Need to Reinstate the Military Draft - Research Paper Example

Should the US Federal Government Rein the Military Draft to Maintain a Viable and Representative Military? The US, in 1940, instituted a peacetime military draft, which was to provide troops for World War II, the Korean, and the Vietnam wars. The draft ended on 27 January 1973 when the Vietnam signed peace pacts. The military draft has been an issue of contention, in the US. While some people see it as a good method to maintain a representative and viable military, others do not see it as such. As a most powerful, most modern, and most compassionate nation, the US even in a state of emergency, should not choose to reinstate the military draft unless it has to put into consideration other measures to maintain a viable and representative military. The military draft was used in the US particularly in the times of war and the cold war period. This was the best way that the US could use to ensure that it maintained a viable and a strong military because of the injuries and the deaths that its military suffered. However, in the current age, there are better ways of planning for war and security issues rather than using a military draft, in addition to, the fact that wars are not widespread like in the yester centuries. Disabled military veterans are currently fighting the bureaucrats of the veterans’ affairs department in order to fight claims for healthcare services and disability benefits to cover for the war injuries they sustained on duty while serving their country. Some of them have waited for too long. As a wakeup call, the US should not reinstate the military draft because the military involves an exposure into a life-threatening environment where the military personnel are exposed to dangers of death but also the dangers of being permanently disabled. Instead, the US government should invite all in the required age bracket of 18 to 21, for an active duty of service to assist physically and mentally challenged citizens from overseas injuries. However, this should be done voluntarily as opposed to through a military draft (Rosebrock 77). The federal government spends trillions of dollars training innocent minds and strong bodies to be professional killers against enemies. In order to reduce such cases, the US should not reinstate the military draft. Newly inducted citizens can be assigned to work and serve as peacetime draftees at hospitals, to assist in administration, nursing and facility maintenance and also assigned to work on full time basis, to take care of the individual disabled veterans and their families and be integrated into the society rather than being ignored, and neglected. However, this decision should be left for individual persons to decide and not the government. As chambers and Anderson (1999) argue, “a military draft is not effective an example of this is the 1863 draft that was, “undemocratic conscription and served largely a negative example for the future” (Chambers and Anderson 139). Chambers and Anderson’s view is true military draft does not go in line with the democratic rights that citizens have in the US. Troops on active duty serve as a cohesive unit with a specified military branch: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard. On discharge away from their duties, they become independent veterans. Military personnel and their work require a lot of motivation even if they work under orders. One important motivation is for a military personnel to get into the military through own will and not conscription introduced by the government. It is therefore, not right for the military to reintroduce a military draft because it acts as a forceful aspect for people to join the military even when they do not want to. The cancellation of the military draft, in the US in 1973 showed that military drafts had failed in the previous years. The US had used the military draft several times especially during wars and during the cold war period. After 1973, the US introduced a voluntary entrance into the military as opposed to conscription. Therefore, reintroducing a military draft would mean reintroducing something that had already failed in the first place. Therefore, if it was ineffective, it will be still ineffective and is not warranted for. A representative military can be achieved, but not a viable one. People might just get into the military just because they have been forced to and not because they want to and may never perform military duties. Bardes, Mack C. Shelley and Schmidt (2008) argues that not all the conscripted become useful. He states, “Not all who are eligible for the draft could be used by the draft” (Bardes, Mack C. Shelley and Schmidt 516). They are truthful as the state could spend much resources on people who may never join the military. In fact, the military should have abled personnel not only physically, but also through mental and psychological preparedness. A military draft could introduce people who are mentally and psychological absent from military activities and create problems for the US security. Therefore, the military draft should not be reintroduced in any way or form. The US military draft does not protect the troops, divides the state, and brings unfairness to the military. Furthermore, the future leaders may commit the state’s troops to problems unless people are willing to make their own decisions to join the military. A military that has diversity from all races and socioeconomic backgrounds serve together and tend to share and understand each other’s values and beliefs. However, a military draft will bring together people who do not want to be in such an environment and make them ineffective to work together because of fate rather than wise