Why don't people see the Draft would be a good thing?

Question

It would solve so many problems. It would teach young adults responsibility, pride, ethics, morals and many other characteristics lacking by them these days. People don't realize it would really just be an extension of school and the conscripts wouldn't see combat or ever be put in harms way, unless the country were in dire need. The enlisted would still handle the fighting, we would just have plenty of people to handle everything else. Can you imagine a country filled with respect and national pride? Low crime and unemployment rates? More young adults with real world knowledge and training in the workplace? Bottom line the negatives are few and the positives are to good to ignore. I know most have a different viewpoint, so respectful criticism please.

Please read the entire question. Conscripts would NOT be sent to fight and their two years of service will basically take care of two years of college, free.

One person almost had it, the military IS NOT ALL FIGHTING AND BLOODSHED!!! Enlisted men would still fight! Conscripts would simply handle everything else and be taught more in two years than most would have learned in an entire life.

I know it was a bit of reading, but I wish people were more educated on this.

You are right mrvid2002. It still is a good idea in my opinion. However I am a NCO so what good is my opinion.

I guess my point is think we would be in this mess in Iraq if the people who voted for its children were being sent home in boxes? Probably not.

Answer 1

The premise of your question indicates that society would be better off if the U.S. had "Mandatory Military Participation (MMP)". Better than calling it the "D" word.

Here is what you can do to better prove whether your premise is true or not. Look at the democracies in Europe or all over the world, that have MMP, and compare their quality of life to ours.
If you really want to take the time and do a comparison, go to the CIA website (BELOW) and compare the nations that have MMP and the U.S. and compare their vital stats (crime, education, income,etc).

I would venture to say that it would not or does not make a difference in a society whether they have MMP or not in terms of the vital stats of a nation.

However, I like your premise and its very optimistic. If you ran for congress and running on a MMP platform, I would vote for you, just because you still have faith in humanity. Whatever you do, do not lose your faith in humanity.

Answer 2

if it would only work that way I bet we would. i doubt that the people who were drafted would not fight over seas seeing how Bush wants to expand the Army and Marines by 30k each. You don't need the service to obtain responsibility, pride, ethics morals or any other characteristics. Especially ethics and morals because i know way to many service men who have very little and the people who I see have the most are people who praise peace not destruction. Also the extension to school is called college(high school that is). Seeing how you are in the service, would you really want people protecting you who REALLY REALLY don't want to be there. I bet the service did do all those things for you and it was a good that you did because we need some people to do it.
I was going to join the Marines but then 911 happened and we started war with Iraq and personally i feel like that is the last place to be waging war other than Israel. I would have liked to fight drug cartel in Columbia though. Now that I am older and see what's going on in the world I am glad I never did join and stayed in college.

Now if we did have the draft I have heard that it would cost a lot of money and think about the National riots that would take place and then we would need our military homeside. just won't work

I hear ya all senators sons should be sent to iraq. God bless ya

Answer 3

Conscripts are (would be) the same as volunteer enlisted or officers - unless the services decided to do things very differently. They would still be eligible to fight, maybe even more so because they would likely go straight to the infantry. In fact, if you are in uniform you are a fighter, no matter what.

And if you had spent a day in uniform you would know that.

Bottom line is people don't want a draft because then they might have to serve in the war they wanted so badly (66% support for Iraq when we started remember???)

Answer 4

I don't know. I went through the draft and did my time. I'm not sure what positives I got out of it except a sense of pride when it was over, coupled with a great sense of relief I didn't get killed.

I think an all volunteer army draws folks who really want to serve. I think there is not a big connection between mandatory service and respect for our country. And kids today will be less pliant than those of us who went through the system years ago.

And, from a practical point of view, you and I will be old men before this ever comes about. It will be fought for years in congress and the courts.

Answer 5

Are you serious? I am military and personally think the draft would be a horrible idea. yeah, maybe there is a majority of American youth these days lacking self disipline or direction, but I think there is already enough people in the military that hate it and do a poor job. If they just started pulling people at random, the quality of our soldiers would decrease even more. Thats all I need is some a$$hole that does not even want to be there looking out for me while we are in combat. I think we need to weed out the losers we have now and try to offer more incentives so maybe more people wanting to serve thier country will not feel ripped off by doing so. I'd much rather have someone who is proud to serve and eager to improve themselves working for me than some kid who was told they have to. Just my opinion though of course.

Answer 6

I couldn't agree more, Sarge. I cannot see a downside to your proposal. To learn responsibility; leadership; self-discipline; teamwork; pride and to gain a measure of self-worth and accomplishment would have value for every young man and woman. (Yes I said women, too!)

I served in the navy for eight years and still regard it (15 years later) as the best experience I've ever had.

The sad part is that as quickly as this policy would be adopted, well-heeled, over-protective parents would be looking for loopholes to "rescue" their babies from the horrors of military life. Can you imagine a congressman's kid being subjected to military life? Would Donald Trump's kids have to go? Of course not. This would become a joke--the same way the draft did because only middle-income and poor kids would be included.

Answer 7

I agree that all young people should lend service to their country for a set period of time. Girls as well as boys. But, we cannot promise that they would not, if circumstances came about, have to defend our country on foreign soil and, thereby endangering their lives.

The political party who would put the draft into law would be voted out as no one wants their child to take the risks that are involved and as the name of the game is politics, there will be no draft in the foreseeable future.

Answer 8

Sounds a bit fascist and brainwashing to me so I say no, Adolf hitler had a similar idea for his out of line nazi youth so I really couldnt see the good in making people do something they do not wish to do. I believe that would split and devour this country the moment war was on the horizon.

Answer 9

Yes, our young will be learning values and responsibility, instead of making them look like jacka** like the Bush twins in Argentina few days ago.

The only problem is the that the Bushie warmongers and the lovers of Israel will not let them or their children be drafted. It suits them well that the minorities of the US are getting killed. It is like killing two birds with one stone - reaping the fruits of the war as well doing ethnic cleansing in the US (minorities are dying more in Iraq)

Answer 10

i think a lot of people are ignorant as to what the military has to offer...it's not just war..although that is why we have a military..if i were in charge of all, all high school grads or people turning 18 would do at least 2 years...