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Military DNA Registry Used in Criminal Case

Posted by michael on from the blood-will-tell dept.

bubblegoose writes "The Reading Eagle has a story about a man sought in a Reading, PA. murder who was arrested Thursday in Puerto Rico. This is the first time anyone has been apprehended in a criminal case based on DNA collected by the military. Apparently the DNA registry has a stringent set of rules that must be met for a blood sample to be released and those were satisfied." The DNA registry catalogs DNA samples from all US armed forces, ostensibly for identifying remains (although if that were the only reason, the samples would be automatically destroyed at the end of the servicemember's contract.)

3 of 418 comments (clear)

  1. No big deal... by PSaltyDS · · Score: 5, Informative

    I don't see this as a big deal. I spent 20 years in the US Navy, and would assume my fingerprints and photo were available forever to anyone with the right access. The DNA does not seem like an escalation. I wouldn't want any of it to be public or EASY to get to mind you...

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  2. Re:well.... by laugau · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sure it does. Your medical records (ALL OF THEM) are kept for 50 years and the DNA is no different. After 50 years it is destroyed.

    If people want their destroyed sooner, they can write to
    Armed Forces Repository of Specimen Samples for the Identification of Remains
    16050 Industrial Drive, Suite 100
    Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

    And request that it be done.

    And for you conspiracy theorists.... pull you head out of the sand on this one.... the military told soldiers about this when they started doing it. I was a medic in the Army when this began and all of your questions were brought up back then as well.

    It is funny how you were all smoking pot in college on momma's dollar while some of us had to actually go out and EARN our right to go to college.

  3. Well, they can.... by Misch · · Score: 5, Informative

    although if that were the only reason, the samples would be automatically destroyed at the end of the servicemember's contract.

    If michael had bothered to read the second link, he would have seen this:

    Once you complete your full service obligation, you also can request destruction of your DNA record.

    Complete with where you can get the form and instructions. If he's in the military, then he's farked. If he was out of th emilitary though, it's his own damn problem.

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