"Some recruiters do whatever it takes to get people in. Criminals were with me in basic, in ait, and at my 1st duty station."
I remember having a few really tough females in Basic with me in 1978. One was an accessory to murder because she was there when her boyfriend killed a police officer. The other was a petty thief who decided I was going to be her next victim; until I kicked her @ss when I found her stealing things from my footlocker, LOL!
Neither of them made it through Basic Training which didn't surprise me.
They make it through now because people like me are made their battle-buddy and get in trouble because of them. I had the 2 of the worst soldiers in life made mine. For me to keep out of trouble I had to keep them in line or suffer with them.