"Hey guys!! Suppose a kid gets in trouble, repays society and stays out of trouble for 10 or 15 years?? I believe the guy should be given an opportunity to serve his country."
I would agree with that. However he'd probably be too old by then to be allowed into the Military.
There are many guys that get jammed up in their teen years. The military takes people into their late 30's and the Army is taking them at 40.