Military Experience

S

SamHouston

New member
I was 1A, had a low draft number and took my physical 3 weeks before Nixon called off the draft. Luckily Vietnam was not meant for me but always semi-regretted not serving in the military. In those days joining didn't seem like the wise thing to do.

In the early 70's, you had a choice of college or the military. Two Questions:

Should we have mandatory service requirements after high school ?

Do you believe it would be beneficial if our President had some military experience?

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"I was 1A, had a low draft number and took my physical 3 weeks before Nixon called off the draft. Luckily Vietnam was not meant for me but always semi-regretted not serving in the military. In those days joining didn't seem like the wise thing to do."

Take my word for it, you did not miss one thing. Please do not regret not serving.

"Should we have mandatory service requirements after high school ?"

Yes, some kind of service after high school or college. Not necessarily the military.

"Do you believe it would be beneficial if our President had some military experience?"

IMO: Yes. As much as I do not like McCain, he is the only POTUS candidate I would vote for. It is my personal belief that he would use the US military sparingly and wisely. Otherwise he is a nutcase.
 
I don't know, some days I have differing views based on my experience in the Army. Some days I might be fine with an all volunteer army but other days I wish that the draft was back.

I'll have to think about it and come back with a fuller answer.

ETA:

thallub said:
Take my word for it, you did not miss one thing. Please do not regret not serving.
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Why do you think that?

Before you answer, I'm not trying to be argumentative, my father says the same thing.

"Should we have mandatory service requirements after high school ?"

Yes, some kind of service after high school or college. Not necessarily the military.
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That sounds like a good idea, but is that fundementally democratic (American)?

"Do you believe it would be beneficial if our President had some military experience?"

IMO: Yes. As much as I do not like McCain, he is the only POTUS candidate I would vote for. It is my personal belief that he would use the US military sparingly and wisely.
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Indeed. The president should have mandatory experience as a military officer (active duty, not just a eventless stint in the guard). Among one of his most important jobs is commander in chief, and how could anyone really have conidence in him as a leader if he's never been a soldier himself? Well perhaps not mandatory but he should have a profoundly deep knowledge about how it works and when it should (or shouldn't) be used.

Otherwise he is a nutcase.
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LOL

Funny you should mention that, my professor and I came to same conclusion about him. He is sort of neurotic..
 
Mandatory service to the state is slavery. 'nuff sed.

I don't think that a military record is necessarily always a benefit to a president. In this age and day, business sense and diplomacy are just as important as understanding military matters.
 
I have yet to meet a man in the military or prior service who deployed to combat who thinks that someone without a combat deployment and combat experience (actually being shot at and leading men in battle, etc.) has the right to send troops to a fight and quite possibly their deaths.
 
Lincoln? FDR? Eisenhower?

None of these men ever went into battle, yet they go down in the history books as people who handled war situations rather well.
 
"Take my word for it, you did not miss one thing. Please do not regret not serving."

"Why do you think that?"

Have not always thought that way. Changed my mind about the time I retired from the Army in 1979. Lost a lot of good friends in Viet Nam. Lost my only brother there. Know a lot of other good folks who were badly wounded or messed up in the head from their service there.
 
I would at least think a having a president with real military time behind him would be good.

Sometimes I think mandatory draft would be a good thing. Other times I think not. Should we go back to the draft I would suggest no one gets out of it except for those the military doesn't want. Perhaps a delayed entry to complete schooling but after graduation you going in. drop out and your in.
 
My Grand Dad fought in WWII, and for some reason he hates Ike. I'll have to get back with you on why.
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I think you missed my point, Copen..

Have not always thought that way. Changed my mind about the time I retired from the Army in 1979. Lost a lot of good friends in Viet Nam. Lost my only brother there. Know a lot of other good folks who were badly wounded or messed up in the head from their service there.
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It's a sad thing, isn't it?
 
The draft was highly motivational to keep your grades up & stay in school. It was the time all the Junior colleges were built. If you got in trouble with the law they usually gave you a choice of jail time or a stint in the Army

Many countries have a 2 year mandatory commitment. I have a useless nephew that I'd love to see in the service, it hopefully would teach him some order & discipline.

Getting out of bed at 5am might help a lot of young adults.
 
Well ArmyGI, not sure your point then. Let's see, you pointed out 3 Presidents who proved themselves capable. I pointed out that my Grandfather, a Vet, thought that one of them wasn't capable for some reason. (He is 90 now, so will ask him tomorrow when he's awake as to why if you are interested still)

Finally, maybe you missed my point which was that I have yet to meet a man who has been to war who thinks it is fine and dandy to send boys to war if the person sending them has not been to war. I am not saying there aren't people who were capable who didn't go to war. I am saying that when given the decision that I haven't met a guy who would want a man without boots on the ground experience to be leading him.

