I’ve long been uncomfortable with the idea of an all-volunteer military, not because of its professionalism and expertise, but because it tends to separate us as a nation from the serious nature of war itself. The debacle of recent wars and the present case of Afghanistan provide a case in point.
For me the idea of hired professional soldiers brings to mind the Hessians employed by the British during the American Revolution and more recently the mercenaries employed by countries in Africa. Somehow it doesn’t seem right to hire other people to fight our wars and defend us. We should fight our own wars. Perhaps then we would be more reluctant to go to war.
I remember back in the 60s when I was confronted with going into the military. We had a military draft that required that all able-bodied young men serve time in the military; we all knew that it was obligatory and something we had to deal with, like it or not. I opted to join the naval reserve and get deferments to complete college before serving my active duty requirement. It was right before Vietnam and there was a scramble by young men trying to elude service altogether or cut themselves the best deal to serve the shortest time possible. Looking back, it was crazy and terribly inequitable with people taking advantage of joining the national guard, joining up for the army’s six months active duty program or gaining a marriage exemption.
Today our wars are fought out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Most of us don’t have a dog in the fight, not our sons or daughters or even our personal well-being or standard of living. Life goes on as usual and is mostly enjoyable for us. Perhaps if members of Congress had sons and daughters serving in the military they would be more circumspect about becoming engaged overseas. And that goes for all of us. In short, there is no cost for politicians or us to send soldiers into conflict. After a while, contemporary wars are something that show up on evening television, but are not really on our mind or given much consideration. Life goes on uninterrupted by the death of others we don’t know.
I don’t know how to change this, but I can’t stop feeling that we need to have some type of service requirement for all of us whether it be in combat or some other capacity. This is, after all, our country, not a place we simply rent. If going to war meant committing ourselves, we might consider the goals and consequences more closely.
Robert you are such a kidder.
Nothing from the draft era supports the notion that the sons and daughters of Congress, or the various other groups of the elite, would serve in proportionate numbers if universal servitude was reinstated. Nothing. The elite will, and always have, used their various resources to avoid military service. Certainly so as much as it relates to hauling hard heavy things up hills to get their butts shot-off. It a very old tradition. Isn’t that the very origin of indulgences?
I suppose it’s a short step from believing one has a special right to control the lives and property of other people to thinking those other people should also be obliged to fight and die because we have this really strong feeling they should. I mean we all feel that way. Right? At least all the people in the room where it happens.
Happy you are back Jack. Your absence made me think I wasn’t getting things right. I understand that as a libertarian you believe the draft is a violation of the thirteenth amendment. Got that. But your logic that the “elites” will game the system as a criticism of universal service is weak logic at best. Perhaps we should never try to fix things because someone or some group will attempt to weasel out or corrupt the system. Huh?