Is this considered a draft?

Question

Earlier today, my mom told me about a kid who could not make it to her college class to finish a project they were working on (no napoleon dynamite jokes about 'your mom going to college', please keep it serious). She told me this kid, who had been in the military and finished his term, was called back in to go to Iraq. Now, my mom and dad always have this argument on whether it's considered a "draft." The mom thinks it is, the dad thinks it isn't. And keep in mind, this isn't the only one who's been called back, there are thousands, and it was against their will (since they left the military). Who do you think is right?

Answer 1

In a way it is a draft because prior service people are forced against their will to serve in the armed forces because they have past training. Even though it is a stipulation the contract, it is explained to many servicemembers as only being allowed for in the event of a declared war. The War on Terror is somewhat undefined! and many servicemembers are straight lied to about this clause. Many lawyers and politicians are trying to figure out exactly what is allowed for under this clause because when you look at the contract it is very ambiguous and doesn't really state what requirements need to be met before a soldier can be recalled. No judge in his right mind is going to kill his career by ruling it unconstitutional during a war time because it would mean that the Army is now going to lose a ton of its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know because I was involuntarily extended beyond my original contract by 10 months!!

Point being, politicians, lawyers, philosophers, and armchair generals of all sorts have tried to determine the legality and morality of these recalls. Ultimately they are here to stay whether they are fair or not because the US military is too small to handle our current operations worldwide.

Answer 2

When you first join the military you have an 8 year total commitment.
Your first enlistment is usually 4 or 6 years. If you dont re-enlist and get out of the service you still have 2 or 4 years left to the original 8 year commitment. When you get out your are transferred to the "Inactive Reserves" During your time as inactive reserve, if something happens and they need you, they can call you back.

Since this guy is described as a "kid" and yet he just got out, I seriously doubt he has been active duty for more than 8 years, meaning he was on Inactive Reserve status. and subject to recall.

And as another answerer pointed out. they can involuntarily extend your enlistment too. but this also is not a draft.

If you are assigned to a unit that is deployed into a combat zone. they can extend your tour of duty for the good of the service if losing you would cause a problem for the unit to function.

Your Mom is wrong.
Your Dad is right.

It's Not a Draft.

Answer 3

nope not a draft. Draft went out of style with the end of Vietnam. The USA has a self sign up military. It is stil responsible to sign up on the draft signature, should it ever be reinstituted. However, when you sign with the military, regardless of what the initial contract reads as, enlistment for 2 years, 4 years, 6 years. When you sign you are technically signing for 8 years should all 8 be needed. In this kid's case, he more than likely signed 2 or 4 year contract more than likely for College Pay. Since things in Iraq have lasted as long as it has the military has recalled a number of those graduated numbers back for active duty to fill in the blanks.

Under normal circumstances once you finish your initial signed contract term you are requested to sign you name to the Active Reserve or National Guard to ride out the remainder of the 8 years. I'm thinkin' this kid signed with the Reserve as a weekend warrior and called called back for active duty as almost every Reservist and National Guard has been in the last 3 years.

It is not a draft, per say, it is more of a contract obligation that the military has decided to fulfill.

You would know if it was an official draft as the world as we know it would end with media screaming backdoor liberals and people running to canada and mexico on a daily basis.

Someone after me asked about the 8 year thing...if you have already retired from the military or have been exited by medical reasons you are not eligible under usual circumstances to report back within the military. The contract that is signed covers the 1st 8 years of service. whether you are in and out in 4 and then the other four in reserves to finish your obligation, or the full 8 in a renew of your contract the obligation is only for 8 years in total, if you renew past that that is totally your decision to make it a career.

Answer 4

I was in the same situation. I got out of the military in 2001 but got recalled in Sept 2004 to go to Iraq. when ever anyone signs up for the military you have an eight year commitment, regardless of how long you are on active duty. If you are only have two years of active service you also have six more years in the Inividual Ready Reserve(IRR). This is plainly stated in the contract that each soilder signs. If someone is not smart enough to read every part of that contract that is their fault. That being said I do not agree with the way the call up of IRR personel was conducted. I was only one of the thirty percent who acctuall showed up during my callup. and nothing was done to the seventy percent that didn't. It is not a draft since each person signed their contract.

Answer 5

Wehn joining the military the new recruit signs up for a 7 years stint. The active portion of that enlistment can be 2, 3, 4 and 6 years. The remainder of the time is called inactive reserve. A serviceman/woman can be called back to active duty at anytime during that period of inactive service until the 7 year time span is complete and in some instances can be involuntarily extended. Its all in the contract, and everone who joins signs it.

Answer 6

One you have finished your commitment you cannot be called back in. What many people don't realize (your mom is in this group) is that most military do some part of their service as Inactive reserve and this counts towards their total commitment. These are the ones that are being called back. The military is a 6 year commitment, typically 4 of which are active duty and 2 inactive duty unless called back to service. This is right, this is no secret to anyone in the armed services today.

Answer 7

It is not like a draft. When you first sign up with the military it is understood that you can be called back if necessary. If a person cannot abide by the terms of a contract they ought never sign onto it in the first place. Your dad is right. Your mom is wrong.

Answer 8

Nope not a draft.

Many people sign up and don't realize they can possibly be called back up. At the moment the army wanted me to do a 4 year enlistment with a 4 year period of reserves or IRR. The guy was more likely called up from the IRR's. Im not sure what IRR means though.

Answer 9

No it is not a draft, it's a bum deal. People are saying there is an 8 yr commitment, but for example: My uncle RETIRED from the USAF after 25 yrs of service and after a few years retired they tried to bring him back to go to Iraq, but he was too out of shape to go (diabetes). Does the 8 yr contract still hold water after 25 years of service? is it an 8 yr contract after you leave? My cousin is in Iraq and was told to do a 2 yr term in Iraq and when his tour was up he was ordered to do another. They did that to thousands of our boys. Why are we even in Iraq anyway? There wasn't any WMD and Saddam isn't in power anymore. Is Iraqi oil that important we have to keep sacrificing our friends, and family for it? We are losing a war we have no business being in. Isn't that what happened in Vietnam? And is this GW's way of atoning for dodging the draft then?

Answer 10

People used to have an 8 year commitment, usually 2 in the service and the remainder in the reserves! I think that is what you are talking about. It may not "technically" be a draft, but it is actually a backdoor one, as is keeping military beyond their ETS date, which the military has been doing!

Before calling on the reserves and people who have already served, they should give those who support the troops so much, the chance to actually become one!