Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 7/23/2010

Question
I am a 32yr old mother of two boys. I donot have any further education other than my highschool diploma and I have a felony for retail theft from about 10yrs ago when I was 21. My father has served in the navy for 20yrs and I admire that he is serving our country but I would rather enlist in the Army because it suits me as far as what I'm looking for. I realize what I did was wrong and I was young and stupid and I have been paying for it over the years. Is it at all possible for me to recieve a waiver?? I want to support my family and I would love to serve my country and I hope I will be able to.                                                                                              Hope to hear from you soon!

Answer
Yes, you could possibly get a waiver.  That being said, it won't be easy because you have a felony on your record.  You'll need to consult with a recruiter, be honest, and put in all the necessary paperwork to prove that your conviction and punishment are over (ie. still not on probation and such).  The Army only grants so many 'moral waivers' per year and you need to be patient if you don't get one this year. (Army's year resets on 1 October). If you really are intent, try now and then again after October 1 if you were unsuccessful.