TYLER - The Department of Defense released alarming numbers Monday about the United States military.

The report says the Army and Marine Corps are allowing convicted felons to serve in increasing numbers.

Army and Marine Corps representatives says East Texas does very well recruiting. They also admit that just because someone's a felony, it doesn't automatically disqualify them from joining.

"Sometimes we can get (them) a waiver or exemption of policy," said Army Staff Sgt. Dylan Estes. "Felonies don't automatically disqualify you. It just depends on what the actual charge was."

Pentagon numbers released by a congressional committee show the number of military soldier with felony records increased last year. The Pentagon said most of the convictions were for burglaries, theft or drug possession. However, some of the crimes included sex crimes, manslaughter and armed robbery.

The report says the Army even allowed two people, convicted of making terrorist or bomb threats, to enlist.

Representative Henry Waxman (Calif. - Democrat) released the statistics.

"The recruitment of person with criminal records is a result...of the strain put on the military by the Iraq War," he said in a statement.

Over 500 Army applicants with felony records joined in 2007, rising from 249 in 2006. The number of Marine recruits with records jumped from 208 to 350 during the same time.

Sgt. Estes asks people not to be quick to judge.

He says most felons make it just fine in the Army and it gives them a second chance in life.

"We always see people that come back four to five years later and thank us."