An op-ed published by Military.com called for the US military to restart the draft amid a recruiting crisis resulting from decades of endless wars in the Middle East and Africa and skyrocketing veteran suicide rates.
“The fastest and most effective way to resolve this recruiting crisis is to change how we recruit,” wrote Joe Plenzler, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel. Plenzler called for something in between an all-volunteer force and a fully conscripted force. The US draft was abolished in 1973 after years of conscripted Americans being killed in the Vietnam War.
“We should have our military recruiters sign up new troops for 11 months out of the year, and then have the Selective Service draft the delta between the military’s needs and the total number recruited,” he wrote.
Plenzler said his proposal “would alleviate the incredible pressure on our recruiters, lower the cost of finding new troops, and significantly reduce the much decried civilian-military gap by subjecting all of America’s youth — rich and poor — to the possibility of military service via the draft.”
The op-ed came after President Biden called up 3,000 reservists to make available for the Pentagon to deploy to Europe, signaling the military is struggling to maintain its current force posture. Since around the time Russia invaded Ukraine, the US has deployed an additional 20,000 troops to Europe.
Amid the recruiting crisis, a poll from Gallup published on July 31 found that confidence in the US military is at its lowest point in more than two decades. The poll found that 60% of the US public trusted the military, the lowest level since 1997.
Americans are fat and unhealthy and many have mental issues. They’ll use immigrants wait and see.
Good point. It certainly will not be the sons and daughters of the ruling class. even the so called Red Necks have more sense then to die for their Masters.
No “Fortunate Sons” around this time either.
I can see it.
Hopeful immigrants getting green cards only after they have done a stint in the Amerikkkan War Machine.
And they’d damn well better perform, or Amerikkkan citizenship ain’t a-gonna happen.
Yes, undocumented ones and promise them citizenship. Which won’t happen.
“cause they will have no problem shooting US ctitizens.
There are two possible responses to this idea. 1) No. or 2) No, and fuck you for suggesting it.
The one positive about it is that people would have skin in the game and finally stop cheering on wars from behind keyboards.
And, NO COLLEGE DEFERMENTS!!!!
The people who cheer on wars from behind keyboards still would. And it took years and years of protests to stop Vietnam. And there were many large protests against Iraq. The oligarchs and the MIC and the politicians pay no attention.
They all would if there was a general strike. But everybody is too busy hating everybody instead of who is deserving of the hate.
A very loud I agree.
Shut up slave. We own you.
Sincerely,
Your government.
They actually published this piece of crap. Why not call it for what it really is: Slavery is back! Go serve the Empire to kill people around the world or go to jail!
The onlt draft is the hole in the head of anyone who thinks that a draft will happen again. The MIC is perfectly content to hire private contractors to do their killing and writeing it off as a business exspense
“The poll found that 60% of the US public trusted the military…” I wonder if the people polled felt uncomfortable exposing their opinions in fear of being labeled “unpatriotic.” The draft is coming folks with a new revolting push for “patriotism, democracy, and freedom,” that’ll make you wish you were dead before seeing that. (Sarcasm)
They like watching Hollywood blockbusters is my guess. Coverage of war is so sanitized now.
TV programs now have all of the gore of the blockbusters. A form of desensitizing he population. Seeing it up close and person is different ballgame.
Seeing real images is different than the Hollywood stuff too. And the hero always wins on tv/war-propaganda film
Once again, never gets old!
Given the way the military is shoved down our throats at every possible opportunity, and the actual sacrifice (usually for no purpose) of very young men is waved around as something we should be “proud of” (instead of sickened by) it’s pretty encouraging that support is that low. Hopefully it will go much, much lower.
And that is not an attack on young people who joined; it’s an attack on their “leaders”, the generals and admirals, most of whom are dishonest and opportunistic assholes, and the “politicians” and bureaucrats who control them.
So forcing 17 year old`s into fighting American Corporate wars ? , with rich kids avoiding the Draft and the poor kids doing the fighting ? , reminds me of the Vietnam war .
100% correct.
No deferments. None.
I’ll see your “no deferments” and raise you “anyone taken in an attempt to implement a conscription scheme should be executed on the spot.”
