If US Military resources are stretched & the Mid East situation gets worse,would the DRAFT become necessary?
I was almost drafted to go to Vietnan when I lost my S-2 student deferment as a freshman starting college on a full scholarship and Nixon changed the draft system into an involuntary draft system based on the order birthdates were randomly picked by a lottery method. Soon after we left Vietnam, the lottery system was abolished and the voluntary system put in place.
Please explain your answer and whether or not you are in the draftable age range which would be set by Presidential decree anywhere below 40 ie 39 to 18.
TWH 08222006
Answer:
The public would never support a draft short of WW3. As far as rich Republicans, Gov. Pataki (R- NY) has a son who just became a USMC officer, so I think everybody is doing their part in serving.
From your question I gather you are old enough to have seen the repercussions in the post-vietnam era of the draft. Drugs and bad behavior were destroying the fighting fit model of the military. Today's more competitive military is an involuntary model that relies heavily on reservists, and the US has been successful with that model- remember the model that relies heavily on reservists is used because using reservists in war takes them away from their normal jobs, and thus creates political pressure to bring them home.
A draft today would enlist many people who would actually serve to hinder the mission of the military. I am barely within the draftable age, but have served 5 years in the USMC when I was younger.
Today's military offers great benefits to those who serve, MGIB for college, Veterans Health Care for life and Veteran's Mortgage Guarantees.
When the economy improves military recruitment suffers, as does college enrollment overall (because more people move into the normal job market after high school).
If the crisis in the Mid-east becomes WW3 than perhaps a draft will be necessary, but before the government goes to that model of filling its ranks, it will exhaust every market based solution it can think of (including extra money for college, extra post-service benefits, etc).
As much as I hate hippies, I'd hate to see some of them drafted because it would do them more harm than good to be exposed to that lifestyle. I also think that a draft is only necessary as a last resort to sustain the American way of life, any attempt to reinstate a draft before that time is unamerican.
Some people make better teachers than soldiers, and America works as well as it does because we allow them the freedom to follow their talents.
Rich Republicans would never let their children be drafted again.
IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AS LONG AS RICH REPUBLICANS HAVE MALE CHILDREN.
Now drafting is for quantity not quality, Moder wars imply quality before anything else so drafting is almost dead. I know nothing about those presidential decrees, but they look to me like something giving authority to the president where he should be granted that.
I don't think we're so stretched as some people believe. We have over 1 million active duty personnel and about 135,000 are in the Middle East. We are still at a level of overseas deployment below Vietnam era.
The "Draft" as it was called would not pass congress, who right now has the only power to enact it. the 'prez' only has the power to expand eligability (i.e increase age deferments) to the current services to sustain the forces.
Becouse of our current situation is wearing thin the regular or 'active' duty forces, the guard and reserves (ahrrmm) take up the slack.
If the situation escilates further, I'm pretty sure I will be getting a phone call telling me that I will be catching the next plane out.
We lost 58,000 servicemen & had over 300,000 injuries, we are nowhere near there. A very low percentage of our military is in battle countries. We are a long way from the draft & you know it.
I am not at draftable age but my son who is volunteered 2 years ago & is a commissioned officer. There are enough honorable people to join to leave those unwilling or unable at home where they belong.
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