should the U.S. reinstate the draft?

Question

should it include 17 year olds

Answer 1

Lt General Douglas Lute, W's senior military advisor, has been attempting to get the draft reinstated. Now we know that Iran is not an "if" but a "when". So expect the call up when that is about to happen. A draft may galvanize the country to finally and forcefully take back the government. Remember that those of us drafted for Vietnam are now parents and grandparents. We will not let Vietnam-in-Iraq-or-Iran happen to our kids and grandkids.

Answer 2

As much as I think it would do good for the people who seem to hate the military, I think it is, overall, an undesireable idea.

There are many western countries who requre every male citizen to go into the armed forces. In Denmark, all young men are required to enroll in the army for one year, with certain exceptions.
In Switzerland, everyone is required to enroll for 2 years.
When people come out, they generally more responsible, more appreciative of what soldiers do, and more confident.

I prefer the requirement of every single young man and woman to enlist in the Armed Forces for one year. After that year, they can choose to do whatever they want. I am certain that there would be many more people who decide to continue to stay in the military.

The word "draft" is a cussword in the United States, and has been since Vietnam.
The concept of a lottery that nobody wants to win has major negative psychological effects on people who have no idea what they are getting into.
If everyone had to enlist for one year, at the age of 18 (not 17), I think it would be much better than having a draft.

I don't think that 17 year olds should be available for the draft or for service. My reasoning mainly is based my own mentality at 17. I was just a little kid, and I think I would have been a very dangerous recruit.

Overall, I think the way we do it right now is a good way. I think that it is inspiring that we have so many brave young men and women that will volunteer. An all volunteer military is the best way to do it.

If everyone got the chance to see what it is really all about though, I think many more would decide to stay involved.

I think that either everybody should do it, or only the people that want to. So no, I don't think they shoud reinstate the draft. Instead, make everyone enlist for a year.

Answer 3

No. A two year period of conscription isn't enough time to fully train today's warriors. Added up, it is a gigantic waste of time and money. The Congressman from New York who introduced the latest bill to reinstate the draft has an unemployment rate among males in the 18-26 years of age range, that is in double digits. Although Charles Rangel is a decorated veteran of the Korean War, he looks on conscription as a jobs program.

Answer 4

How?

A draft is impractical. So impractical, in fact, as to be impossible while also carrying on a war.

A draft will require larger team sizes which requires more troops then at every eschelon. It could easilly take another 2 divisions worth of troops to fill out the 10 active duty combat divisions.

Gone will be the "hands-off" basic training. You think Mr. Rangel will sign the legisltion to allow for, or at least not call for investigations of, recruits being subjected to "wall-to-wall counselling?"

All of this requires new doctrine. Everything from movement, because of larger, team, squad, and platoon sizes, to command and control because of a lowered reliance on initiative.

Then there's the money issues. Current vehicles have been bought because they easily carry current team/squad/platoon size elements.We'll need either new vehicles or more of them.
You gotta pay, house and feed these people, too.

What percentage of conscripts will stay and make a career of the military? If they are drafted for 6 years (even 4 is too short for many MOSs) which aligns with voluntary enlistment duration (there are variations, but I'm not going to go into that), then you start a revolving door which will inflate the number of people that are then entitled to one level of vererans benefits or another, unless you reduce benefits or raise requirements to be eligible.

What do you do with the people that are "drafted" but aren't suited to service? Not everyone is. The idea is universal service. Or are we going to water down the quality of the force by taking all comers? Won't this result in greater costs in treating these people for injuries for the physically and psychologicaly unsuited?

The devil truly is in the details on this idea.

Answer 5

No, we should not go to war with Iran, that would be the only reason we need a draft.

Iran has 11 million soldiers ready for active duty, to our 3 million, so if we go to war with them, we will need a draft. All the more reason to say no to war with Iran.

We do not need a draft for the Iraq "war". It would never happen the American people would not let it. I personally believe that before instating a draft, we should have a real vote, to see if the American public even wants us to be in this "war", before being forced to fight in it. I think the resounding voice would be NO WAR.

Although drafted soldiers are payed for their services, I see it as a form of slavery. More like Indentured servitude, but along the same lines. Forcing people to die for a profit-driven war is going to get our war-mongering leaders a trip to hell a lot quicker than they were hoping for.

Answer 6

No reason to include 17 year olds, there are plenty of young men 18 and over. Right now, I'd say we don't need the draft (particularly once we start to draw back in Iraq - and we will).

Answer 7

17 no 18 and older yes. At 17 you are still legally a child. And right now there's no need for a draft. The soldiers we do have are doing a great job.

Answer 8

No way should 17 year olds be included.

Answer 9

We're doing just fine without drafts. The USAF recruiters are soo lazy now because they never have to do any recruiting. People just like the air force for some reason. Safety perhaps and because our fighter planes are so flashy =D

The point is: The military isn't undermanned so far. It's stretched, yeah, but we have reserves for that.

Answer 10

Only if it would include the president and his family, regardless of sex and age, all members of congress and senate and their families regardless of age and sex, and above all, those warmongers on Fox channels. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly.
Result, if these people were all required to serve and confront the enemy in any war, there would be no war, thus, no need for the draft.