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.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    7 hours ago

    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
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      5 hours ago

      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.

  • fonix232@fedia.io
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    8 hours ago

    theVeterans can be … rejected on apartment applications

    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.

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    9 hours ago

    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.

  • FerretyFever0@fedia.io
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    9 hours ago

    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
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      8 hours ago

      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
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        5 hours ago

        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
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        8 hours ago

        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.