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Command Post What is this?
Posted on Nov 19, 2018
Maj Michael Haynie
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I agree that the cost of freedom is not being equally shared and should be. Not sure how the forced donations to vet organizations would do more than insure more corruption and graft in those organizations. I would like to see a mandatory two year conscription, whether that is in the military service or other federal service. IMO, one of the strengths of the draft was the diversity.
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Sgt Jay Jones
Sgt Jay Jones
5 y
The biggest "Welfare" group in the United States are those who have done nothing for their freedom. Freedom isn't free, but the "All Volunteer" force is being forced to shoulder deployment after deployment. You had more people concerned about Demi Lovato's drug overdose, than the U.S. Servicemen killed in combat to protect our freedom that week.
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PO2 David Ball
PO2 David Ball
5 y
Nope, the weakness of the draft was that some groups were either targeted or could not make the arguments to get out of service... Also what diversity are you talking about???
Whites are still the largest group of people in the United States by race and sex (around 70%). Blacks, however, are 7 percent by race and sex... (14% in total) so what is the total rate of service by race anyway???
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SPC Andrew Murray
SPC Andrew Murray
5 y
Going to disagree with you. I have no interest in serving in a slave army.
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CPT Philip Bailey
CPT Philip Bailey
5 y
The draft or conscription needs to be a last resort to filling the needs of the service. If we can meet the needs of the nation with an all volunteer force then we should do so. The all volunteer force is far superior military when compared to a conscripted force. An all volunteer force is more expensive and typically smaller. I remember the problems with a force that contained draftees. The problems with discipline, evasion of service, and uneven distribution of exemptions from the draft made the system difficult to manage and created perceptions that the wealthy could avoid combat or service all together. The draft did not make Americans appreciate the service of members. The opposite was true.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
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Edited >1 y ago
I think the military and the civilians are tired of these wars. Our senior military leaders said this will not be another Vietnam, however 17 years later we are still stuck in a quagmire. I concur there is apathy.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
>1 y
SFC Melvin Brandenburg - Ideology is often the Center of Gravity. Alexander the Great, the Mongols, the British, and the Soviets killed millions of Afghans but could not break the Afghans ideology of having an independent nation.
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SFC Barbara Layman
SFC Barbara Layman
5 y
PO1 Donald Kennelly - "PO1 Donald Kennelly 2 mo
I think the military is tired of war. I think the civilians don't care one way or the other. Not on their radar. You have the warrior class and you have the civilians. Unlike previous wars where everyone knew someone in the military personally; there are now those who know of no one personally that are or have been in the military. "we deserve what we get because we volunteered for it" is what I hear."

You are so right. I had 2 neighbors - 1 a disabled VN vet the other, same age, with no military service of any kind. The vet operated a small business out of his garage converting vehicles to right side steering for rural mail carriers.

The other fellow complained frequently threatening to report the vet for fraud because he was 'totally disabled' and shouldn't be doing any kind of work. When it was explained that the vet's 100% didn't mean he couldn't work at all, but was specifically directed at the work he was trained to do for the military and was apparently not qualified for reclass because he wasn't, the guy's flippant response was "He was a fool, he volunteered so he asked for it."
That ignorant jackass had absolutely no clue and wasn't interested in learning.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
5 y
I don't know if this amounts to a hill of beans, but Sparta was strong due to its citizen warriors.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
5 y
SFC Melvin Brandenburg - I concur with you. In Vietnam and Afghanistan we were unable to protect villages, and we had a queer way of winning the hearts of minds by shooting civilians and burning down villages.
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SGM Erik Marquez
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Edited 6 y ago
When the masses do not have to experience any of the hardships lived by others, they have no buy in... No reason to care at all. Not for the use of the troops or against..
Its not on their radar at all if they are here in the states or in some far away land.,,, the troops are just a bumper sticker, a quick flash in view when the media makes some coverage, or they see someone in uniform, and as quick as moment came, its gone just as fast....

The saying "America is not at war, America is at the mall, the Military is at war" is silly, yet true.

An excellent article Maj Michael Haynie, thank you for the efforts you make for vets, current and future.
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