Why did Mitt Romney seek a draft deferment from the Mormon church?

Question

That doesn't sound very American to me.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/

As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon "minister of religion" for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years.

The question is, why didn't he fight for his country when he had the chance?

Answer 1

Sheesh....He went on a mission for his church in France.
He could have been like Bill Clinton and run off to England on a scholarship. In fact any church which has missionaries for young adults can have people go on missions for a time not just Mormons. This is 40 years ago, get over it.

Answer 2

He was a missionary for 2 1/2 years in France, unpaid, in fact paying his own way to be there. He did not protest the war or seek to get out of being drafted, he just had a faith that he should serve a mission at that age. Right now there are 60,000 other young men and women doing the same thing. It has nothing to do with times of war or anything else, it's just the age that they are when they are called to serve a mission. He put a lot of things on hold for that 2 1/2 years - education, marriage, work, and war.

Answer 3

Romney's home state was Michigan, making his 4-D exemption as a missionary all but automatic because of the relatively small number of Mormon missionaries from that state. It might have been more difficult in Utah, where the huge Mormon population meant that there were sometimes more missionaries than available exemptions. Most missions lasted two and a half years, as Romney's did.
He became eligible for military service in 1970, he drew a high number in the annual lottery that determined which young men were drafted. His high number ensured he was not drafted into the military.

Answer 4

One must remember that in the LDS faith, it is a commandment from God for all eligible young men between the ages of 19 and 25 to serve a full-time mission (most of which last 2 to 2 1/2 years). Therefore, Romney would have been planning on going since he was a young child. This was not a sudden decision, or one that he made to get out of military service. Most young men in the church begin learning about what missions are like and that they will be expected to serve one at the tender age of 4, when they first enter Primary (children's organization of the church). Some will learn it even younger if there parents discuss it with them. Most likely, it was never a consideration in his or his family's mind that he would not serve a mission.

Answer 5

Eveidenly he, like Bill Clinton had a high number in the draft lottery. I doubt if the right wing talk show bozos are going to ever bring this up as they did with Clinton, but it is a nice piece of political trivia. 'Mitt' could have easily enlisted in some branch of the service, but like 'Darth' Cheney evidently he had other commitments!

Answer 6

He was fulfilling his religious desire to serve God and his church. After his missionary service was completed, he registered for the draft. So, actually he did both: erve God and country.

Answer 7

If andy g was here she would explain in detail every nuance of any draft dodgers military background.

Answer 8

I DIDN'T THINK THAT HIM BEING OF THE MORMON FAITH WAS AN ISSUE.
BUT, NOW THAT YOU TELL ME HE WAS A "MINISTER OF RELIGION ", THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BOWL OF WAX. IT WILL MAKE ME THINK TWICE ABOUT HIM.

I MEAN JFK WASN'T A DEACON OR PASTOR OR PRIEST. BUT TO HAVE HELD A " MINISTER OF RELIGION ' POSITION, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT WON'T AFFECT HIS JUDGEMENT WHEN HE RULES ON LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES OR WETHER TO GO TO WAR OR NOT IN DEFENSE OF THE NATIONAL INTERESTS OF THE U.S AND ITS CITIZENS ???

Answer 9

sounds nicer than being a draft dodger

Answer 10

It looks like you answered your own question.