For Your Consideration…
While our current focus is on local politics, I found a piece in the newspaper Army Times that would have local implications, particularly for people who are of military age.
There has been, over the last 40 plus years, talk about reinstating conscription, or the draft. The current issue of Army Times has a piece in it addressing the subject. This narrative discusses both the pros and cons of such a move, but there is one thing that I find disturbing and I quote it directly:
“If draftees want to go college first, they MUST participate in a Reserve Officers Training Corps program and then serve.
“If they fail or quit ROTC, they MUST then enlist.”
Note the use of the word “must.” Basically, young people who want to go to college would have no options regarding military service. I do not know what the accepted definition of ‘government overreach’ is, but if this is not ‘government overreach’ then I have no idea what is. But then, I forget that Trump is going to “Make America Great Again”. I guess he plans to do it at the expense of young American lives – again.
One other thing that makes me wonder about the thinking of the people coming up with this scheme is the cost factor. At the time we had a draft in place, Private E-1 base pay was $87.00 a month (EOM). With the current base for an E-1 is now, a draft would bankrupt the nation.
Ray Bushnell
Read the full article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2017/07/25/bringing-back-the-draft/