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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: quehubo who wrote (52753)	7/4/2004 9:29:35 AM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 793759

I think a better allocation of resources would be to offer more incentive for people to join the Army and the Marines. We have done that. Since ending the draft, PFC pay has increased from $99 to $1,500 per month. The increase in benefits has been huge too. I dont think a military full of people not happy to be drafted will be meet our nations needs. The draft only provided a fraction of our troop strength. It enabled us to increase strength quickly, when needed, and to vary the number drafted each month to maintain a consistent strength level. We do not have to guess about this. The men I served with who were drafted are all very proud of their service and grateful they had the opportunity and get the benefits. Except for Chairman JCS, the major resistance to the draft does not come from veterans (enlisted or drafted). The major resistance comes from those who never served. We have already reached a military crunch point imo. Last week's call-up of 5,000 military retirees and previously discharged personnel is a symptom of a larger looming problem. In some of our best units, a full 50% of those serving are eligible for retirement but cannot get out. They are locked in and being denied retirement. Many others who have completed their term of active service have been involuntarily extended. Some Reservists and National Guard folks are facing a second tour in Afghan or Iraq. At some point we will have to release all of these folks from active duty. A three star general, with no previous combat duty, sitting in a posh Pentagon Office, should not be the key source for determining how the load should be equitably distributed.