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Conscription- Would you serve?

Would you Serve if you were conscripted?

  • Total voters
    51
righteous wars don't need a draft.
 
TurtleDude said:
righteous wars don't need a draft.
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.

You are right... given we have had only 4 to 6 righteous wars in US history and never had a problem (though we generally had a draft).

All the military needs are enough inner-city kids that have no hope going to college because Pell grants and loans have been cut, or any chance at a good job as unions have been castrated; leaving the military as the only path to economic wellness. Take away all of their other options for the American dream and leave them but four (Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines) and you certainly will have enough bodies to throw at even the most meaningless wars (Iraq being the best example of this).

No, you will never need a draft as long as you have enough hungry young men with very few options.... Keep 'em hungry and desperate.
 
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For a free assault rifle, you are darn right I would.
 
Somerville said:
I tried to enlist but my eyesight disqualified me, so today I work for the government and face denigration as one of those "sucking off the teat of our taxpayer funding". Interesting - military personnel become heroes but being employed by the same government can make one a parasite. There is a disconnect.
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The flocks and herds of the right-wing don't recognize things like disconnects. It all sails silently right over their heads.
 
Righteous Wars and other myths.

WWII is considered a righteous war by most Americans, yet it had the draft.

What I have noticed about the right wing patriots is there are quite a few have a wide variety of justifications for not serving but demand those who attack us be punished with military force. The former vice president comes to mind, but seems quite a few very well off conservative Americans have very well rehearsed excuses for not serving. Funny how many love shooting sports, talk a mean game about patriotism, armed citizens to keep tyranny at bay, but are not about to go anywhere near 'harm's way' when real threats are around. :roll:

I volunteered for the Infantry, just figured it was what a citizen who can serve should do. I personally don't see much worth dying for overseas, but who really does? If it is up to each citizen to decide I'd wager a shiny nickle most would opt out. So I figure it as not for me to reason why, we are supposed to have civilian leadership that truly does value American life over corporate gain. Over petty vendettas and childish posturing. Remember each soldier has put life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness at risk to serve the national interest.

I have heard a lot of reasons why men didn't serve their country. The worst is 'righteous' war. War is never righteous to those who see combat, lose buddies, lose life. it is a vile and evil process you are a tiny part in the grand scheme of things.

I guess some would rather enjoy all the good our nation has to offer, but not render service to keep her strong. These days less than 10% of those in uniform are in combat arms- logistics and personnel support eat up vast numbers. Plenty of places for the not so willing to risk life and limb, to serve the nation that has so blessed so many of us.
 
LA-
hold out for a crew served belt fed firing from the open bolt position general purpose machine gun ... THEY kick ass! :peace
 
I didn’t have to be conscripted I volunteered!
 
I once had a Soldier in my platoon who got a letter in the mail from the selective service system telling him he needed to register. The irony of having someone already in the Army register for the draft was not lost on us, but I guess if he got out before the age of 25 they'd need the info.
 
Stewart said:
I recently discovered that the USA maintains a roll of potential conscripts. This got me thinking.

For the purpose of this thought experiment let us assume the USA and it's allies has gotten involved in a long, messy and very bloody battle with China over Tawian's independence. This has involved fighting on mainly Chinese soil and China are clearly on the defensive.

If there was a clear mechanism to opt out of service, not necessarily conscientious objector but other excuses as well.

My Question is thus, would you serve if you are conscripted?

Explain your answer.

Note: I'm not nessecarily focusing on fighting china, more of an external threat. Also, for the purposes of this thought exercises, females are on the SSR as well.
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I would only fight if my family and country were threatened
 
I believe others' freedom, when things are really bad, is worth it.
 
notquiteright said:
Righteous Wars and other myths.

WWII is considered a righteous war by most Americans, yet it had the draft.

What I have noticed about the right wing patriots is there are quite a few have a wide variety of justifications for not serving but demand those who attack us be punished with military force. The former vice president comes to mind, but seems quite a few very well off conservative Americans have very well rehearsed excuses for not serving. Funny how many love shooting sports, talk a mean game about patriotism, armed citizens to keep tyranny at bay, but are not about to go anywhere near 'harm's way' when real threats are around. :roll:

I volunteered for the Infantry, just figured it was what a citizen who can serve should do. I personally don't see much worth dying for overseas, but who really does? If it is up to each citizen to decide I'd wager a shiny nickle most would opt out. So I figure it as not for me to reason why, we are supposed to have civilian leadership that truly does value American life over corporate gain. Over petty vendettas and childish posturing. Remember each soldier has put life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness at risk to serve the national interest.

I have heard a lot of reasons why men didn't serve their country. The worst is 'righteous' war. War is never righteous to those who see combat, lose buddies, lose life. it is a vile and evil process you are a tiny part in the grand scheme of things.

