Fingerprint

What is the name of your state? GA

When you inlist in the Army the fingerprint you.

What are they fingerprinting you for?

Are they...

A) Fingerprinting you so your body can be identified later
B) Fingerprinting you so if you commit a crime your prints will be on file
C) Fingerprinting you so they can make sure you don't have a criminal record.
D) Fingerprinting you so they can run them and connect your fingerprints to crimes that you've previously committed and never been caught.

[fozzy2]

All of the above. DNA is a little different. They now apparently take DNA samples from every individual in the service. The samples are stored without processing so that, in the future if there is a need to identify body/parts, they can do so. However, AFAIK if there is a subpoena the military will hand that DNA sample over to be processed and run against databases, etc. This has become contorversial because of occasional demands for "bloodings" where, say, they try and DNA test a whole unit to try and solve a crime. I recall that there was legislation being debated on the issue, but I don't recall if it ever got anywhere.

This is another example of how information that was originally gathered for a specific purpose, with strict limitations on use, eventually gets dragged into the 'mainstream.' For better or worse I believe the day is rapidly approaching when there will be a national DNA database for everyone, not just criminals.