Draft -- Would you go?

I still hold hip pocket orders to report for duty in the event of mass mobilization and would likely end up teaching various electronic equipment repair, hopefully avionics as was my field. I am 78 and can still perform many duties. I won't wait to be called, I simply report to the post.

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I served with quite a few soldiers whose families had money.

 

I'm too old but the only way I'd go would be if my country was under immediate threat of attack. In that scenario it would be my family I was defending, and not the machinations of politicians.

 

Yep, pay and benefits... that is what I was getting at in general.

Also, what we (as a nation) get involved in and taking care of military veterans is in that equation.

I agree with you overall.

 

Other countries have mandatory military service, but those other coutries don't start wars or intervene in everybody else's wars, so that's why it works for them. Most countries are not Imperialists, only the USA is.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd never go fight in a USA war, the last REAL war that the USA had to fight was the Big One, WW2, since then, it's been voluntary, corporate wars that we really didn't need to start or enter.

 

Hahahaha! Pssst . . . I know that this will be a HUGE shock to you, but you posted to a Political Forums system and not to a high school test-quiz blog. So people posting to political forums tend to -- gasp! -- analyze and ask follow up questions rather than follow instructions to the letter. Tragically, in fact they do not post as if they were -- oh I dunno -- getting paid to answer your questions according to your desires.

It's terrible, I know, but at least you have now learned WHERE you are posting. So . . . the exit is somewhere over that-a-ways; that is, if people being independent-minded is just too much for you to deal with. Sheesh!

 

No, I will not allow another human being to turn me into a slave...ever.

 

Not only that but they've already shown that the all volunteer force isn't up to the job.....at least not without a considerable number of private contractors.

 

At this phase in my life, absolutely.

 

Already went to one war. Drafted in '68, enlisted, went to RVN, stayed in, retired. Technically, as a retiree, I can be called back, although I doubt they will bother with an old guy like me. If they do, I'll go. I'm not the sort to run away from the Alabama ANG or have "other priorities."

A lot of people don't know that retirees can be called back to active duty if the govt wants them. Some of the "never served" types here might keep that in mind when they complain about military retirement.

 

Look I appreciate the contributions of the Canadian military in WW2 as well as more recently in Afghanistan, but if the US had decided to sit out WW2, the West would have lost. Germany could have taken Great Britain, and there wouldn't be a need for them to shore up troops in North Africa or anywhere else. They could have concentrated on the Russian Front. Eventually, the Germans would have come for you. It might not have happened immediately but it probably would have happened eventually. Canada wouldn't have the population to field the size Army needed for defense of such a large country. More likely Canada would have made some sort of accommodation with the Reich to avoid that, but that's not a win.

 

That myth has been shown false, the people doing the dying are middle class white kids.

 

Generally, I disagree with virtually everything you post, but I do think you are onto a germ of truth here. The wealthy, or the "elites," as we call them on the right side of the aisle, don't have a sense of country. They regard such concepts as loyalty to country, patriotism, and nationalism as prole concepts at best, and ignorant superstition at worse. Their loyalty belongs to people they perceive to be like them internationally, not the working class of their own country. They seem to have nothing but contempt for them.

Although in a moral sense I disagree with the concept of a draft (although not the constitutionality- that's been settled), I think maybe voting should be reserved for those who serve their country. Obviously that's nothing that would happen in the US, where various cities are trying to give the vote to illegal aliens, but if I were starting a country from scratch I would reserve the vote for people who had actually served, since they earned it.

 

Simply put.....NO. I'd defend this Great Nation as our founders did (on our turf, our soil, within our immediate borders. There's too much corruption and too little to fight for (OVER THERE).

As far as WWII.....I'm not totally convinced that we should have initiated the draft then. I'm a big supporter of our military cuz I have too many I know in the military or too many who have served and I do PROUDLY consider myself far to the RIGHT of most issues but the draft is wrong. I agree that there may be a need of the draft when the many Good Ole Boys, patriots and families with heritage of serving our military refuse to further sacrifice to their own under the lack of leadership and anti-American leadership that continually weakens and destroys our military at every given opportunity. I don't blame them in the least and I appreciate those who would still honor the honor-less who lead us but I'd refuse a draft.

