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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    18 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.

    • minnow@lemmy.world
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      4 hours ago

      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).

    • SassyRamen@lemmy.world
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      16 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.

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    19 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.

    • protist@mander.xyz
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      18 hours ago

      I doubt this has to do with run-of-the-mill housing applications. I bet this is in regards to VA-specific housing programs

      • fonix232@fedia.io
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        8 hours ago

        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
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          6 hours ago

          Many places (jobs and housing) will say anything on a record is enough if it’s potentially worse than a parking ticket basically.

        • fonix232@fedia.io
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          8 hours ago

          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…

  • foodandart@lemmy.zip
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    20 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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    19 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.