Chairman of the Joint Chiefs: No U.S. Draft, But Maybe 'Universal Conscription'

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers remarks during a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, Oct. 10, 2012. Dempsey said the Defense Department depends on its relationships with partner nations to build stronger ties throughout the world. DOD photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sun L. Vega

Draft, No, But Dempsey Would Support “Universal” Conscription -- Kevin Baron, Foreign Policy

Forget a draft. The nation’s top military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, said on Wednesday that he would support universal mandatory military service for all Americans.

“You now -- do I support a draft? I think there’s universal service, there’s selective service, and then there’s the all-volunteer force. If I thought that we could adopt as a nation some form of universal service, I’d sign up for it in a second. Selective service really doesn’t become something that generally produces either the force you want -- because it becomes so restrictive, that the issue of being selective mostly means that there’s plenty of people who opt out, and those that opt out generally speaking then, cause a part of this society to bear a disproportionate share of the responsibility,” Dempsey said.

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My Comment: Short of a major war .... this is not going to happen. But doesn't General Dempsey have more important things to think about?

Why The U.S. Draft Will Not Be Reinstated

Why The Draft Won’t Work -- Max Boot, Commentary

In theory, the idea of national service–making all young people donate a year or two to serve the country–sounds great. It has been endorsed by liberal and conservative luminaries alike. So why hasn’t it happened? Put another way: Why hasn’t the draft been revived since it expired in 1973?

Part of the obvious reason is that Americans are intensely individualistic and resist forced labor even at the government’s behest unless there is some pressing national emergency. There was indeed such an emergency during World War II and the height of the Cold War–but there isn’t now. That is not to say that we don’t face threats, but we have found since the 1970s that we have no trouble filling the military’s ranks with high-quality volunteers.

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My Comment: Could not have said it any better.

Is Now The Time To Bring Back The Draft?

President Obama and now retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Pete Souza/The White House file

McChrystal: Time To Bring Back The Draft -- Josh Rogin, The Cable/Foreign Policy

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former top commander of international forces in Afghanistan, said this week that the United States should bring back the draft if it ever goes to war again.

"I think we ought to have a draft. I think if a nation goes to war, it shouldn't be solely be represented by a professional force, because it gets to be unrepresentative of the population," McChrystal said at a late-night event June 29 at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival. "I think if a nation goes to war, every town, every city needs to be at risk. You make that decision and everybody has skin in the game."

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My Comment: He makes a convincing case .... but I suspect that in today's climate .... if put to the vote .... the mass majority of Americans would say no and would vote for their politicians accordingly.

A Return Of The U.S. Draft?

Defense Cuts Could Lead To Military Draft, House Armed Services Chairman Says -- Washington Post

If the bipartisan debt supercommittee is unable to reach a deal by Thanksgiving, across-the-board cuts to defense spending could lead to the reinstatement of a military draft, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Monday.

“We ... need to understand what it’s going to mean to keep an all-volunteer force,” Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) told Fox News Channel Monday. “Do we want to reinstitute the draft? Some of the cuts we’re talking about would take over 200,000 out of end strength from our military.”

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Update: US lawmaker warns cuts may revive military draft -- AFP

My Comment: There is no political will in Washington to implement the draft. None whatsoever.

The End Of An Era For Vietnam Vets

Photo: The last of the draftees: Army Command Sgt. Major Jeffery Mellinger, 58, reveals he is retiring

Last Vietnam-Era Draftee Decides To Retire -- CBS

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (AP) — He didn't join the Army willingly, but as Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Mellinger prepares to retire, he's grateful he found his calling.

Mellinger was drafted to fight the Vietnam War, and the Army believes he's the last draftee to retire, after 39 years. Most did their two years and left. But Mellinger had found home.

"I think I'm pretty good at it, but I like it. That's the bottom line. I love being a soldier and I love being around soldiers," he said.

When the draft notice arrived in the mail in 1972 at his home in Eugene, Ore., tens of thousands of troops had been killed. Anti-war protests were rampant. Draft notices were being set on fire and returning soldiers were treated as part of the problem. The military wasn't a popular job.

The return address on the letter was the White House. Just 19, he was impressed that President Richard Nixon would write to him.

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Update #1: Last Vietnam-era draftee is retiring from Army -- Yahoo News/AP
Update #2: 'I told them, I don't need to go into the Army, I've got a job': Vietnam's last draftee retires after 39 years -- The Daily Mail

My Comment: In a way this story is not related .... but in another way it is .... for a great read about football, computer geeks, the marines, and the draft .... read it all.