RENEA
07-19-2005, 17:41
Published on Monday, July 18, 2005, in the Tracy Press.
Restore the draft
http://www.tracypress.com/voice/2005-07-18-your-voice.php
EDITOR,
I enlisted in the U.S. Marines in Aug. 1974, right after the draft was ended.
I will always believe it was a wrong decision to end the draft. The draft should have been reformed instead so that all eligible Americans would share the responsibility, rather than mostly the poor.
The enlistment standards were already strict enough, but were made stricter from the late 1970s to early 1980s. The rationale was that many in our military complained that undesirable recruits could get soldiers killed needlessly in combat.
Our country’s soul was still hurting from the Vietnam War. I know that out of my fellow Marines who served honorably compared to those who served dishonorably, both categories shared men with clean backgrounds and men with soiled backgrounds.
Recruiters often deny applicants the opportunity to serve because of overly strict standards.
The end of the draft combined with the end of the Cold War led to the gradual downsizing of infantry forces, which did weaken our military readiness.
Advanced, expensive weapon systems are necessary, but so are very large infantry forces. They have a great deterrent effect to any enemy. “Leaner, not meaner” doesn’t work. It takes “biggest, smartest and meanest” to get the whole job done.
On Feb. 1, 1976, I was promoted to corporal of Marines (age 19), and a month later the 1st Marine Division was placed on alert because we were told the Soviet Union and Iran wanted to control the oil over there.
Our forces in the Persian Gulf flexed their muscles as we prepared for combat over here. After about a month, the deterrent effect caused the enemy to back down, so peace could prevail.
It takes a draft to maintain large infantry forces, but far too many Americans since 1974 grew up thinking military service is for someone else, but not themselves. That is the wrong attitude for America’s freedom to survive.
Yesterday’s soldier was just as honorable as today’s soldier, and no matter who is elected to office, there will always be a need to defend the Constitution of the United States.
Paul Dennis Martinez, Tracy
Restore the draft
http://www.tracypress.com/voice/2005-07-18-your-voice.php
EDITOR,
I enlisted in the U.S. Marines in Aug. 1974, right after the draft was ended.
I will always believe it was a wrong decision to end the draft. The draft should have been reformed instead so that all eligible Americans would share the responsibility, rather than mostly the poor.
The enlistment standards were already strict enough, but were made stricter from the late 1970s to early 1980s. The rationale was that many in our military complained that undesirable recruits could get soldiers killed needlessly in combat.
Our country’s soul was still hurting from the Vietnam War. I know that out of my fellow Marines who served honorably compared to those who served dishonorably, both categories shared men with clean backgrounds and men with soiled backgrounds.
Recruiters often deny applicants the opportunity to serve because of overly strict standards.
The end of the draft combined with the end of the Cold War led to the gradual downsizing of infantry forces, which did weaken our military readiness.
Advanced, expensive weapon systems are necessary, but so are very large infantry forces. They have a great deterrent effect to any enemy. “Leaner, not meaner” doesn’t work. It takes “biggest, smartest and meanest” to get the whole job done.
On Feb. 1, 1976, I was promoted to corporal of Marines (age 19), and a month later the 1st Marine Division was placed on alert because we were told the Soviet Union and Iran wanted to control the oil over there.
Our forces in the Persian Gulf flexed their muscles as we prepared for combat over here. After about a month, the deterrent effect caused the enemy to back down, so peace could prevail.
It takes a draft to maintain large infantry forces, but far too many Americans since 1974 grew up thinking military service is for someone else, but not themselves. That is the wrong attitude for America’s freedom to survive.
Yesterday’s soldier was just as honorable as today’s soldier, and no matter who is elected to office, there will always be a need to defend the Constitution of the United States.
Paul Dennis Martinez, Tracy
