draft

[1CAVCCO15MED]

WW II had a higher percentage of draftees than Vietnam. I think it was kind of like the people at the time figured it was a more orderly process that way instead of a reluctance to go. The draft is involuntary servitude just the same as jury duty and prison. Slavery is the extreme end of a spectrum.

[vetgirl]

told my son join something, least they tell you what.
unlike viet namn we were attacked although not by iraq. go figure

momma deb

[savage grace]

sorry catman didn't want to cause any ill feeling. this is a general post and i apologize to any one i may have upset . the fact is i arrived in vietnam in mid aug. 70and from what i found the "war" was over from a winning stand point several years before i arrived. and its not a "poor me thing" it more of"why me" kinda thing.

Slaves were valuable property.Jury duty is easy to get out of.Prison inmates are somewhat protected by laws against "cruel and unusual punishment"and ALWAYS get three hots and a cot.The Grunt?Who is(was) more likely to be killed or maimed and/or left outside in the rain and mud for a few weeks at a time?

[catman]

Mike...no sweat GI. We all have bad days, I more than most.

Myself, along with most of the people who post often, have been dx with PTSD. We are a strange lot, the group of us. Most of us have been posting, talking and visting with each other for around five years. Most of the time we know what each other is thinking before we get to the bottom line of who's ever post. If anything it is I that owes you an apology. I hope you except and continue to be among us.

Mike, welcome to the site and Welcome home!

Trav

[savage grace]

this is what true living is all about. ya see .no apology necessary. the Why me in this has to do with not feelin' you don't belong among the elite.i'll be the first one to tell i truely don't belong among the elite and it fuckin'breakes my heart ' and doc i'd still pick nam over prison . i only spent 4 months in nam but i did the other for 4 years G0D LOVE YOU ALL

[MORTARDUDE]

sparrow :

as i recall we fought ww1 and ww2 ( which were true world wars ) and korea with the national guard and reserves, and when they werent adequate the draft was used...using stats from those wars to compare to vietnam is usesless and tedious, where the guard and reserves were havens for draft evaders.

larry

[savage grace]

you know i do recall someone hoping i would die in vietnam .oyea it was that guard guy goin' home after infantry school to play golf with the brass. mortardude thank GOD for you

[savage grace]

i'll say one thing more and leave it at that. i said i was stilled pissed off. i'm not angry and i don't have it in me to hate. so if being pissed off is a bad thing what must i do when i'm pissed on?

[reconeil]

Your 66% draftee percentage during WWII seems about right to me,...if not higher?

Though, one of the main differences between The Draft then and in later years, was that when drafted "Then",...it was: "For The Duration" of The War and/or till dead or wounded quite severely and unable to be bandaged-up and sent back into battle. There were no 1 or 2 year Tours of Duty.

Then too, and where draftees were needed was The Branch sent to, whether U.S. Army, Airforce, Coast Guard, Navy or Marines.
I could be wrong? But, I think the only people whom actually had to Vounteer for a specific Military Unit were called: "Airborne",...and quite rightfully so since can't force anyone to jump out of an airplane nor force one to have guts and what's needed during wartime and/or for killing the enemy up close and personal behind enemy lines.

Still, and in fairness to later draftees not so lucky, The WWII Draftees much more fortunately had generals and admirals, instead of politicians calling-the-shots and politically-correctly and amateurishly micro-managing every aspect of warfare possible.
Plus, for The WWII Draftees, the only acceptable outcome permitted them by The Generals and Admirals was to achieve TOTAL VICTORY. Draftees weren't put in harms way, just for achieving political ends, having: "A New World Order", or for humanitarian or policing duties.

Regardless, even though one will never know?
But, and without The Draft during WWII, it's more than likely that America's Nation Language would presently be a combination of German and Japanese,...instead of our currently acceptable in some places English, and Spanish in others.

Neil

P.S.
For the record I volunteered, and in both 10th Recon and: "The A Troop" we were 100% Vounteers at a time (1955-58) when most in The Army were draftees. Later there were even 6 month Draftees.
Regardless, and when it comes to Military Service, nothing ever changes for me.
Just like back then: "If you're not Recon - you're shit".
Naturally, one excludes Corpsmen or Medics from what used to be our normal greeting to any and all outsiders.
What "They" do under fire or during: "A Shoot-em-up",...REALLY TAKES GUTS. No ifs, ands or buts