Felons may have decided to consider joining military services before their involvement in legal issues and conviction. Felons upon release may also consider joining the National Guard Service. The question here arises whether felons can join the National Guard Service after conviction.
- Define National Guard Service
- Educational Qualifications mandatory for National Guard
- Specific Restrictions for Felons
- Background Verification check for Felons
- Type of crime affects employment
- Career Opportunity for Felons
Define National Guard Service
National Guard is a specific branch in US Military services that serves the country and also the community. The National Guard ensures quick and timely response in emergencies, situations involving drugs, responsible for reconstruction and destruction of property, the unit also receives assignments overseas.
National Guard is a special service under State Governor or President of USA. Its activation however depends on the emergency need within the country. Members of the National Guard perform regular civilian duties when their unit doesn’t perform the regular job.
Educational Qualifications Mandatory for National Guard
It is a matter of pride to become a part of the National Guard Service. Certain basic security standards however require completion. Previous military experience doesn’t hold too much importance and felons can join this service without prior military experience.
Felons require completing a basic application form and undergoing a strict background verification check. This is a mandate by authorities of the National Guard.
Felons must also complete the below mentioned basic requirements for becoming a National Guard:
- The age group ranges between 17 to 35 years.
- Felons must have US citizenship, permanent residentship.
- They should hold a high school diploma
- Felons must clear medical, physical, and moral requirements.
- They must undergo a basic training program for 12 weeks before joining any unit in National Guard and serves one weekend per month or 2 weeks in one year.
These units only operate during specific military needs and impact your civil job during an emergency in the country. Felons require qualifying for “Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery” (ASVAT). This assesses both intellectual and occupational strengths for felons which are necessary to qualify for National Guard Service.
Specific Restrictions for Felons
- Felons face restrictions because of moral requirements.
- Felons must adhere to the core values of the US Army; these are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and courage.
- Felons find it difficult to serve in the National Guard Service because honorability and trustworthiness become a concern.
- Felons require sincere efforts to prove themselves as dignified and respectable citizens of the society before they can serve in the National Guard Service.
Background Verification Check for Felons
1 A basic background verification check ensures potential recruits are reliable, trustworthy, and possess a good character.
2 The military background checks cross verifies criminal history, history of drug abuse, and other factors.
3 All fingerprints get matched with the national database of the country.
4 Local courts require certifying clean records for felons before they can apply for such a prestigious post.
5 Records for the last 10 years get validated.
6 The background verification check also requires intervention from the FBI.
7 National Guard Background Verification Check requires 30 days to submit a clear report with all possible findings.
Type of Crime Affects Employment
1 Getting a job with National Guard is a matter of pride.
2 National Guard Services require felons to have a clear record.
3 Serious and Heinous crimes like rape, murder, kidnapping will eliminate felons from this prestigious opportunity.
4 Drug trafficking also eliminates felons from seeking an opportunity in the unit of the National Guard.
5 Violent and sexual offenses disqualify felons to appear for jobs of this repute.
Career Opportunity for Felons
Honesty and Integrity play a critical role in this job. Felons must truthfully reveal all information related to their past criminal record in the job application form of National Guard. A determined and committed felon can excel and succeed in the duties of the National Guard. National Guard focuses on teaching felons how to meet basic moral requirements. It is a good idea if felons can expunge their record easily.
Dedication, hard work, determination, and ability to work under pressure assists felons to secure a fair opportunity to join National Guard with a clear criminal record. Felons can use a court order to get their record expunged. As per moral standards, National Guards should demonstrate moral values and become role models for society.
Felons demonstrate immoral values and do not put efforts to seek forgiveness, hence society perceives them as undeserving candidates for National Guard Service. They should respond calmly and reveal all facts which assist them to remove specific limitations for joining National Guard. Felons must focus on taking specific corrective measures to rectify past mistakes and open opportunities for becoming a part of such a prestigious service.
Support of family, friends, and professional guiding agencies support felons to become a part of the National Guard Service with a clean record. Felons must restore basic civil rights before joining National Guard Service. Felons must take proper training and complete the basic educational requirement for qualifying for this post.
Bottom Line
National Guard Service provides felons a fair opportunity to cater and serve the nation but certain basic requirements require completion before this can get exercised. A clear criminal record, basic educational requirement, restoration of civil rights is important for seeking a job in National Service Guard. Felons charged with drug trafficking, kidnapping, and human trafficking issues do not qualify the basic parameters of this position. Court and FBI intervention are necessary for conducting background verification checks for National Guard Service.
Felons can prove good employees for National Guard Service if they demonstrate dedication, honesty, hard work, and trustworthiness as the core skills to excel in this job. Felons should put sincere efforts to correct past mistakes so that they receive moral values and can complete moral requirements for this position.
Dishonest felons do not hold a chance to qualify for this position as integrity and honesty are critical for this role. Any serious crimes that get revealed during background verification checks eliminate felons from applying for this role.
