McChrystal says it's time to bring back the draft

[TheJP 3,301]

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former top commander of international forces in Afghanistan, said this week that the United States should bring back the draft if it ever goes to war again.

 

"I think we ought to have a draft. I think if a nation goes to war, it shouldn't be solely be represented by a professional force, because it gets to be unrepresentative of the population," McChrystal said at a late-night event June 29 at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival. "I think if a nation goes to war, every town, every city needs to be at risk. You make that decision and everybody has skin in the game."

 

Read he rest on Stars and Stripes

[Doc Dodge 666]

Heck, I think every able-bodied 18- 28 year-old should do a 2 year reserve/guard hitch.

[Tusk 301]

Ok - I think Gen. McChrystal has had a memorable career, but I don't know how I feel about a draft. We don't need to pluck people from what they're doing and force them into a world they may not thrive in. I see his points, but I'm not sure about a draft these days.

[Yogi 53]

I am already in the America MilSim Army does that count, so I can't Join the real Army Sorry

[WOODCOCK 67]

I agree with you Doc, many countries have a mandatory two year military obligation and I feel that it could help give some of our troubled youth these days some direction and perspective.

[BigSilva 118]

Hmmmm interesting...

I think that if we got ourselves into a situation where" all hands on deck"..i would be happy to serve and protect in an effort to make life better for my kids....but a straight up draft..?? Not sure.

[Tusk 301]

Civil service isn't a bad idea. Two years goes by very quickly. And it would have helped me from screwing around 2 years of community college that haunts my GPA still today. I should have joined at 18 instead of 20.

 

I know in Germany, civil service is only for those who don't have a trade and University lined up. But in Israel, it's every female and male who is physically able to do so. So I think we go with the German method. Some pretty smart folks out there that should be on the fast path to success, but for those who need some time, they can come play soldier with me. Well, er... Airman. I'll still be Sergeant.

[Metal 689]

If they call, I'll go. I gladly signed up for selective service a few days after my 18th birthday being of the mind that if my country needed me, I would have no hesitations going.

 

Now, I would muh rather be called upon if an organized amry was directly threatening the US. I do fully understand the point that Mc Chrystal is trying to make though, and I somewhat agree.

[TheJP 3,301]

Think there should be mandatory service in the US, much like Israel and other countries do. I personally think this would help teach youth discipline and usable skills that they can later apply in life.

 

Of course something pretty drastic would have to happen to the US to get that voted in.

[PITT 90]

I agree with you JP, I think a 2 year stint in the military for every able bodied AND able minded youth is a good idea. Now there are some 18-20 year olds who should NOT serve that 2 years.

[Doc Dodge 666]

There is the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps. The National Park System could use those strong young hands and bodies to help with the upkeep.

[Beaver 105]

The current reduction plans that are in place for our Armed Forces threaten to put us at a troop count that we haven't seen since the 1940s, so bringing up the draft was a well planned statement.

Would it work nowadays, I don't think so. Between the rush to enroll in college and the "I refuse to serve a country that won't give me eveything I want" we would be left with the good few that would and could do the job and the "I couldn't find a way out of it". From a leadership point of view, that doesn't leave me high numbers to work with. Mounted on top of the already short ramp up most of us get before deployment, trial by fire would increase the number of casualties due to lack of proper training.

The exception being the implementation of mandatory service time of 2 years at the age of 17-18 and we may be able to develop a working model of the draft.

[Aswayze 364]

Never again… Conscription is poison to an Army.

 

Not because we should not expect more out of our youth.

 

Not because it wouldn’t give direction to those who need it most.

 

Not because it wouldn’t reduce unemployment.

 

Not because it wouldn’t give us better citizens.

 

 

Because we should respect our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines enough to allow them to work with their peers in a professional army not laden them with a bunch of people who do not want to be there just punching time on a 2 year commitment. Vietnam showed us what a draftee military looks like. The Falklands, the Gulf War, and a myriad of other conflicts have shown us what happens when you put conscripts up against a professional army.

 

As Beaver pointed out as well, poor training = more casualties to boot.

