2008 Woodie Awards
Possibility of military draft renewed after Congressman calls for service
Maura Satchell, Sidelines (Middle Tennessee State U.)
Issue date: 4/26/04 Section: News
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(U-WIRE) MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - U.S. military forces have faced the deadliest month since the fall of Saddam Hussein, and talk of reinstating the draft has resurfaced in Congress.
Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb) hinted of the draft at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Iraq and Afghanistan when he called for mandatory national service. Comparing thinly-stretched forces and the evolution of serious fighting in Iraq to "a steam engine coming right down the track at us," Hagel said his intent is to spread the burden of fighting wars among the wealthy as well as the less affluent.
Similar thinking led Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to introduce a bill in January 2003 entitled "Universal National Service Act of 2003." This act, which is currently held up in committee, would require a two-year period of national service, either in the military or some other form of government service. A bill proposed by Rep. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.) is in a committee in the Senate, too.
"I don't know anyone in the executive branch of the government who believes it would be appropriate or necessary to reinstate the draft," Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told the Newspaper Association of America recently.
In early November 2003, the Department of Defense prompted speculation of the possibility of the reinstatement of the draft by posting a message seeking "Draft Board Volunteers" on the DOD's Web site.
After media notice, the post was removed but has recently been revamped and placed back on the DOD's Web site with a clear message that the solicitation is not in any way related to a perceived need to reinstate the draft in the near future.
Conscription would be needed if force readiness becomes a serious issue. The Pentagon announced that all of the branches of the military met or exceeded their targeted re-enlistment goals and recruiting goals for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2003, and for the six months ended March 31 are encouraging as well. No figures have been released for the reserves or National Guard, however, and those numbers are expected to come in well below target. Targeted numbers were reduced for most branches due to stop-loss orders that were implemented in recent months that required many service members to remain on active duty after their contracted term had expired.
Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb) hinted of the draft at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Iraq and Afghanistan when he called for mandatory national service. Comparing thinly-stretched forces and the evolution of serious fighting in Iraq to "a steam engine coming right down the track at us," Hagel said his intent is to spread the burden of fighting wars among the wealthy as well as the less affluent.
Similar thinking led Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to introduce a bill in January 2003 entitled "Universal National Service Act of 2003." This act, which is currently held up in committee, would require a two-year period of national service, either in the military or some other form of government service. A bill proposed by Rep. Fritz Hollings (D-S.C.) is in a committee in the Senate, too.
"I don't know anyone in the executive branch of the government who believes it would be appropriate or necessary to reinstate the draft," Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told the Newspaper Association of America recently.
In early November 2003, the Department of Defense prompted speculation of the possibility of the reinstatement of the draft by posting a message seeking "Draft Board Volunteers" on the DOD's Web site.
After media notice, the post was removed but has recently been revamped and placed back on the DOD's Web site with a clear message that the solicitation is not in any way related to a perceived need to reinstate the draft in the near future.
Conscription would be needed if force readiness becomes a serious issue. The Pentagon announced that all of the branches of the military met or exceeded their targeted re-enlistment goals and recruiting goals for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2003, and for the six months ended March 31 are encouraging as well. No figures have been released for the reserves or National Guard, however, and those numbers are expected to come in well below target. Targeted numbers were reduced for most branches due to stop-loss orders that were implemented in recent months that required many service members to remain on active duty after their contracted term had expired.
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