Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 4/4/2009

Question
In 2001 when I was 13 I walked into a minor league baseball field with 4 buddies at the time and as we walking through noticed a shed,we opened discovered a lawnmower with the keys inside,foolishly we decided to take it out for a joyride which was on the property only when the police arrived we left..I was charged with burglary..do I really need a ''felony''waiver due to the circumstances?

Answer
Marcos,
We were all young and foolish once.  Hopefully you've seen the error of your ways.

I can't really give you a yes or no answer with just these few details.  To answer your question, your recruiter will need to know the disposition of your case.  Were you CONVICTED? Was it Continue Without A Finding (CWOF), etc.  What was your punishment?  Jail time, fine, charges dropped, probation, community service, etc.?  Since you were a minor were your records sealed or expunged?  If you were CONVICTED of a FELONY your chances of obtaining a waiver are slim.

You don't need to answer me.  I'm just telling you that these are the things a recruiter needs to know before he can help you.

Unfortunately the higher-ups who make the decisions on waivers don't care about all the details, they just see the facts on paper and think "criminal."  A recruiter knows how to explain your case in such a manner that may help sway their opinion in your favor.  He deals with this stuff every day and knows what has worked in the past.

Tip:  Since you're only a few months away from a new fiscal year for the military, wait until late September to talk to a recruiter.  The military "new year" begins 1 October.  If you were to talk to a recruiter now, chances are he's already met his quota for new recruits for 2009, so he doesn't need to spend time trying to recruit you.  But if you're one of the first in line come 1 Oct he'll probably bend over backwards to help you.

Good luck, and thanks for wanting to serve.
Colonel H