 

NEVER AGAIN.

[TheJP 3,301]

Both Beaver and Swayze have good points, I did not think of it in that light.

[Youngblood 14]

Everyone makes good points, but I'm with Swayze on this one. As an officer candidate in the Marine Corps I've had the chance to speak with a lot of amazing marines, and the one's who served in Vietnam all describe how terrible the draft was for the US military. To that point, I'd much rather lead and serve alongside other men and women who posses the discipline and belief in service that I pride myself on, rather than those who are forced to be there.

[TAS 42]

as a former NCO and platoon sgt i would hate to see the draft. we have a hard enough time to keep the ones who WANT to be in the military motivated. if we get a bunch of people in who dont want to be there in the first place the cost of training, equiping, and even jailing the conscripts will skyrocket. better a smaller service of trained troops, than a larger one that will surender at the first sound of a shot.

 

now national service (hospitals, police, forestry, schools, etc...) heck yes that would be just fine, thats how the germans do it in place of military service.

 

just my thoughts

thanks

dave

[Doc Dodge 666]

I really think two years service is a great idea, but not all people are a fit in th military and America is a nation of choises, so the service time could be military, CCC, Peace Corps, VA, or any of a dozen other areas.

[TAS 42]

wow we agree

[Schlabie 17]

Just my two cents, ill be turning 18 in 2 years, so if they did have a draft id be screwed. To be quite honest, I have no desire to be in the military. I dont know a ton about the draft and alot of military things so my opinion could be somewhat biased.

 

edit: i also thought about all the protesting and riots that happened in Vietnam, if a draft happened those would be alot bigger. Becoming a nuiscance to the police and government.

[Suecyde 4]

IMO... If you do not average a C or better in HS and lined up to go to college. Then it is Draft time. Give the kids some real life experience.

[Aswayze 364]

So what you are saying is that you should send only the lower grade people off to war?

 

Or are you saying that you don't think the other soldiers are valuable enough to you to warrant putting higher standards upon those that they have to rely upon in combat?

 

Look guys, the military is not boy scouts, it is not a place to send wayward youth to make up for their parents being lazy, it is a serious trade in a deadly serious business. We have chosen to have an all volunteer force not because we don't like the hassles of a draft but because we recognize that troops that want this lifestyle are are VASTLY more effective in combat than conscripts that are forced into it.

 

It is disrespectful to our troops to say that among the many things they already have to do, they now have to be babysitters as well.

 

Real life will take care of the kiddos once they finally move out of their parents basement, don't make it our troops problem.

[Suecyde 4]

With all due respect. I spent my time in the military. And even though most do not want to admit it, once you are an NCO... that is your job, to baby sit.

 

I did not mention that you have to send these kids off to war... as I seen in 03 many ppl that joined the military were scrambling to find a way to not get deployed. There are many other options to teach kids and give them life lessons. The military helps to educate and mature our youth.

 

I may not be fully informed on this, so forgive me if I am wrong, but is not the National Guard a great option to keep these kids states side yet put them in a position to give back to their country? Activate the draft and send these kids to help clean up the messes we have here in the states, from cleaning up Katrina and the Twin Towers to rebuilding homes and building our nation.

 

Kids will not only come out with some maturity and life experiences but also with job experience and a sense of direction. While there is a percentage of military that are failures in life and make poor choice, the majority go on to find something better and return the support they recieved by standing up for their service comrades.

 

IMO it is much more than just enabling the draft... but with some organization, it could be a grea thing.

[TAS 42]

as a former NCO i would like to say, hell no i want the smart ones, stupid joes are soooooo hard to train, one of the last guys i had in germany was a GED, job corps drop out, 50 GT, rock with lips. took all the time from the other troops that wanted to learn. i say send them to pick up trash and work in the parks dept. the military should be a honor not a social program of last resort.

[White Fox 10]

If it wasn't for my asvab score (31) i would be in now, but i am working on it

[Rebel 59]

Rejected from military service per medical. This one don't have to worry bout being drafted anytime soon even with a asvab of (83)