Is it getting draftie in here?

[Rokenn]

Oiling up the draft machine?
The Pentagon is quietly moving to fill draft board vacancies nationwide. While officials say there's no cause to worry, some experts aren't so sure.

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By Dave Lindorff

excerpt:
Nov. 3, 2003 | The community draft boards that became notorious for sending reluctant young men off to Vietnam have languished since the early 1970s, their membership ebbing and their purpose all but lost when the draft was ended. But a few weeks ago, on an obscure federal Web site devoted to the war on terrorism, the Bush administration quietly began a public campaign to bring the draft boards back to life.
"Serve Your Community and the Nation," the announcement urges. "If a military draft becomes necessary, approximately 2,000 Local and Appeal Boards throughout America would decide which young men ... receive deferments, postponements or exemptions from military service."

Local draft board volunteers, meanwhile, report that at training sessions last summer, they were unexpectedly asked to recommend people to fill some of the estimated 16 percent of board seats that are vacant nationwide.

--snip--

Not since the early days of the Reagan administration in 1981 has the Defense Department made a push to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots. Recognizing that even the mention of a draft in the months before an election might be politically explosive, the Pentagon last week was adamant that the drive to staff up the draft boards is not a portent of things to come. There is "no contingency plan" to ask Congress to reinstate the draft, John Winkler, the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for reserve affairs, told Salon last week.

Increasingly, however, military experts and even some influential members of Congress are suggesting that if Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to consider a draft to fully staff the nation's military in a time of global instability.

--snip--

In the Vietnam War era, college boys could also duck combat, as George W. Bush did, by joining the National Guard.

But that's all been changed. In a new draft, college students whose lottery number was selected would only be permitted to finish their current semester; seniors could finish their final year. After that, they'd have to answer the call. Meanwhile, National Guardsmen, as we've seen in the current war, are now likely to face overseas combat duty, too.

[Skunk]

They're just exploring options - I wouldn't attach too much significance to this just yet.
It might be that they are considering what might be required should the US find itself prematurely involved in a third military theatre.

At this point in time, I think that the move is simply a precautionary measure.

[Ronn_Bman]

At no other time since the Reagan administration has there been such an effort? Well we all know how tough the draft days were during the Reagan administration.

I think skunk's assessment is accurate.

BTW, in order to do my part, I filled out an application to fill a board seat. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Djinn Raffo]

Conscript armies are useless.

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Ronn_Bman: BTW, in order to do my part, I filled out an application to fill a board seat.

Which would exclude you from any future conscription, wouldn't it?
Smart move!

Hmmm. Not too sure but I think I'm excluded. I've already done my obligated years with the Army AND I'm considered over their hill, ie, beyond the age 35 limit.

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Skunk: quote: Originally posted by Ronn_Bman: BTW, in order to do my part, I filled out an application to fill a board seat.

Which would exclude you from any future conscription, wouldn't it?
Smart move! [/QUOTE]I've served, so I couldn't be conscripted, but I could be called back to active duty. Even if something catastrophic occurred, I'm pretty much over the hill, so serving on this board would be perfect for me. [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 11-05-2003, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

[Chewbacca]

I bet all the cash I have a draft won't happen til after the 2004 election and only then if Bush wins re-election and Iraq is still a Guerilla hotbed with high U.S. casualties and/or Bush decides to continue on the path of violence with other nations.

Personally I think they should only draft the pro-war people unless a need for war is clearly about national self-defense. Also, They should start with the draft age children of politicians for combat duty, beginning with the Bush twins.

[Sir Taliesin]

If I recall correctly, the last person to call for the draft was Charlie Rangle... Democrat and Representative from New York.


Ronn, could I have the seat next to you. I too have already served and am over the hill.

[Chewbacca]

Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: If I recall correctly, the last person to call for the draft was Charlie Rangle... Democrat and Representative from New York.

You failed to mention why he called for the draft.