it.
the_crotch@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 288d
Basically the same way it works everywhere, yes.
FunctionallyLiterate@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 289d
That makes two of us, and this just reinforced that notion.