Muhammad served from 1978 to 1985 in the Louisiana National Guard, where he faced disciplinary charges twice - including a conviction for striking a noncommissioned officer in the head while on duty.
He subsequently managed to enlist in the regular Army....how that was accomplished needs to be explained.
" Muhammad joined the Army National Guard in Louisiana in 1978, and moved to the active Army in 1985. He served as an Army combat engineer in the 1991 Gulf War. He eventually attained the rank of sergeant (E-5), and received an honorable discharge on April 25, 1994, from Fort Lewis in Washington state, Pentagon sources said.
That, however, did not end his association with the military. Muhammad joined the Army National Guard in Oregon in 1995 and served for a year. Again, he left with an honorable discharge."