Rough Drafts - 215
Hal Waste his Wages
December 12, 2006

Maj. O’Houlihan: “I wonder how such a degenerated person ever reached a position of authority in the Army Medical Corps.”

Father Mulcahy: “He was drafted.”

Posthumous kudos to Robert Altman for highlighting in 1970 what remains a valid argument against a draft today. With questions lingering about U.S. troop levels we may soon hear more about this from people other than Charlie Rangel.
Some folks would have you believe anyone opposed to the reinstatement of a draft would likely be a milquetoast, whiny bleeding-heart or some slacker PlayStationite who has no problem playing SOCOM Navy SEALs Combined Assault (rated T for teen) for twelve straight hours but couldn’t do twelve push-ups without an inhaler. Yet on the contrary, some of the more candid opposition is coming from people who may know a thing or two about what our military does or does not need.

In the era of George H. Bush, The Patriot Missile, and Wolf Blitzer, I attended Norwich University’s Military College of Vermont. Yet a cracked a vertebra in the first month of the Clinton administration, left me medically disqualified for service—which may come in handy during the era of George W. Bush, The Patriot Act, and Wolfowitz. While I stayed on and graduated from Norwich and its Corps of Cadets, I’ll be the first to admit a couple semesters of ROTC do not make me an experienced military man. But I’m proud to know a few good men who are.

When asked straight out what he felt about a potential draft, my classmate, “Lt. Dan,” who has served in Iraq with the US Army, wrote, “Before we ask ourselves if the draft should be brought back we should ask ourselves what exactly we want, or do not want, brought back.” He added, “It makes people in the military think about what is often referred to as the ‘Hollow Force,’ rampant with drugs, crime, and corruption.”

“Maj. Payne,” who has so far served two tours in Iraq with the USMC wrote, “No one joining the Marine Corps right now has any illusions about where they will eventually end up.” He added, “To be completely honest I don’t want to serve with people who aren’t volunteers. The fact we all chose to be here is something we all take pride in, especially in the infantry. Are we stretched thin right now? Yes, but not because we’re too small. We’re stretched thin due to the woeful decisions that have been made at the strategic level.”

“Cpt. Caveman,” who has served overseas with the USAF points out, “Anytime you bring more troops you need more support elements.” Even more so when you bring over more troops that don’t even have the slightest interest in being there.

In other words, if American military leadership feels a change needs to be made, they should look in the mirror rather than the high school yearbooks. We have a proud military that’s willing and able, provided they have a defined mission. Define that mission and you’ll see it done.

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