will the draft be reininstated?

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Evil Princess
I understand that you enlisted, but maybe not everyone is like you. I'm a 5'1 19 year old girl who wouldn't last two seconds in war, combat or not. Count me in as a coward!

OK.

 

[Lanshark]

Wouldn't reinstituting the draft be political suicide? I would think they would try all other possibilities to attract people to military service.

 

[Arabella Figg 2003]

I don't know. there are other countries where compulsory milityary service -- for men and women -- seems to work, as EVERYONE has to serve -- whenever you start to make exceptions and exempt a class of people, that's when you have trouble imposing a draft.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Arabella Figg 2003
I don't know. there are other countries where compulsory milityary service -- for men and women -- seems to work, as EVERYONE has to serve -- whenever you start to make exceptions and exempt a class of people, that's when you have trouble imposing a draft.

First, having everyone man and woman of draft age serve in the military is completely out of the question. We don't need a military anywhere near that large, so it would be a huge waste of money.

Second, the US draft never exempted a class of people.

 

[MosMom]

I've lived minutes from Quantico, close enough to Fort Belvoir, Pentagon, etc., for 11 years--have tons of military friends all over the world (you make a lot of them when they move in and out so much).

My CANADIAN BIL joined the US Army (they were in Canada recruiting Canadians which has now ended because of Canada's feelings about Iraq) in July. Less than a year later he is sitting in the desert. Gee, it sure does sound like they have a surplus of troops and don't need to recuit and move immediately.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by MosMom
My CANADIAN BIL joined the US Army (they were in Canada recruiting Canadians which has now ended because of Canada's feelings about Iraq) in July. Less than a year later he is sitting in the desert. Gee, it sure does sound like they have a surplus of troops and don't need to recuit and move immediately.

First, thanks to your BIL.

Second, when people that want to join the military are turned away because there are no slots for them, I would say that is a surplus, wouldn't you?

 

[lovemygoofy]

personally I think you are all right in certain ways.

1. There is a stop-loss in effect but its b/c they need the good older soldiers with expereince to lead the new soldiers who are still wearing stiff boots.

2. A draft is very possbile but I don't think it would be to replace troops deployed in the war against terror. It would be here to keep our homeland safe. Essentially being a body counted for on installations across the country. If you speak to active duty soldiers who are in authority position, they don't want the draft. My Dh is one of those men. He is now at his 9th year and doesn't want to try to control some snot nose person who doesn't want to protect their country.

3. Someone mentioned a pay incentive, which is very true. Many of you may not know but for the past year many soliders in Iraq have reenlisted because they were getting bonuses in the thousands of dollars all tax free. Now, they are going after soliders stateside and offering all kinds of incentives to try to keep them in. I kid my Dh about I won't be suprised to see a fleet of new cars from him to choose from soon b/c he is one they are actively pursuing to stay in.

You are all right in one way or another because something does have to be done to help our warriors defending us. No matter who you vote for or belive always support the warrior if not the war. This includes doing what you can for you country if that means armed forces or serving food at a soup kitchen.

I'll get off my soapbox now...have a great weekend )

Tina

 

[Pin Wizard]

I've been getting notifications for federal jobs for a few months now. They all have something on there that any male born after December 31, 1959 who applies for a job will have to register for the selective service. That's not word for word, but the general idea.

Here is is...

Other Requirements:

"# You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
# Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment
Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. "

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
I've been getting notifications for federal jobs for a few months now. They all have something on there that any male born after December 31, 1959 who applies for a job will have to register for the selective service. That's not word for word, but the general idea.

Absolutely correct - draft registration was reinstituted in 1980. DH received notice that he hadn't registered for the draft while he was in basic training...

 

[ladycollector]

I hope not.

If 18 yr old women and older are drafted it's not going to be pretty. Its un-heard of.

Just think about it for a minute.

Can you draft a pregnant woman? If not, women might go around getting pregnant. If you dont think people will do this, then, )

I can think of a number of 18 and 19yo women that wouldn't be ready for the millitary or wars.

I mean, EIGHTEEN. Some 18 yr old women/girls are not even developed yet!! (And I know, because of experience with some of them.) Sorry if this is TMI but just trying to prove my point that this is a BAD idea.

 

[AirForceRocks]

If 18 yr old women and older are drafted it's not going to be pretty. Its un-heard of.

Unless I'm mistaken, females in Israel face the same mandatory service as do the males.

Can you draft a pregnant woman?

Sure you could, though I doubt that they would.

I mean, EIGHTEEN. Some 18 yr old women/girls are not even developed yet!!

So what? Breasts are not necessary for military service. In fact, they can be more trouble than they're worth when performing some duties.

 

[ladycollector]

So what? Breasts are not necessary for military service. In fact, they can be more trouble than they're worth when performing some duties.

Sorry, but that's not what I was talking about.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by ladycollector
Sorry, but that's not what I was talking about.

I stand corrected. To what were you referring?

 

[workinggal]

I think breasts might come in handy. Just give the enemy a quick flash and they'll be distracted.

 

[jennyanydots]

Military service at age 18 is compulsory in Israel for men and women.

It doesn't seem to pose a problem. the real argument about the draft in Israel is the exemption for the very religious of both genders.

 

[ladycollector]

I was actually talking about women first "starting"... I dont think this would be exactly a good situation when your in the middle of combat.

I know women who have started that late. Just an observation about the weirdness of women being drafted. If women had to be drafted, I think it might be better at age 21 or so.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I was actually talking about women first "starting"... I dont think this would be exactly a good situation when your in the middle of combat.

I think that the number of women that haven't begun menstruating by the age of 18 is probably a pretty small percentage of the female population. Not to mention the fact that a woman starting at 18 or older is not as likely to be as concerned about it as a girl starting at 12 or 13.

 

[Crankyshank]

Wouldn't they just bring a box of products to use just in case, if they were drafted? Same as any woman in the armed forces sent overseas would do-no matter how long they've been "developed"

Women in the military have had their monthly cycle for as long as women have been in the military, unless AFR wants to enlighten us about some top secret method of preventing it that the military uses.

 

[jennyanydots]

Ladycollector, do you think that the draft board takes draftees into the service without a medical history?

If a woman hasn't entered puberty at age 18, I think that's a medical consideration on her eligibility for the draft. Usually by that age there's something wrong if she hasn't "started".

medical information -- The median age for the onset of menstruation is 12.8. Amenorrhea is diagnosed if it hasn't started by age 16. The incidence of primary amenorrhea in the United States is less than 1%. The incidence of secondary amenorrhea (due to some cause other than pregnancy) is about 4% in the general population.

Somehow, I don't think it's a real problem.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Women in the military have had their monthly cycle for as long as women have been in the military, unless AFR wants to enlighten us about some top secret method of preventing it that the military uses.

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you...