Should we really reinstitute the draft?

[glohworm]

I know this is going to be a touchy subject for some. Especially for those of our members who may have children nearing 18 or so, (draft age). We all hear day in and day out that, "Freedom is not free", etc. Especially after 9/11. I've seen the flag waving on cars, houses, etc. ad nauseum! Then I think about my time in the military, both the good and the bad, and, all things considered, I'm a better man for having gone through the experience! It's all well and good to pay lip service that one loves their country, but how many young people ever really get the connection?! They're blessed to have been born here, to live in nice houses for the most part and to go to nice schools, etc. When should it be time for them to give a little back? I'm just posing the question.

I just heard that Rep. Rangle (sic) from NY, brought up the subject of starting the draft once again.

At the risk of boring my fellow members, I'd like to relate the story of my older brother Jon. He was a real "punk" in H.S. He even socked his Industrial Arts teacher in his junior year and was thrown out. My parents tried to bribe him by offering him a new car (57' Chevy) if he'd straighten out. No way. He was a real tough guy! As luck would have it, he got it into his head to join the Army. My folks had to sign a release for him to go in a week after he turned 17, and that was the start of a very proud career in the Army! He retired a Sgt Major!!! Got his GED and a BA while he was in. He's deceased now. Died at the ripe old age of 44 while working at the post office. To the day I die, I'll never be more proud of any person alive than my older brother for the way he turned his life around! It's the Army that saved his life from going the other way, etc. Right away he found out, like myself some years later, that the service puts your feelings of self worth in total perspective, i.e., you end up working with fellow comrades who are from all areas of this wonderful country. You soon realize that you are not the big fish in the pond afterall!!! What a blow that was. But the plus side of this far outweighed everything else. For example, one of my best buddies was from Brooklyn and it took me weeks before I could understand his lingo?!

Even better, I met my first black guys! That's how sheltered I was. Do we need a draft?, damned right, I say. Not because we need more cannon fodder, but because our young kids need to really know what this country is all about. I guarantee that they'll all be better people when they look back on their time spent. Just my thoughts.

[larrwhit]

just raise the draft age to 35 and you can bet there will be a lot less war

If I feel my family is threatened, I will join. No draft needed for me.

[vass0922]

give a little back

pardon me?
I can't support my country by going to school, becoming educated and supporting my country from home?
Don't get me wrong I am TOTALLY for supporting our troops and will do what is necessary. Am I lesser person in your eyes because I didn't serve?
I do agree the military is very good for some people. It can teach them discipline, it can give a family when there is none at home, and you get a comaraderie that lasts a lifetime. I understand that.

Do I think we should re-instititue the draft?
IMO No!
I want to know that the people on the front lines WANT to be there and they're going to fight damn hard. They're not going to run and hide at the last minute or have second thoughts at the critical moment. Face it some people are NOT cut out for military action. If I was drafted yes I would do my duty I have no qualms with that.. but facts are I'd rather not go into war..
I DO support the military (literally) from home...
The people back here at on home ground have to be able to communicate and plan. Nowadays all of that is done over networks and computers.. no I'm not out shooting the bad guys.. but I guarantee you there isn't much that will stop me from doing my job. Rain/sleet/snow terrorist threats.. I will be at work doing my job.

I didn't need the military for that discipline, that's who I am.

[Knothead]

Well, Glohworm, if I may take your argument at the point where you say that

Do we need a draft?, damned right, I say. Not because we need more cannon fodder, but because our young kids need to really know what this country is all about. I guarantee that they'll all be better people when they look back on their time spent.

I would say that it depends on the person going in. MY brother joined (age 19) and when he came out he was more alienated than anything else, plus almost hopelessly addicted to cocaine (he spent his hitch in Korea, it's very cheap there. ). So, there's that.

Perhaps the deal is, that a given person will benefit, or fail to benefit, from whatever they get themselves into. I would not agree that the Armed Services is a viable way to "straighten everybody out" any more than I would prescribe a diet of mind-altering drugs as a way of achieving the same end. Just IMHO.

[Sweet]

"Freedom is not free"

i'd like to challenge that statement....

Freedom is being free

The price of freedom constantly changes.

Draft, H$@^*$^%------- NO!

we have the strength now and will have it with volunteers. nothing could be stronger than an army of volunteers.

just my opinion

[Redwolf]

The draft did work during WWII, may have worked some during Korea, but did not work during Vietnam. The problem is that The amount of trained snipers in a war you need you cannot get from a draft. This was learned in Vietnam, and we now have the best trained snipers in the world. Also, fully trained troops function better in wars than untrained ones.

Shoudl we require the resources of manpower in a war that the military does not have, we can institute a draft. But until then, it is not necessary and, strategicly, counterproductive.

[vass0922]

Thanks red

[msterzer]

Everybody should have to serve their country for at least 2 years. It doesn't have to be necessarily military in purpose. When I say everybody I mean men and women. I suppose that won't work even if its not military. People these days just don't seem to think in that direction. I do. It just seems to me that since the draft was done away with, bad things about younger folks got worse. No flames please. I'm of course talking in general, not absolutes. Practically all the men I was in the service with changed for the better. Again, generally. Not everybody. I met some really nasty people that turned out great. It is an experiance that all members of a country should be proud to do. Those that won't, I feel, are not especially patriotic. They may talk a good story but lack for something. Same goes for Jury duty. Those that do their utmost to get out of doing their civic duty are probably the same ones that don't or won't serve their country. This is a big problem. Its a problem that most likely won't be addressed until it to late. Professional people are very necessary in the military. So is a good strong backup of everyday folks that have had some training. There are to many countries of a like mind that don't like the way we think. Just think of the massive amounts of material and the professional people that were sent to take care of one little country. It just about depleted what we had as a protective group for this country alone. What if 2 or 6 or more of those little countries decided to get into the fray. Think we can depend on our allies to take up the slack? They will most likely help, but the numbers would be far to short. The Boy Scout motto is right on. Be Prepared and DO YOUR PART!! And do it without whining about it.

[Redwolf]

Fixed