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May 18, 2003 OUR TROOPS are heroes now, and they are getting richly deserved accolades. The world has seen that on the ground, air and on the water we have a superior force. The military of this country is the best trained and equipped fighting force in the history of the world.... Wait! Excuse me. Do you feel a draft? It seems to be coming from the Left somewhere. But maybe it began on the Right? Hmmm. Well it is not coming from the military. The Armed Forces are an all-volunteer force and have been for 30 years. From that time to now, the professionalism and morale of the military has taken a quantum leap. The demons of Vietnam are exorcised, aren't they? Ah, but there are a few politicians who have begun to cry out for change. They have been lying low during the liberation of Iraq because they fear to say anything resembling criticism of the military. But they will be back, calling for the reinstitution of conscription. Some of them will be singing the tired old song of mandatory military service for all. They will claim that the children of privilege are sitting home while those from the lower classes of society fill out the Armed Forces. These are the same politicians who work to pass bills that would pay the underprivileged for being jobless and nearly destitute as so many of them are. What does a man more good, to be employed doing something significant, or waiting in line for a renewal of his food stamps? The military does indeed provide gainful employment for large numbers of young people who may have had concerns about finding a good job. It offers a way for many who cannot afford college to finance the furtherance of their education. It provides stability and a discipline for some who believe they need such things in their lives. It is on-the-job- training in a number of fields from police work to nuclear science. Is this not all good? The contrast between a volunteer and a conscripted military is illustrated in my own life. I was drafted in 1972 after my first year of college (yes, for one year the draft could pluck young men right off of the college campuses. This proved to be exceedingly unpopular and singularly idiotic and was abandoned the following year.) I found myself in the US Army with a wide assortment of good guys and hardened criminals and jocks and mama's boys and delinquents. Although I initially tried to dedicate myself to being a great soldier, it was not long before I became discouraged. My personal property was not safe around my fellow soldiers. Drugs were readily available. Authority was widely resented. A large portion of the young men in my unit put minimal effort into their assignments and had no love or respect for the uniform they grudgingly wore. Instead, they wore resentment, rebellion and debauchery. That was the military I knew. Last summer I attended the graduation ceremony for a group of brand new MPs. Among them: my son Robert. I found that I did not know THIS Army! Here were dedicated and motivated young people wearing their uniforms and shouting out their cadences with authority. Later I visited Robert at his new duty station and was further impressed. The efficiency and great attitudes exhibited throughout the post seemed to be shared by officer and enlisted man alike. I met many men and women there and one word stuck in my mind: Professional. An all volunteer military is a professional military. These are men and women on a mission to improve their lives and get the job done well. They encourage one another to be "squared away" and project a respectful and confident persona to their fellow man. They take their jobs seriously. About that draft.Will we please just shut that door? Lock out all the blah about priviledge and minorities and ask yourself this question. If your country and your family and the lives of your loved ones are on the line, which of those Armed Forces do you want on the front lines? The professionals who simply swept the Iraqi resistance from the field of battle, or the military of thirty years before? Make no mistake, the military has always had dedicated troops. But like the proverbial barrel of apples, even one bad one may lead to the ruin of the entire lot. The draft? It is an ill wind that blows no one good. It is the cry of partisan windbags that think a Statesman is the name of a newspaper. May all Americans of every background and station stand firm against it! ------------ About the author: Erstwhile gym-rat, former independent driven by disgust for the Democratic Party into the arms of the Republicans, current parent and expert at puns, jokes that make people groan and eating Debbie's cooking. Mr Binder lives out in the boondocks of NW Indiana. Email Kimbal Ross Binder: radar@eternalisp.com Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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