Military’s DNA Data

Here we go again. Two Marines refuse to give blood specimens for a military DNA data bank (Dec. 27). Purpose? To easily identify future battlefield casualties. One guy, a 25-year-old from Canton, Ohio, says he only joined the military to get money to finish college.

This is another case of take from all of us, but refuse to give when needed. Why should two Marines screw up a multimillion-dollar system to help identify military folks, the sole purpose of which is to build a DNA data bank to record the identity of an expected 18 million service personnel? As these identities become 75 years old they will be dropped off. In their place, new ones will be added.

The military is a volunteer corps. It should be one of the requirements for future enlistment into the service to submit to a DNA identity bank. Or better yet, why not take a blood sample at birth. This could be a requirement of citizenship. Let’s update our Constitution to the necessities of the 21st century. Isn’t it already a common practice upon birth to identify with a required footprint? DNA appears to be even more accurate!

HUGH S. JENINGS

Covina