Right now the military has a recruiting crisis to the point it endangers national security, how would you feel about the draft being used to fill logistics and support roles in the Army and Navy? Historically after WW2 the draft continued to make sure the military had enough personnel for the cold war, most of the draft was actually done during peacetime and even during the Vietnam War most draftees never actually went to Vietnam but instead went Germany. With the rising threat from an unstable Russia and a more proactive China, the draft might in fact be necessary again. Would you support it?
21 comments
No, I think forced drafts border on slavery and drafted soldiers unquestionably perform more poorly than volunteers. We just need to increase the incentives to join the military to solve the problem, not corral unwilling people into it.
Not that anyone consulted me, but I would be in favor of a year or two of national service where you could choose between military and nonmilitary options. I think cultures like the Swiss benefit from something like that.
Against. Conscription reduces the effectiveness of the military and increases turnover rate. It also increases the likelihood of a State engaging in military conflict, as well as lengthening the duration of said conflict. It’s going to take some convincing that our national security is threatened, what with our nuclear posture, defensive posture, power projection, defense budget, NATO, Ukraine, etc.
Forcing a draft is extremely dumb and the last person I’d want next to me is some draftee.
I’d prefer serving decent school lunches, having good phys. Ed. programs, and decent history classes, as opposed to forcing people to serve. Besides, a lot of people can’t serve due to obesity, etc, so a draft might be limited to physically capable people, which certainly sets the wrong incentives.
There are already plenty of ‘not too bright’ folks in the volunteer force… a draft wouldn’t be a good thing.
No.
As a veteran, I am opposed to the draft. I am proud to have served and knew that we could all depend on each other. Putting people into the military that do not want to be there wrecks unit cohesion.
I think there are a number of other things that could be done first. I have several friends who were not accepted into the armed forces for really stupid reasons.
Also If there was a draft historically it affects the low income population way more than higher income people. If there is a draft imo it should affect everyone in that age range (and that means the kids of our lawmakers who decide if we go to war).
I would be against it.
Forcing people into war should be a war crime in and of itself. The things that people must do during war or combat are heavy and can leave deep wounds, even if only psychologically. Actions like those *must* be consensual. If the United States is struggling to retain and recruit service members, maybe they should do the logical thing and address the reasons people are less interested in that profession. I live near a major military base where a hell of a lot of these grunts are only here out of desperation for a better life. And I’m sick as shit of having to help them and their spouses ans children heal from the trauma of feeling essentially forced into being so violent. I also am old enough to remember what it was like for Vietnam vets when i was a child. What a sin we committed there! Being a servicemember must be a true choice. Forcing someone to risk their future like that is utter bullshit.
I would be adamantly against it, as there are dozens or hundreds of things they could do *other* than a draft to boost recruitment.
Not just for regular recruitment issues. If it were a major war that we needed to win, like a 3rd world war, then yeah. It makes sense to have a draft.
Good to keep in the pocket, but not something that should be used as a normal recruitment measure.
I’ll tell them that I’m gay and do crime to get out of having to do army stuff
I support keeping a draft on the books, but only having it be used as an absolute last resort. Given the current capabilities of the US military, I wouldn’t imagine it would need to be invoked except in a total war scenario.
A big part of the recruiting crisis right now is due to how many people are actually ineligible for military service. Some of the main excluders these days are for drug-related offenses, so ending the war on drugs would help out with this (as well as many more issues ofc). Another problem that excludes people from military service is the country’s health issues, with so many young Americans being overweight or obese, and therefore, ineligible. Focusing on solving this country’s issues with that would help out with the recruiting crisis, as well many more issues, as with the aforementioned contributor.
Also, y’know, just pay them more. Benefits are great, sure, but especially with the labor shortage, the military will have to keep up if they want sufficient applicants.
No, I’d definitely get Stop-lossed.
The dudes in rn are retarded as it is, draft would make it much worse
I’m fully against a draft.
A military draft any time within the next half century seems about as likely as an alien invasion. The only scenario where the public would accept a draft is if the country is at imminent risk of being invaded and there is not even a possible combination of nations that could come close to pulling that off. I think that we would rather risk losing any overseas war than risk the type of domestic instability that a draft would cause. We have the luxury of being able to just pack up, go home, and turtle while the world burns. I’m also not convinced that there are many situations where a draft in the modern era would be helpful at all for a country like the US even if the public supported it.
Strongly against. Make it more appealing by offering more. Paying for college isn’t enough when there’s real chance of physical or mental damage.
If the government can’t recruit enough, raise the wages until you recruit enough. They are just one more employer.
People say it’s an eligability thing, but kids aren’t dumb. If they plan on enlisting out of highschool they wont do the things that get the barred from service. So if you pay more, people will stay clean and plan on enlisting at 18/19 in order to get that wage.
Against.