The Draft

[209]

Background: I read, maybe call it a poll, a couple of weeks ago in the paper. Now, stupid me, I didn't save it and can't find it, so don't shoot me if I don't get the exact numbers right.

Anyway, the poll asked college students if they would obey draft notices. I think the responses were in the following ranges:

26%- Yes
32%- Yes, if they stayed stateside, no
overseas duties.
25%- No.
18%- Would leave the country to aviod it.

I was gratified to see a quarter of our youth would march to the sound of the drums. But I was puzzled at the "no overseas" group. "I'll do it, but I don't want to be overly inconvienced." Does anyone see the irony in that thought?

The other 43%- we'll forget them....for now.

[Frank Booth]

[ 04-04-2003, 09:22 PM: Message edited by: Frank Booth ]

[FLLawdog]

Someone must have told them that AFN doesn't carry MTV. Guess they want to be stationed in Michigan to guard us against those pesky Canadiens, eh ?

What's in it for me...the prevailing anthem for Gen X, or Y or whatever it is. "Ooooooo, I'd LOOOOOVE to help my country....but I don't want to do it out of the country, though".

Big change from the 60's, which is good, but it could be better.

[209]

If my friends are representative of the draft, you're probably right, Frank.

Friend #1- went in, but took an extra year, so he wouldn't go to Nam.

Friend #2- went in and went to Nam. He did'nt make it back.

Friend #3- joined the Corps for 4 yrs, rather than wait for his notice for the Army.

Ex-Friend #4- Went to Canada. Came back when the anmesty thing happened. I see him every now and then but we don't talk much. He thinks I don't like him.

Friend #5- Went to Canada. Stayed there and won't come back to the US. He says he refused to fight for the country, he doesn't deserve to have the rights of a citizen. I respect that.

[Evnings]

When the registering for the draft started back up, I read the guide lines several times to make sure I was ineligibile to register due to my age.

When it was reinstituted, I already was a cop and I sure didn't want to loose my job because I had failed to register. My birthdate fell into that magical age that was too young to register for the old draft and to old to register for the new draft. I remember that we had memo's come out telling those officers that fell into the age bracket that had to register they had better do it or they would loose their job.

Now I am way too old to get drafted, but if for some reason they got to 42 year old men, I'd go and do what ever they told me to do.

[MK219]

I regret not jioning the service when I first got out of school. If I was called to go, I'd gladly go. One of the reason I want to be an officer is it's the next best thing. I want to serve my country, but I don't want to miss seeing my daughter(s) grow-up. I know LEO - military is not the same, but my intent is: to serve my country, make it safer for all citizens, provide a better future for my girls. If that means take abullet on foriegn soil, or on route 95 during a traffic stop, I'd take either if I HAD TO.( but would rather not, I heard they hurt like Hell )

[Niteshift]

I already went.......without being forced to go.

[Tom]

I'm an 18 year old college freshman and I'd go.

[Taterhead]

Signed up for the draft back in 83, if i remember correctly. Joined the Army in 85. Did 10 yrs. It's one of the smartest things I did. (Getting out was also one of the smartest things I did.)
If, for some reason, they asked me to go back in I would.

[555]

FLLawdog, you are a member of GEN X like it or not.

This whole my generation was better than your generation crap has got to end. Spare me. It makes people sound so silly. People are as they have always been. If not than why is it that todays youngsters don't measure up to their parents? Didn't their parents raise them? Teach them what to believe in? If they were such warriors why did they fail so miserably with their children?

[klar]

I do not have to sign up for the draft as I have spent over 9.5 years in service. They will have to find someone else. But if I was asked to go back in to assist in the training of the newbies I would gladly do it. IF we were ever invaded I would be in and marching at the front.

Klar

[Delta_V]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 555:
If not than why is it that todays youngsters don't measure up to their parents? Didn't their parents raise them? Teach them what to believe in? If they were such warriors why did they fail so miserably with their children?

---

I don't think that the parents of today's college students fall into the 'warrior' classification. Many of these people were the hippies and draft dodgers of the 60s and 70s.

You can't deny the liberalization of America. I bet if a poll was taken after the last time we were attacked (Dec. 7, 1941), EVERYONE would have agreed to be drafted. It's quite pathetic to see that only a small percentage of the nation's youth want to fight for the country now, but I am by no means surprised.

[ 09-12-2002, 01:16 AM: Message edited by: PatrickM98 ]

[John Sharp]

Well, I do not particularly WANT to go, but I would go if needed. I feel that this country has given me 21 years to live as I please, free from oppression, and that if I have to lose my life for another person to enjoy 21 free years, then so be it.

"Greater love hath no man then he that layeth down his life for a friend"

John

[JKT]

I, like Evnings, fell between the cracks, as it were.

I was too young to register when it was discontinued, and too old when it was reinstated.

But, I regret NOT going into the Military when I could have. It would have been a great experience and would have benefitted me greatly.

Now, I'm just too old for it...

[Sig220Man]

The "draft" was reinstated not long before I graduated from high school. Within a month of my 18th birthday, I went to my local post office and PROUDLY registered.

This was a time when many people thought the "Next Vietnam" was going to be fought in Central America.

I had no thoughts of burning my Selective Service Card, or running off to Canada to hide at my aunt's house. In fact I still have the letter from Selective Service, acknowledging receipt of my registration, somewhere in my files.

I'm well past the age of required registration, but even if it weren't, I'd still do so. PROUDLY.