Short Takes – A Return to the Draft? A Memorial Day Thought

Suggestions are swirling again about a return to the draft. For those born after the 1960’s, the draft was compulsory military service for two or more years. Throughout America’s history from the Civil War to Vietnam, different rules governed who was drafted, how one could get a deferment or a buy out, or get a political commission to work his time on a staff. That was all rife for abuse, and, it was abused.

Deferments were applied to account for medical reasons like, say flat feet and lung diseases, but a medical officer at the induction stations would make that decision. If you got your notice, you had to show up for induction and if you passed, your life changed forever.

Political deferments for celebrities, politicians and sons of politicians, like Ted Kennedy, were created while many others, stood up, begging their way into uniform. John Kennedy and his older brother did so. They weren’t famous then but their father had been US Ambassador to the UK. Hollywood stars flocked to the ranks during WW2 and did their duty as the government needed, including combat.

The draft was a numbers system, most draftees going into the army. With usable skills, one could be enrolled in a technical program for training as a mechanic, medic, or radio operator, otherwise, it was into one of the combat arms, Infantry sucking up the most. Only a few draftees ever went into the US Marine Corps or the Navy, because they filled their needed quota’s with volunteers. Many escaped the draft by school deferments and some when drafted, ran away to hide. During the Vietnam war, it was to Canada.

Many, eager to fight, volunteered to join a combat arm. That’s where the action was. For many, it wasn’t until they were covered with blood, sweat and the brains of their buddies, that they realized the awful truth about combat. It’ was then when a boy became a man and what he experienced would stay with him for the rest of his life. Every Memorial Day reveals more of these stories as the old Vet’s pass away.

Since 9/11, the military has had no problem filling its ranks with volunteers.These patriotic young people, with a few exceptions like Bowie Bergdahl, stay the course and remained loyal active members of their units. Many re-enlist to continue the fight and many comeback without limbs, emotionally traumatized or forever needing care. Some alas, never come back.  

America celebrates these fighters twice a year, Memorial day and Veteran’s day when the sacrifices of our military men and women are recognized and honored. How many people do you see today stand to attention when the American flag passes in review? Veterans always do. It’s honor and sacrifice.

The problem with a return of the draft today is that most of our youths are not qualified. They have been subverted by an education system, its teaching ranks filled with the anti-war radicals from the 1960’s, like the Clintons. Our schools have failed to educate our young people about Americas traditional values and why we fight, or have lied about our history making it hateful. That’s a sad but true fact. The one great pool of true Americanism, the Boy Scouts, is being perverted into a potential pool for pedophiles.

Do we need a return to the military draft? I don’t think so! To recreate a program that expects its personal to perform, even to die on a battlefield, but turns many of them into deserters requiring efforts by the military to keep them, was never good for moral. Cowards in the ranks reveal themselves quickly and their whining can bring the moral of a whole unit down to their level of defeatism. Too, a new draft would now necessarily demand the inclusion of our daughters. Those that want to go, can do so now. Those that don’t, should stay home and tend the home fires. Today, on this Memorial Day,  just be thankful Hillary Clinton’s not President. That’s worth cheering about.

Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! Hug a soldier today and have a happy Memorial day event. (26May18)