And for what it's worth, I have about 5 years of boots on the ground experience as of now myself. All I'm saying is I have met a lot of service members..
 
I always thought of the the Army of being in the business of winning wars. It is not a social welfare program. I wouldn't want to have someone who commited a crime in the civilian world guarding my back.

And as they say, you can take the kid out of the hood, but you can't take the hood out of the kid. Just think about that Marine slasher guy they just caught.
 
Well ArmyGI, not sure your point then. Let's see, you pointed out 3 Presidents who proved themselves capable. I pointed out that my Grandfather, a Vet, thought that one of them wasn't capable for some reason. (He is 90 now, so will ask him tomorrow when he's awake as to why if you are interested still)
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Don't get so defensive. I wasn't disputing that troops who have been in combat don't take kindly to being asked to go to war by an inexperienced commander in chief. Rather it was the fact that prior experience in the military has no bearing on effective use of the military.

Finally, maybe you missed my point which was that I have yet to meet a man who has been to war who thinks it is fine and dandy to send boys to war if the person sending them has not been to war.
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Actually, I didn't miss that point. That was kinda your whole post and my reply was a rebuttal to that mindset.

I am not saying there aren't people who were capable who didn't go to war. I am saying that when given the decision that I haven't met a guy who would want a man without boots on the ground experience to be leading him.
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Again...here is where I'd have to disagree. Generally speaking, if you're voting for the President of the United States, you're going to know a thing or two about him first (hopefully) before you vote for him. SO he's not just going to be a "guy you haven't met". Based upon how seriously you take your vote you should be able to pick the best candidate for the job and that candidate is not always going to have a military backround or a backround in actual combat, hence my three examples.

And for what it's worth, I have about 5 years of boots on the ground experience as of now myself. All I'm saying is I have met a lot of service members..
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Thank you for your service
 
I wanted to serve my country after high school but was disqualified because of a medical condition. I then went on to college. Even today I would join I was able too. With that being said most countries that have conscript soldiers want to replace them for professional soldiers. Why, because the best solider is the one that wants to be there not one that has to fulfill a military obligation. Conscripts are nothing more than cannon fodder since they are usually the ones that get the least training. Do we want that in this country. Granted even in professional forces their are people who are serving only for the benefits, they are ones that flee to Canada at the first gun shot, but most understand why they are there and proud to serve.
 
Well Army GI, I am scratching my head now. Those are some interesting things to think about. My current point in life I really tend to place a terrible amount of value on military service and quality of said service when placing my vote. I believe most of my comrades are like-minded, to include my Grandfather. Beyond that, I haven't much to say.
 
Well Army GI, I am scratching my head now.
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Basically, we're agreeing with each other in a cumbersome roundabout way. Also I'm half-asleep so some of what I said may not make sense.:p

But I'm glad we see eye to eye for the most part.
 
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I was 1A, had a low draft number and took my physical 3 weeks before Nixon called off the draft. Luckily Vietnam was not meant for me but always semi-regretted not serving in the military. In those days joining didn't seem like the wise thing to do.
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362 in the lottery of life as we called it back then. Hell would have had to be freezing over before they got to me. Then I went and joined the Marines. :p That upset a lot of my peers who had low numbers and got drafted.

Should we have mandatory service requirements after high school ?
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I have no clear firm opinion on this. While I believe that the lack of drive to provide some service to this country results in the current "what's in it for me" mindset I see all too often, I also saw what the draft (and the unpopular war) did to the services. Not a time to revisit.

Still, we, as a country, are becoming increasingly disconnected from our government. There doesn't appear to be a desire to work together anymore for the common good and we are becoming too fragmented.

Do you believe it would be beneficial if our President had some military experience?
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I think some type of military experience is a good thing for ALL of our politicians to have, though it probably wouldn't help as most politicians are.... well, they're politicians. :(
 
Am I getting this right? General Eisenhower didn't have ANY military experience... um... no. I believe he did. If "Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Europe" in WWII doesn't count as military experience, then I guess my paltry decade of service to Uncle Sam's Misguided Children doesn't count either. And, I was really hoping for a pension too... ;)

In all seriousness, when it comes to bringing back the draft... hell no. As a volunteer force we have better morale, esprit d' corps, and more intelligent Marines. If we brought back a draft, we'd end up taking dropouts, and ne'er do wells- the people our recruiters are supposed to weed out. I can't speak for the other services, but I KNOW that the USMC does NOT take applicants without a high school diploma or a GED. Nor will it take anyone with a felony.

Just my two slugs o' copper.

p.s. My grandpa didn't like Ike either... must have been a SOB to serve under.
 
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