My people were removed from lands long ago and many others have recently lost their lands to modern day transgressions of 'big bro'. I know that 9-11 was terrible and we should never forget but I've yet to have a muSLUM kill any of my family (so far). I'd be right there with those in New York to remove debris or hunt down remaining sleeper cells BUT I'd rather remember or also remember what happened in KATRINA (which seemed to be a bigger tragedy on our freedoms). 9-11 was a security issue.....Katrina and other offenses by our gov. is a Constitutional issue and I'd gladly accept a draft to defend those in Katrina before I'd accept a draft to fight folks who I'd likely never have an issue with or who will probably never be in a position to abuse my fellow American's freedoms. Sorry to disappoint some of my fellow Conservatives or friends here at PF but that is EXACTLY how I feel on this subject.

 

I'm aware. I've heard of it happening for people in fields that were needed. A 68 year old retiree who was a psychiatrist was called back to active duty. It turned out his specialty was PTSD, which was in short supply at the onset of Afghanistan/Iraq.

Usually though there are plenty of retirees who volunteer.

 

Exactly. Well said. Both 'sides' of center should understand that fundamental reality, regardless of differences.

 

Whites seem to be over-represented in the combat arms; a crappy economy and the lure of much better bennies than in the past are attractive.

 

Imperialism is expansion through war. The US does not expand by going to war.

 

That was the case before the economy went south. The benefits are pretty attractive. I think middle class white kids used combat arms to get their man card stamped and then get money for college.

 

Odds of getting killed in combat - delineated by conflict:

War of Independence: 2 percent (1 in 50)
War of 1812: 0.8 percent (1 in 127)
Indian Wars: 0.9 percent (1 in 106)
Mexican War: 2.2 percent (1 in 45)
Civil War: 6.7 percent (1 in 15)
Spanish-American War: 0.1 percent (1 in 798 )
World War I: 1.1 percent (1 in 89)
World War II: 1.8 percent (1 in 56)
Korean War: 0.6 percent (1 in 171)
Vietnam War: 0.5 percent (1 in 185)
Persian Gulf War: 0.03 percent (1 in 3,162)

Odds of getting in a fatal vehicle accident in your lifetime (1 in 84)

Your daily commute, over a lifetime...is more dangerous than being in combat, with a few exceptions.

 

I would fight it in court on the grounds that the draft is government-run slavery. Failing that I would refuse to go. The government does not own me. If they need more people to fight, increase military pay.

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Having an all volunteer force also doesn't force people to go to war against their will.

Why should the government be able to enslave people and force them to die?

 

Wow. You not only support slavery, you would assault fellow citizens to ensure they get enslaved.

 

Because we had zero wars when we drafted people?

 

He sounds like he should probably be locked up...

 

Clarifying, I stated I'd go if drafted...in my case "called back"...does not mean I support a draft.

It is immoral for any governmental entity, unless facing obliteration...to conscript a citizen against their will to kill and/or to die for the state. I would be the first to join any protest against the same..and frankly the armed forces don't want a return to the draft.

 

I joined the US military in the late 1970's.
I joined because I was tired of flipping burgers at Hardee's, I hated that home town and wanted to get away, and I wanted to earn better money flying helicopters for the US Army.

I actually went to war in the middle east when I was in the US Army.
It was not particularly fun. It was a lot of hard work.
We all did really well, but it sucked ass to be there.
I don't recommend it to the casual web forum denizen.

Years later, I still fly helicopters, I don't eat burgers anymore, and most of my money is being taxed away by a useless and morally-bankrupt federal government.

If drafted, would I go?
Probably.
If I went, would the Army very likely send me home within ten minutes, because I am now very cranky and not well-suited to being told what to do by idiots?
Yes.