I guess some would rather enjoy all the good our nation has to offer, but not render service to keep her strong. These days less than 10% of those in uniform are in combat arms- logistics and personnel support eat up vast numbers. Plenty of places for the not so willing to risk life and limb, to serve the nation that has so blessed so many of us.
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Combat support doesn't ensure fobbitry, especially for mechanics. That said, anyone who enlists and hopes to never get deployed is an ass.
 
I misread the above, twice.
 
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Stewart said:
I recently discovered that the USA maintains a roll of potential conscripts. This got me thinking.
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The roll in question is called Selective Service System: Welcome

USC › Title 10 › Subtitle A › Part I › Chapter 13 › § 311

(a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.
(b) The classes of the militia are—
(1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and
(2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.
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Every US citizen is automatically a part of the unorganized militia. This is how we can be drafted, because we're already affiliated with the military by default...the state can just 'call you up'. They're not enslaving a free man, they're activating a militiaman. The very purpose of the Selective Service is to record exactly who is in the unorganized militia should they need to be activated.

I've long been of the opinion that a 2-year term or service should be mandatory for everyone upon turning 18, because when US citizens turn 18 we become part of the militia whether we like it or not. This is forced on us like taxes, so IMO just roll with it, we should just use it to our advantage. Even if we choose not to continue to serve in the military, we are still in the militia and so we should have some base-level training to accompany it. We could be summarily deputized during a natural disaster before relief comes. We could be part of a neighborhood watch, etc. These civil duties would be greatly served by basic military training.

Being associated with the military be default is also how we drive our right to personally own firearms, but I suppose that's for another thread.

To answer your question, assuming I weren't already in the service, yes, I would serve. If I disagreed with the conflict in question then I would do what my uncles did during Vietnam and voluntarily enlist before I was drafted and choose a 'safe' job in the military. One of my uncles was in Vietnam for the entire duration of the conflict, but he never saw any action, because he served on a Navy ship. He stayed off-coast the whole time and was never in danger. When he got out the government gave him a big pat on the back for being a volunteer, money for collage and a sparkling military tore of duty to put on his resume.
 
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Surtr said:
Combat support doesn't ensure fobbitry, especially for mechanics. That said, anyone who enlists and hopes to never get deployed is an ass.
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Wrecker trucks are an essential part of every convoy. Also, at a minimum we take 2 mechanics and a contact-truck on every engineer build mission.
 
Surtr said:
You're going to be disappointed...
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I know what you mean. I was disappointed about a lot of things when I first joined the army. One thing was that no sergeant tried to bounce a quarter off of my freshly made bunk. I was disappointed that thet kept my m14 loced on the armory and I had no bullets for it except for guard duty.
 
So thinking about it, if I didn't have my genetic issues and was fully able bodied.

It would entirely depend on how I felt about the war. If some foreign aggressor was invading US soil, hell yes.

If it was a vietnam like situation or if I was asked to serve in the current Iraq war, I would do some serious cost-benefit analysis before making my choice.
 
at times of peril to the community that is fraught enough to threaten us to the point where a mass-coercion of all able-bodied men to the defenses is necessary, not only would I serve, I would look severe askance upon those who would not.
 
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Surtr said:
When I was enlisted, there were Soldiers doing everything they could to stay non-deployable, while still getting that sweet government check.
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that part hasn't changed. Even now after 10 years we have folks who have been in the entire time and have gone to lengths to see no combat tours. disgusting.
 
megaprogman said:
So thinking about it, if I didn't have my genetic issues and was fully able bodied.

It would entirely depend on how I felt about the war. If some foreign aggressor was invading US soil, hell yes.

If it was a vietnam like situation or if I was asked to serve in the current Iraq war, I would do some serious cost-benefit analysis before making my choice.
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The last thing the military is going to do in the event of an invasion is wait 3-12 months to respond so that they can take conscripts such as your self and go train them.

No. The response would be immediate. If we're talking a domestic invasion the existing military on US soil (to include the National Guard) couldn't handle, the government would not draft.

The government would activate the unorganized militia; a general call-to-arms for all able bodied citizens. Rally points announced, hasty leadership set up, and immediate action taken.

So it's kind of silly to say you would join if we were invaded. Once the foreign army is on our soil, it's to late to ship off to boot.

If you don't want to join the service, that's fine. No one will think less of you. But if you want to be ready to defend your country from invasion without joining the service today, then prepare yourself for the roll of militiaman. You don't have to become a survivalist or anything like that, just stay in shape. If you have a medical problem, no problem, just do what can do. Certify in first aid and have a basic kit in your house (IMO you should do this anyway). Be ready to go a few days without utilities. And of course, own a firearm; shoot it, know it, love it.
 
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