Draft anyone??

I've been noticing that the millitary has changed its stance on who thhey allow in.Raising the sign up age,and changing their stance on visable tatoos.Leads me to wonder just how thin the mlitary is stretched and how low recruitment is. With a war with Iran looming and the war in Iraq still ongoing,where are they going to find the people to fight these wars.

When i turned 18 years ago,i recieved a letter stating that i had to sign up for the draft,that dosent exist,and if i didnt i was subject to 1 year in federal prison or 1 million dollar fine. So i signed up of course.

But why sign up for something that dosent exist? Do you think they will actually reinstate the draft?I personally think even if a draft is used,it wont have the desired effect.Seeing most people are being awoken to the fact that these wars are not justified.

Would you go if drafted?Under what circumstances do you see a draft being brought back?

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

You talking about Selective Service which is a draft in a way, kind of like a backup if the U.S. feels the need to bring manpower in a hurry. Its been in existence for over 50 years since Roosevelt. All U.S. citizens are required to register. You don't sign on, you don't get benefits like financial aid like loans or grants for school.

Yeah I too had to sign up for the draft (which doesn't exist of course). I also pay my taxes, which the IRS says are "voluntary" - they'll throw you in jail and take away your personal property if you don't pay however.

If it did come to a draft, I'd probably get court-marshalled, unless I felt the war was justified (unlikely). I will not kill innocent people.

I do sorta worry about the draft starting up again as the prez is now pushing for Iran. Hell, let's just call ourselves the Romans, go around taking over the known world and be done with it.

Originally posted by Black_Fox
Under what circumstances do you see a draft being brought back?

If the US is invaded.

And the selective service is not a draft. In order for there to be a draft, Congress would have to pass new laws.


As far as our military is concerned, well, we're conducting two wars right now not even using 10% of the available manpower. There is no need for any draft.

Okay, just to clarify for people. The Selective Service is nothing more than a collection agency of all the names and towns of men between the ages of 18 and I think 45 that would be eligible for the first and second rounds of the draft.


ThatsJustWeird is right, the only instance I could see the draft being used is if the US were invaded, or a civil war broke out.

As for ways around the draft, you can always "accidently" break your leg, or if you sign up to be a what was it...something observer, not sure, I will research it and see if I can't find the term

Originally posted by Sir SolomonAs for ways around the draft, you can always "accidently" break your leg, or if you sign up to be a what was it...something observer, not sure, I will research it and see if I can't find the term

I think the term you're looking for is Conscientious Objector.

However there will be a draft as soon as the next war starts and it will start soon!!

posted by Black_Fox: “I've been noticing the military has changed its stance on who they allow in. Raising the age, and changing their stance on visible tattoos. Leads me to wonder just how thin the military is stretched and how low recruitment is. [Edited by Don W]

Good question. Obviously, the military would prefer junior college grads, mostly white but some of color, clean shaved, no tattoos and “speaka d’Englesh.” but Herr Rumsfeld said you go to war with what you have, not with what you want.

With a war with Iran looming and the war in Iraq still ongoing, where are they going to find the people to fight these wars. [Edited by Don W]

Blackwater. Halliburton. General Dynamics. Other favored NGOs. Privatized soldiers, $10,000 a month. And etc. Actually, B/F, IMO we have neither the manpower nor the financial resources to add one more war to our repertoire. It takes a long time to train a man (or woman) to be a modern soldier. In my wildest alcohol induced nightmare I cannot imagine the United States launching a land war against Iran. It is (or was) a West Point maxim the US should never engage in a land war in Asia. We have violated that maxim 4 times post 1945. Korea (Stalemated). Vietnam (Lost). Iraq 1 (Won). Iraq 2 (Losing). We’re batting a poor .250.

When I turned 18, I received a letter to sign up for the draft . . if I didn’t I was subject to 1 year in federal prison or 1 million dollar fine. So I signed up. Do you think they will reinstate the draft? Even if a draft is used, it won’t have the desired effect. Seeing that most people are waking up to the fact these wars are not justified. Would you go if drafted? [Edited by Don W]

Will this administration reinstate the draft? No, you are safe until 2009. Although the public does not see any dangers in a mercinary army - as I do. I am worried who are the soldiers loyal to? The paymaster? - we are learning volunteer armies have very distinct limits when there is a lot of dying to do. And I am not casting aspersions on anyone. I joined the Air Force in 1952 so I could sleep on clean sheets. That’s my vision of “going to war.”

