Monday, May 3, 2004

Time to bring back the draft?
Long ago and far away the USA still had this thing called the draft. While most of us who didn't harbor ambitions of becoming career soldiers weren't thrilled about it, there was another thing known as the Vietnam War going on that made troop replacements necessary, even if in relatively modest numbers compared to WWII. Since such large numbers weren't required, a draft "lottery" system was put in place in the late 1960s, with each eligible male (at that time) assigned a number based on the day of his birth. Lower numbers were almost certain to be drafted unless they volunteered first; higher ones started planning the rest of their lives with peace of mind. In the aftermath of Vietnam the draft was abandoned in practice, and the American military went to a completely volunteer system which, to the surprise of many, has worked out well. The caliber of people -- men and women -- now serving voluntarily seems high. Competence and dedication do not seem lacking. What does seem lacking now is volume. The War on Terror with all its global commitments, plus normal demands on our forces, has stretched the U.S. military to what seems dangerously thin levels, particularly when it comes to troops on the ground. National Guard and Reserve forces have been tapped heavily for this war. Where are we going to get more troops if another crisis of similar dimensions arises?

By Robert Parker at 5:54 PM | Permalink
Category: Homeland Defense | Comments (2)