decision making with respect to joining military. Military draft will ruin the states dominant forces by turning it to a divisive political issue and having a number of troops who are not ready and willing to serve. At the marine and army departments, reservists work as regular substitutes rather than emergency team. Military is a subject that must not be entangled in political issues irrespective of the fact that it might be at the center of it. The military should work as a single unit with its personnel operating in harmony. However, a military draft does not assure of this. Paul (2013) argues against a military draft because it weakens the military. He says, “A draft weakens the military by introducing tensions and rivalries between those who volunteer for military service and those who have been conscripted” (Paul). Paul is true because the two groups cannot work harmoniously because one group feel they are more deserved than the other. Many people would like to join the military voluntarily and they offer enough personnel because there is no war that the US is facing that requires an urgent and massive army even with the fact that the US, as a superpower must have a strong military. In fact, this is reason enough for the US to understand that a military draft does not help in maintaining a viable military. Many people who would want to work in the military voluntarily exist and this overrides the importance or need of a military draft. Paul (2013) supports voluntary military and states, “Since military conscription ended over 30 years ago, voluntary armed services have successfully fulfilled the military needs of the United States” (Paul). Paul is right as he shows that there is absolutely no need of a military draft because voluntary military has been effective. Over time, the US has spent billions of dollars on war in which young patriotic citizens working as military personnel get wounded and die. Furthermore, resources are now planned to cater for future challenges. Many sectors require energetic and strong youths to work in just like the military. Therefore, it would be wrong to introduce a military draft just to maintain a representative and viable military, yet other sectors that need such youth. This will be building one sector of the country and neglecting others. In fact, one fundamental question would be; why should a draft be introduced in the military alone and not in other sectors? One argument that has been brought forward supporting a military draft is that it provides a ready base for military personnel should a war occur. Having a conscription would ensure that a large population has been trained on basic military training and this can be quickly pulled to be used in a situation of war. The main reasoning here is that a situation of war requires an already thought-out plan that will safeguard the country against detrimental effects of war. A well thought-out plan would, therefore, include a ready-in-place army to be put into war in case it arises (Cato Institute). The above is not enough reason for the government to reintroduce a military draft to maintain a viable military. In fact, a viable military needs constant training and update. However, a military draft may involve giving people basic military training and letting them go back to their natural lives. Of course, such training will be useless as people are bound to forget on top of the fact that bodily changes do occur constantly because of exercise, diet and other factors such as environmental factors and diseases among others. In addition, the US has intelligence agencies such as the CIA and the FBI among others that are supposed to help the country know upfront of an impending war or security issues that my warrant a big army. This will provide adequate time to train other military personnel on top of the fact that the country has enough military personnel. Therefore, a military draft is completely unwarranted for and should not be reinstated. In conclusion, the US should maintain a representative and viable military but should not do that through a military draft because it is not a sure way of doing it. The federal government should never fall short of meeting its commitment and keep their promise of care, safety and security to the citizens but should not be done through a military draft, as there are other ways of doing that. To avoid the possibility of conscription and ever worsening situations in the US, perhaps fatal defeat in cases of wars the US should use its intelligence agencies and encourage the youth to join the military voluntarily and work there motivated. Getting the youth to sever in the military through a military draft is a sure way of failing the military viability. Work Cited Bardes, Barbara A., II Mack C. Shelley and Steffen W. Schmidt. American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials. New York: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Cato Institute. “Strategy, Not Math: The Emerging Consensus on National Security in an Era of Austerity.” March 14 2013. http://www.cato.org/multimedia/events/strategy-not-math-emerging-consensus-national-security-era-austerity Chambers, John Whiteclay and Fred Anderson. The Oxford Companion to American Military History. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print. Paul, Ron. “Against Military Conscription.” Lew Rockwell.com., March 23, 2002. Web. 8 April 2013. (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul24.html) Rosebrock, Robert. “Veterans Call on President Obama to declare state of emergency in Los Angeles.” Veterans Today: Military & Foreign Affairs Journal (2012). Ruschmann, Paul. Mandatory Military Service. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print. Read More