Should you go if you are drafted? For sure it is not easy to leave your home or your country. The US has a long memory. Didn’t they prosecute a man who had been in Canada 20 years? It would help if you had money. And a saleable skill. In today’s economy you could not possibly leave the country unless you had as a bare minimum, $5,000. I spent 5 years in the Air Force. It is not at all bad. The worlds’ best tech schools good quarters and decent food. Fair pay. I’d recommend it to any young man. And I’m an anti war type person. But you have to be realistic, too.

posted by deltaboy: “You talking about Selective Service, kind of a backup if the U.S. feels the need to bring in manpower in a hurry. Its been in existence for over 50 years since Roosevelt. All U.S. citizens are required to register. You don't sign on, you don't get benefits like financial aid like loans or grants for school. [Edited by Don W]

I signed up. It did not hurt me. I was an enthusiastic young (poor) guy wanting to see the world. The GI bill helped me through school.

posted by Kruel: “Yeah I too had to sign up for the draft. I also pay my taxes, which the IRS says are "voluntary"

Where does that urban legend that taxes are voluntary come from? It is no crime not to pay taxes, but it is a crime not to file a tax return. If you refuse to pay your taxes, ultimately the IRS will seize your property, sell it, and apply the proceeds to your tax bill. But if you do not lie and file all required papers, you will not go to jail.

If it came to a draft, I'd probably get court-marshaled, unless I felt the war was justified. I will not kill innocent people.

And who defines and determines just who is an innocent person? Would you have declined to fly or crew the Enola Gay in 1945? The US does not order anyone to commit a Mei Lai incident. Those things do happen in war. But not often.

I do worry about the draft starting up again as the prez is now pushing for Iran. Hell, let's just call ourselves the Romans, go around taking over the known world and be done with it. [Edited by Don W]

Booty was one of the incentives of the Roman soldier. Maybe we need to add looting to the soldier’s job description?

[edit on 3/30/2006 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
Where does that urban legend that taxes are voluntary come from? It is not a crime not to pay taxes, but it is a crime not to file a tax return. If you refuse to pay your taxes, ultimately the IRS will seize your property, sell it, and apply the proceeds to your tax bill. But if you do not lie, and file all required papers, you will not go to jail.

It's not an Urban Legend... when I was younger, my parents were quite late on their taxes once and they got a notice from the IRS. In the notice it was mentioned that taxes were voluntary, but if you didn't pay them you'd go to prison.

Originally posted by donwhite
And who defines and determines just who is an innocent person? Would you have declined to fly the Enola Gay in 1945? The US does not order anyone to commit a Mei Lai incident. Those things do happen in war. But no often.

Recent examples include bombing Afganistan to get at Bin Laden - and Bombing Iraq with no evidence of WMDs. Thousands of civilians dead.

People who employ others occasionally make a serious tax mistake. Withholding. This tax error is most frequently made innocently enough by small business persons who feel a cash flow pinch. They fail to report or to pay taxes withheld from employees. This includes FICA money. That money is not their money. It belongs to the U. S. Government and the employer is by law the trustee. The US Gvt will put a malefactor in jail in a heart beat for taking their money and not turning it over to the Treasury.

I stand by my no jail statement for non-payment of taxes. Their own taxes, of course.

I dont get it, sorry
there is no draft but You get forcet in the army becouse U/DAD is not a rich ?
Is this correct ?
Where do You live ? Iran, Cuba, Columbia ?
Or did I misunderstood it all ?

The only way the population would play ball with a draft is if the powers that be play with the heart strings, ala-9/11. Not to say that that was the motive of 9/11...I'm still up in the air with that whole mess. If we saw a huge attack, like a nuke, or chemical/bio weapon, Uncle Sam could find plenty of poor kids who would go to war rather than try to run and hide.

Personally, if the time comes when my country has to force me to defend her, I will be leaving. I remain here because I still cling to the few things that make me proud to be an American. When they have to twist my arm to defend her, I will no longer be an American. Very plain and simple. If they started a draft for a conflict with, say Iran, I would be a Canadian within the year. I will not fight a wallstreet war, and I hope my fellow PROUD Americans are with me. However, I would rather see a mass resistance within our own borders to enact change than leave the country I love. Am I alone?

[edit on 17-4-2006 by DaFunk13]

posted by Locutus: “I don’t get it, sorry . . there is no draft but you get forced in the army because your dad is not rich? (1) Is this correct? (2) Where do you live? Iran, Cuba, Columbia? (3) Or did I misunderstood it all? (4) [Edited by Don W]

(1) I was not forced into the Army. The draft was for 2 years service in the Army (or Marine Corps) and almost always in the infantry. If you enlisted - volunteered - the Army (or Marine Corps) kept you 3 years but you could choose the branch you were qualified for. For example, I had already been 2 years in the Army National Guard, in the Field Artillery. I would have chosen that branch if I had enlisted in the Army.

(2) Instead, I choose the Air Force, because as I said earlier, I wanted to sleep on clean sheets even if I was at war. The Air Force (and Navy) kept you 4 years if you enlisted, but you got to be 15 to 50 miles behind the fighting lines and you got to sleep on clean sheets; we had houseboys in Korea, and so on. Why sleep on the ground, in the dirt, if you don’t have to?

(3) I live in the good ole U S of A.

(4) Maybe. But it is not a simple story.

[edit on 4/17/2006 by donwhite]