Columbia Theological Seminary Distance Education
The Draft - Will It Come Back After a Nearly 35-Year Hiatus?
Some college students across the nation may have friends, relatives, and/or acquaintances serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of our nation's ongoing War on Terror. A surprising 2004 USA Today poll shows that about 40 percent of all military families support a reestablishment of conscription because they are currently unhappy with their loved ones being redeployed overseas when the overall supply of our nation's troops is overwhelmingly stretched to the international limit. In addition to the extended tours of duty currently in place, these families believe that more seasoned veterans have had more than their share of fighting in major conflicts during their long careers in the service.
Even though President Bush, Dick Cheney, and the current Secretary of Defense have repeatedly said that the draft is not necessaryat this point, one can't help but fear of its possible resurrection in the next few years.
Although it's highly unlikely to happen this year, it's not out of the question that an impending return to the draft will only make our already unpopular political climate more volatile. The random acts of senseless violence our poor coalition soldiers have been facing in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein have put us in a no-win situation against the Sunni insurgents, Shiite militas, and al-Qaida elements based there. As a result, it might as well be said that the current quagmire in the oil-rich nation draws parallels to what happened in Vietnam a few decades ago. More importantly, why should our government reinstate the draft if the war we are currently fighting is not fully backed by our long-time European allies?
It is possible that young adults who oppose mandatory national service will either flee to Canada or tear up their Selective Service (SS) registration cards just like the ones who grew up during the tumultuous era of Vietnam. Unlike the time of Vietnam, though, undergraduate students would only be able to delay their induction into the service until they have completed certain requirements for one semester only. In addition, college seniors would only have until the end of the academic year to fulfill the requirements for their graduation.
Second, many students who live or don't reside on campus would most likely oppose the traditional SS requirement of a two-year period of mobilization overseas. In the event of a national emergency, the SS is the independent government agency responsible for drafting adults between the ages of 18 and 26. As a result, several could file for conscientious objector (CO) status, which could mean a life sentence in prison for those who file on the basis of political and/or theological ideology.
The Universal National Service Act of 2003 emphasizes "shared sacrifice." In other terms, unlike the wars of the 20th century, no student or parent will be able to file for exemption or deferments on the basis of physical or mental impairments, familial dependency or hardship, or even on the basis of a satisfactory post-secondary education. This comes to prove that the overall morale of the military will be greatly reduced and that the lofty costs of feeding, clothing, training, and sheltering unfit personnel would skyrocket beyond belief.
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Fortunately, it is already known that a vast majority of both liberal and conservative lawmakers opposed the Service Act because, according to the May 2004 edition of the Congressional Digest: Pros & Cons, there would be absolutely nothing left to fit our security needs on the home front, including the National Guard & Reserves for future natural disasters or 9/11-style terrorist attacks.
Today's military could cut back on overseas missions with its current all-volunteer force, but the only way rumors about the draft will go away is if all our troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and even the Philippines are withdrawn from these countries sooner rather than later. If this doesn't bear fruit, the military should come up with more efficient recruitment methods to meet their goals because enlistees might have stronger sense of will than those forced to be harm's way.
Overall, the impending question as to when the draft will come back has yet to be answered. However, if we experience an event like that of 9/11 or even Hurricane Katrina, there's a stronger possibility that our politicians will drastically change their polices, thus resulting in a new way of life for our country's next generation of all-important youth.
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