The powers that be underestimate how they are despised by virtually every segment of our society.
No conscription for anyone.
That would never happen.
We must all oppose any military draft in support of the Neocons / MIC / Corporatocracy imperium. They are the enemy of Liberty and the US Constitution.
I served as a medical corpsman in Vietnam. I was appalled the draftees were used as cannon fodder by the brass and politicians in the war. The draft is indentured servitude at its best and at its worst an invitation from a hangman to die for the arms merchants. The draft was another casualty of the war. It will never be brought back given how it almost caused an undeclared civil war back home and it marked the decline of our nation as we continue to collapse into fascism. Since the 9/11 attacks, 7,057 service men and women have died. But over 30,000 has committed suicide. That’s why there is such a crisis with recruitment along with how many young people live a sedentary life, suffer from drug abuse, early onset high blood pressure and earl onset diabetes and they fail basic training in calisthenics. Even the Army admits only 23% of the potential demographic for service are qualified. This is what happens when a representative republic becomes a bloated military empire that squanders our blood and treasure in this era of forever wars.
Fantastic comment. But I’m afraid you’re too hopeful about the “never” in re the draft. The people in charge Like chaos in the streets …
Never say never.
The draft would be an insurance measure against Biden getting reelected.
In a Trump v Biden rematch that we’re most likely getting, odds go to Biden again sadly. Not that Trump is any better. Our “democracy” at work…I’ll be throwing my vote away to a third party.
I predict a record breaking low turnout largely because of anger with either party with the possible exception of Trump and his loonies.
I agree, because there are also Biden loonies so supportive they dismiss anything bad.
With all of the mail-in voting procedures still in place, the democrats will produce as many as they need to keep the current regime in power.
Me too ……
Developing a third party is helping the US evolve to a more perfect union by shunning Democrats and Republicans. That’s not at all like throwing your vote away.
An even more immediate and jarring step toward real democracy is for a record turnout that writes in personal friends. Imagine an election with record turnout that yields 20% for the D’s and 19% for the R’s with 61% going to friends of the voters.
It hasn’t mattered which party wins for quite some time (Think here of Truman dropping an atomic bomb on civilians who wanted to surrender).
If sixty-one percent writes in friends, We the people will know we are fed up with fake democracy and can then decide on forums like this what we want to do.
I agree that voting third party is not throwing a vote away. It’s a start toward representation, albeit a weak one. That would take a general strike.
I tell anyone who’s voting for D or R that THEY are the ones “throwing their vote away”.
I am writing in Doug Macgregor’s name on my 2024 ballot.
He may not have an accurate understanding about policies that drive immigrants north and then brand them as illegals for an extra low wage bonus for corps yet he is probably no worse than what we have.
I as well, Pal, and his name is Dr. Cornel West ( Green Party).
Same.
I heard rumblings yesterday that it might be a Clinton-Trump rematch.
No way.
Except these type of things would wait until after an election. The same with cutting medicare or social security. Then they will, in Orwellian speak, tell you that cutting is saving.
I wrote a story last winter about seventeen year-old surfers who realized the US was instigating a Eurasian war against Russia, China, Iran and Korea.
The young surfers were on safari driving to meet big surf when they realized the draft would be started because the war was going to be huge enough to justify exponential military budget growth.
There were male and female surfers in the car; One of the young women pointed out that all of them would have to go do awful war crimes because they were in good physical shape and seventy-five percent of the country is to fat to fight.
A war resistors league commenced that moment and soon they were using a Morse code lamp to communicate with passing freighters and other ships, including the navy.
The story became so crazy and fun that I am actually wondering about what my new story will be when winter writing season starts.
I hope we still get Winter. I like it.
Garrett, I lost the link to the story. Could you please publish it again?
Hi Gypsy33, This particular story is not on line, yet, but if you go to ferrocement dot com and scroll down the index page you will find an email address of contact at ferrocement dot com, that’s the actual address. I have been caretaker at ferrocement dot com since 1999 and will see your email and send you a pdf. Its not a long story, parts a funny. Hope you like it. I handed out written chapters as a sequel over the winter and quite a few friends liked it, a few didn’t and one refused to read it when she read about surfer girls wearing bikinis.
