SwiftVets.com

Chris in Tennessee · Seaman Recruit Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 9

I am posting this message at the request of my father, Larry, who was in the Marine Corps Reserves in the late 50's as he has no account on Swiftvets.com as of yet.

"I have a concern about what will happen to our military if John Kerry is elected Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces. Everything I have seen indicates that our service men and women have much more confidence in the leadership of George W. Bush and have little confidence in the leadership of John Kerry. I believe that if Kerry is elected many will leave the service when they can, and the number volunteering will drastically decline. If this situation happens, an unpopular military draft will have to be implemented in order to maintain a military force."

Larry
Ex Marine

BuffaloJack · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:10 pm Post subject:

Makes sense to me.
We have an all volunteer military.
If Kerry gets in, most will not re-up.
Draft would be only way to keep up military staffing levels.
This spin might actually bring in the draft-doger vote against Kerry.

air_vet · PO2 Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 374

lrb111 · Captain Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Posts: 508

I apologize for a non-vet post in this folder.
There are already two Dem. proposed Draft bills.

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:H.R.163:
http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:S.89:

I find this hilariously ironic. The VVAW called attention to it.
http://www.vvaw.org/veteran/article/?id=422
_________________
said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "It is inexcusable to mock service and sacrifice."
well, when even the DNC can see it,,,,, then kerry is toast.

seabee-vet · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:01 pm Post subject:

I don't see that as a bad thing.. It would build a sense of honor to the country and also teach some people some respect.
_________________
Seabees 89 to 99 . USN BU2 SCWS . NMCB1 ,CBU 408, NASNI SCE. Gulf War Somallia VET. Thank you Vets of all wars .

Redleg · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:44 pm Post subject:

Another "wishful thinking, ain't gonna happen" thing President Kerry could do is to freeze current enlistments and extend troops for another year (Under the War Powers Act or something or other). JKF did this during the Berlin crisis and not many troopers were discharged before the additional year.
Personally I can't see another draft unless would-be Pres Kerry get us in a world of international chin deep buffalo dung.
But don't be concerned, Kerry's friends the Frenchies and Brandenburgers will surely bail us out. Haven't they saved out butts a few times in the past? Or was that in another life? Wink

_________________
FIRE MISSION: Kerry campaign in line of sight.

twodogs · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:07 pm Post subject:

Hey, this thread has possibilities. Imagine that the whole campaign boils down to who's most fit to be Commander in Chief. Then, imagine that the rules change so that only vets and active duty service personnel got to vote. Wink

_________________
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "Holy %*^! What a ride!"

Anonymous

Shane's PopPop · Ensign Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 53 Location: New Jersey

seabee-vet wrote.

seabee-vet · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:15 am Post subject:

First . I am not talking about the past.
second. I said it is not a bad thing. I did not say it was the best thing.
a voluntary force is a strong force but to think they are all good people is laughable. I remember many people trying to get out of the service in gulf 1 and in Somalia. Most of them said i just wanted the college money. i don't believe in war. with that said I know it is far less now then it was in VM era.
_________________
Seabees 89 to 99 . USN BU2 SCWS . NMCB1 ,CBU 408, NASNI SCE. Gulf War Somallia VET. Thank you Vets of all wars .

stylin19 · Lt.Jg. Joined: 08 Aug 2004 Posts: 122

In 08/04, Sen. Kerry told the VFW that "...He promised 40,000 extra troops, twice as many army special forces,..."

at the DNC convention he said:

"We will add 40,000 active duty troops, not in Iraq, but to strengthen American forces that are now overstretched, overextended, and under pressure. We will double our special forces to conduct anti-terrorist operations. We will provide our troops with the newest weapons and technology to save their lives and win the battle. And we will end the backdoor draft of National Guard and reservists.

In 05/04 he said...."About half of the added Army troops would specialize in civil affairs or function as military police, while the other 20,000 would be combat troops"

No Guard, No Reserves yet add 40k extra troops ? How does he do this without a draft ?

This guy is goofy.
_________________
U.S.M.C. - 1969-1971
RVN- 1970-1971

Knighthawk · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:04 pm Post subject:

I can't imagine the American People electing Kerry, but Clinton did get elected........TWICE. I suffered through 8 years of Clinton while serving in the military, and although I will not like it, I will continue to serve even in Kerry is elected because I love what I do, and out of sense of duty to my fellow soldiers.

I am reminded here of a quote by John Stuart Mill:

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

I will tell you that our military is in good hands, and even if Kerry is elected, we will continue to do great things, even if we are doing it with spitballs.
_________________
Regards,
Brian

Beware of the lollipop of mediocrity! Lick it once and you'll suck forever.

If guns kill people, then I can blame misspelled words on my pencil.

Knighthawk's Pictures!

jwb7605 · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 11:42 pm Post subject:

I would not object to "Service to Country" ...
that could include Military Service OR the Peace Corps OR Americorps OR similar things.

Military Service ONLY I have a problem with.

There are many ways to help the country ... I'm in favor of requiring one, but letting the individual choose how, according to his/her heart.

I retract this opinion if, and only if, things get as desperate as they were just after 7 Dec 1941. But not until then.

Redleg · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:26 am Post subject:

The only way I would endorse a draft is if everyone and I mean everyone was eligable with no exeptions. Ditch diggers to sliver spoons they all get in the lottery.
How about the women? Pick a number and get on line. I am sure that for women there would be a smaller window in terms of qualifications.
Would this work?
_________________
FIRE MISSION: Kerry campaign in line of sight.

gator60 · Seaman Recruit Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 36

If Kerry becomes president there will be no draft because he will dismantle the military,the CIA, turn us over to the U.N. He will surrender and sell us out. He has done it before, and what makes anyone think he won't do it again. Rember thay don't tell the truth. They say everything we are saying is a proven lie. proved by who? If he gets in, are we going to become communist, or do are women need to buy blue berkas.