2007-02-23 11:55:08 · 8 answers · asked by curious george 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Thanks for the outstanding answers all. The Mark Wilkerson court martial made me wonder how many men(or women) would voluntarily return to war after serving one tour of duty.
2007-02-24 09:57:42 · update #1
The volunteer rate for duty in Viet Nam remained the same , within 3% points average 24%, throughout conflict.The rate of volunteer for duty was the same for lower enlisted men as for combat officers.
Non combat arms actaully was very much higer in 1st tour volunteers of senior NCO's and higher comissined officers.
Great way to get rank and especially for those who were nearing reetirment time.
Much higher pay than in states and for the vast majority, more so today than then, it was as easy a duty as one could get while in service.
For the single guy who never got any to the married guy who found he could get all he wanted, for a fee of course and sometimes a very litle fee, 10cents when I first went there, pack of smokes, pkg C-rats and then all the mommys boys during the build up started paying 20 bucks and more.
Millions of american GIs never heard a shot fired in anger in one tour.
Special forces had a very high rate of return volunteers, and then the lifers startted to get in and ruined it. then the Montgnard rebellion when US special forces had to let the yards sink or die changed many a mans mind on who was the good guy in that war.
Yes it was a good war, a mans war, if not in regular grunt humping a ruck day aftrer day moments of chaos and rest of sweat, but helping indigenous peoples and your counter plans manoymano BS and not just slaughteing innocent villagers by air and arty or for the hell of it of regular grunts.
2007-02-23 12:58:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't give you a percentage on that but I have seen data regarding the KIAs. Conventional wisdom might be that all these guys over there were drafted but the reality was that most had volunteered. I know several guys that at least did partial extra tours in Vietnam and some that volunteered for second tours. Some did it because it fit their enlistment and they didn't want to come back Stateside and learn some new job in a new unit when they only had a few months left.
In regards to service today, there is no draft. Those of us who serve have volunteered. We also know that by joining that we are agreeing to possibly being extended (ie, stop loss). This is 2007. Troops were first being held over in early 2004 so nobody should be whining now because they know the deal and have had opportunity to get out.
2007-02-23 15:39:21 · answer #2 · answered by k3s793 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not too many, it wasn't like it is today ! Then again, I don't believe you can accurately use the word volunteer when talking about many of the tours today. When the Pentagon activates a unit, and you're part of that unit, you're going and that's that ! They don't ask if you've been in combat before they tell you you're going back. Your unit is going and so are you.
This is why we need new euphemisms for such action. How about: RIC, or Recycled Involuntary Combatant ! This way, the army and Marines can specify how many RIC's they want attached to each new UBD or, Unit Being Deployed, without the media picking up on what is going on !
What do you think?
2007-02-23 12:10:24 · answer #3 · answered by briang731/ bvincent 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't know the exact number, but probably many more than you think! Some young men like the taste of war. Many felt it a duty to go back, since so many others went to Canada to avoid going to Vietnam & the draft. Some planed to make the military a career & double duty leads higher rank.
2007-02-23 12:08:51 · answer #4 · answered by geegee 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I volunteered for 3 tours from 1967-1968 and 1971. It is unknown how many elisted soldiers
did volunteer for another tour in Vietnam.
US Army(RET) 21 Years!!
2007-02-23 12:46:41 · answer #5 · answered by Vagabond5879 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your basic Vietnam grunt was often a draftee who didn't have (or want) a long enough military commitment to allow a second tour. I can't give you an exact percentage, but a fairly large number of those who were planning to stay in the army did volunteer for multiple tours. It's hard to compare to today's volunteer force, because it was such a different kind of army.
2007-02-23 12:34:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
That's an interesting question. My USAF father did. Perhaps because his sons were enlisting and my eldest of four brothers went, Army.
2007-02-23 16:23:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a friend the not only did his time in Nam but signed up for a second tour in Nam. He really like it and there's a lot of dead Cong thanks to him.
2007-02-23 14:15:21 · answer #8 · answered by Kevin A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