Lee Harvey Oswald's path to joining the U.S. Marines was complex and involved several factors that allowed him to enlist, despite his history of defection and mental health concerns. Here's an overview of the key points:
Family Background: Lee Harvey Oswald came from a troubled family background. His father died before he was born, and his mother struggled to care for him and his siblings. This challenging family situation likely contributed to his troubled upbringing.
Youthful Behavior: Oswald exhibited behavioral problems during his youth, including truancy, petty theft, and violence towards others. However, he managed to graduate from high school.
Military Enlistment: In 1956, at the age of 17, Oswald enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He enlisted for three years, hoping to find a means of escaping his difficult home life and seeking better opportunities.
Concealment of History: Oswald's prior problematic behavior and juvenile record were not thoroughly scrutinized during the enlistment process. Additionally, he provided false information about his background to the Marines, including fabricating his age and claiming no prior military experience.
ASVAB Test: Oswald took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, which assesses a person's aptitude for military service. He scored relatively well, which likely contributed to his acceptance into the Marines.
Dishonorable Discharge: During his time in the Marines, Oswald's behavioral issues continued. He was court-martialed twice, once for accidentally shooting himself with an unauthorized pistol and another time for fighting with a fellow Marine. These incidents ultimately led to his dishonorable discharge in 1959.
Defection to the Soviet Union: After leaving the Marines, Oswald traveled to the Soviet Union in 1959, where he expressed a desire to defect and live there. He was allowed to stay in the Soviet Union for a time, during which he met and married a Russian woman. In 1962, he returned to the United States with his wife.
Continuation of Mental Health Issues: Throughout his life, Oswald displayed signs of mental instability and was diagnosed with a "personality disorder" by military psychiatrists during his time in the Marines. However, the extent of his mental health issues and their impact on his actions remains a subject of debate among historians and researchers.
In summary, Lee Harvey Oswald's enlistment in the Marines was facilitated by a combination of factors, including his concealment of past issues, false information provided during the enlistment process, and the less rigorous background checks of that era. Additionally, his troubled past, which included behavioral problems and mental health concerns, did not receive sufficient scrutiny during the enlistment process, allowing him to join the military.