Draft bill

[ceyko]

Yeah, but back in the day, we didn't just jump in to save the day with every single problem in the world. I just don't feel like stepping up to bat for a bunch of foreigners that don't give a shit when there are enough problems back in the USA.

I would expect that a lot of people don't want to join for all of the reasons that you listed, but I think that it should be their right to not want to join for those reasons. Me personally, I have medical issues that wouldn't suit to being a soldier. I have all the respect in the world for the people that are soldiers, hell my grandad was a medic in Korea and my dad was drafted in Vietnam, but I don't think that should be forced on anyone.

Your current and pasts reasons seem truthful to me in this case. Also note, that in prior posts I said I'd not vote for the draft - just because of your last reason. I'd just would like for people to have a desire to serve. Especially most young people have a lot to gain from a 3 (or even 2) year stint in the Army or Marines. Including the rich kids, smart kids, dumb kids...etc. However, most 16-18 year old kids these days seem like they could really use a reality check and some hard work.

[Broncojohnny]

That's your fault, mine and everyone else's fault about the corruption. The military, at its roots only knows missions.

Also, for years you'd never get deployed (In an SFOR/IFOR/OIF/OEF type manner - maybe Korea...etc). What was your excuse in the 80s, 90s? Too young?

We participated in a NATO event in the 90s in BiH and a few other places that made a real difference.

Afghanistan/Iraq...etc - We DID make a difference, but at this point they don't want to help themselves.

Generally the way we're run now, you'll never get a chance to serve. If we get invaded somehow, you'll probably be too worried about family and other things. That's a big reason you don't see a lot of late 20s, early 30s E-1s. If you don't get in early, you get anchored.

I won't lie, now that I have my family - I'll step up and protect them in that situation - but my soldiering days are over. Even my ready reserve type days are over. If I were to get drafted at this older age, I'd go only if my family was in a safe place (in the event of some sort of invasion). Otherwise, I'd rather just hunker down or if available participate with a militia.

The truth is we don't have enough regular military folks. That's why we're tapping the reserve/national guard type units - over and over and over again. That's why our soldiers (at least 1 year tours, not sure about Marine...AF is short) are going on 8+ tours and can't possibly be right again.

They realistically need young bright minds. That's the military. You/I and our population's job is to make it so we don't need that many people. Even in peacetime though, the military needs people. It's better to be combat ready in an active duty unit if we get invaded than at home on the couch. Also people are constantly discharged, die, retire and so forth. Got to keep the ranks fresh.

I still hold to my thinking that a lot of people don't join for all of the reasons I listed earlier. Especially at 18, MOST don't even get corruption and all that crap. Much-less at 16/17 when you can actually enlist. Then you get older and use everything else as an excuse as to why you did not do it when younger. If someone truly did not enlist/serve because of corruption - great, otherwise I'm not buying it. There is nothing wrong with the truth of not serving, but for some I think it maybe a tough pill to swallow - especially if it could be one of the reasons that may make you look like a wuss or not patriotic (which is a card I use a lot, but should not do - but I don't understand why everyone does not want to do at least a 3 year stint).

heh, I have a friend who did not join the Marines because he was afraid of being homesick. Well, he got be homesick 4 years in jail.

Anyways, I'm babbling and borderline insulting people which is not my intention. If you did not serve - just be honest why you did not. There are numerous other reasons besides the ones I listed (to include criminal mistakes when younger...etc) - but generally a lot of people fall into those areas.

Take care,

The corruption isn't my god damn fault. If you want to take the self loathing opinion that somehow you are to blame for what the idiots in Washington DC do then be my guest but don't drag me into it. My single vote doesn't entitle me to that much power.

And I didn't realize I ever approached the subject of why I didn't join when I was younger, much less make "excuses" about it.

[Slowhand]

Serving in the military is one of the very few instances of this country where it can be a near-direct democracy and not merely one of a representative nature. If our representatives declare war, then the public's belief in that act of war will be represented by an adequate supply of bodies to go get shot at; if the public's general belief is that we shouldn't be involved in the war then no shit, you're not going to have as many bodies as you'd like to participate in combat.

You may say that it's people being lazy, selfish, wanting something for nothing, not caring about this country, blah blah blah; the reality is that if we can't get enough people to sign up to engage in combat in the "defense" of this country, then we as a collective have made the decision that it's not important enough to us and we will have to deal with the consequences of that decision, positive or negative. To declare a draft is to say that the will of the people is incorrect and the government knows better. To me, that's a declarative infringement upon the very tenants of this country's democratic process.