Thanks Garrett!
How about stopping all the wars you blood thirsty bastards?
A bridge too far, I’m afraid.
Plenzler said his proposal “would alleviate the incredible pressure on our recruiters, lower the cost of finding new troops, and significantly reduce the much decried civilian-military gap by subjecting all of America’s youth —rich and poor— to the possibility of military service via the draft.”
What a dumb ass. Now rich folk will be against the draft too.
😂
First draft all the eligible children of every elected official for assignment to the infantry, then proceed from there.
Well what did you expect? They’re in the devil’s business. Gotta catch ’em while they’re young!
These wars of economic and territorial choice are not sanctioned by the American people nor declared by Congress. Before you start a draft make sure Congress declares war. I for one would not want to be a parent who sends his kids into a war. In the which corporate vested interests are the reason those wars are initiated. Congress should declare war and the total wealth and political backing of the nation. Not put our nations children through half measure efforts and into a battlefield meat grinder. Just so corporate America can make a few dollars more.
“The fastest and most effective way to resolve this recruiting crisis is to……”
End the aggressive imperial wars against the entire rest of the world and abolish the ‘standing army’ permanent military which has never had any other purpose. Then recruit for voluntary state militias with the sole purpose of defense alone!
Meanwhile,they are fighting wars with our “state militias”,i.e. National Guardsmen.
Yes, they are; improperly in my opinion. That’s why the Defend the Guard movement is necessary in addition to “End the aggressive imperial wars against the entire rest of the world”.
As much as I loathe this idea, it may be the only way the American people rise up and put an end to these interventionist wars started by our Neocon rulers.
You really think the elites are going to implement a draft that will put their kids in harms way? They didn’t during Vietnam. Biden got 5 deferrals, as is typical with Clinton his ability to avoid Vietnam is a long story 🙂 Meanwhile, the lessors went to Vietnam or escaped to Canada if possible. As for Bush 2, his political connections got him into the National Guard and excused from the draft. See how that works 😉
If there is a draft it should be for everyone from the age of 18 to 60 with no excuses, no deferments, and no special assignments.
How many conservatives want to see their daughters as grunts.
Exactly!
If you believe that is proper, then the simple solution is to just repeal the 13th amendment.
Lol, that’s not gonna happen.
In what universe was Biden an “elite” during Vietnam? His dad was a used car salesman.
In the universe of America in the 60s & 70s. Apparently you’re not familiar with it – I am. Less than half of high schoolers graduated in the 60s & 70s. About 8% went to collage, they were the elites. Where Joe Jr +law school enjoyed his 5 deferments ….
🎵 And it’s one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it’s five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain’t no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we’re all gonna die. 🎵
sure every young person will immediately get in line and do what they are told?
gonna round every one of the noncompliers up? good luck with that uncle sam.
you should have disarmed Americans when you had the chance.
but you never really had any chance of that.
No chance this clown country gets my son. I respect the military, but not the buffoons who lead it. If we truly had a defensive army I would not care as much. If we are truly attacked army not a bad place to be, but US is an offensive army that sees threats everywhere. Not interested.
corrrection: …. but US is an offensive army that creates threats everywhere.
Alas Canada is not as welcoming as it was in the 60s.
Well, I see no reason why those who don’t support this country’s foreign adventures that have nothing to do with defending america should suffer being drafted. Let the neocons and armchair warriors and interventionist democrats send their children to get their legs blown off; I want mine to stay right where they are.
On the other hand, if the children of the privileged class were actually at risk of being drafted then maybe their support for these inane forays would end, and we could develop a reasonable defense policy again.
Maybe the answer is that we need TWO “armies”; a territorial, defensive one, that can ONLY be deployed after a vote and approval by both houses of congress including a fillibuster-proof Senate majority; and the other one, termed the “yahoo brigade”, which can go anywhere at anytime for any duration based on the whim of even a senile president and his out of control handlers. And those “drafted” can ONLY be assigned to the territorial defense forces.