[Drew68]

Bowman pointed out that legal problems, lack of education, drug addiction and health problems are among the reasons many young males are unable to join the military.

It's called a "waiver" and the military has been using them for a long time.

I should know. I had a whole stack of 'em when I enlisted (youthful indiscretions of the misdemeanor variety).

[wally_bert]

With all the minor problems I have, I would need a stack of them too. Even when I was 18 and went in, I just barely passed the physical but I wanted out of small town USA and there wasn’t much else of a choice in my case.