Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

“We Can’t Be That Desperate.”

How's this for Army Strong? Spc. Shawn Stacy Sapp, 38, is back on duty as a helicopter mechanic at Fort Hood, Texas, even though a judge in Florida placed him on probation and ordered him to be under supervision. Why? Sapp is a convicted sex offender. But he was deemed "retainable in the U.S. Army" even after being found guilty of lewd and lascivious conduct with a teenage girl. From Military.com: A captain and a first sergeant at Fort Hood who were involved in the decision to retain Sapp didn't return phone calls Monday afternoon. Sapp will be supervised by the Texas Department of Corrections under an arrangement with Florida, Florida corrections spokeswoman Jo Ellyn Rackleff said. Circuit Judge Robert Foster ordered that Sapp not be deployed overseas, Rackleff said. Sapp was in Fernandina Beach on leave when his crime occurred in 2003, Rackleff said. She said he was arrested in Texas in 2005 after returning from overseas deployment and extradited to Florida. He was in jail for nearly two years before reaching the plea deal, Sacks said. Initially he was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious conduct and four counts of sexual battery involving a minor. Prosecutors dropped the sexual battery counts under the plea agreement. [A judge] sentenced him July 17 to 689 days time served and three years of probation, and Sapp was required to register as a sex offender. Florida's sex offender registry lists his location as Bell County, Texas, and says he notified the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about that address Aug. 10. Sacks said Sopp presented a letter to the court in early August from Capt. Chad Corrigan, Sapp's commanding officer at Fort Hood. "Upon review of the charges ... Shawn S. Sapp has been determined retainable in the U.S. Army," Corrigan wrote. "Service member is still on active duty." _____ Assistant State Attorney Jonathan Sacks put it best, telling the media that "I just find it hard to believe that they would have convicted sex offenders in the military. We can't be that desperate." But apparently we are. Other media reports have shown an alarming increase in the number of recruits with criminal backgrounds, including felony convictions. The military, it seems, is issuing waiver after waiver to allow those who wouldn't normally meet enlistment standards to sign up for duty. And yet, the welcome mat is still not out for lesbian and gay Americans who want to serve. Sex offenders on duty and patriotic gays turned away. Is that what they mean by 'Army strong?' - Steve Ralls

Labels: in the news, recruiting

09-04-07