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I go back and forth on this, and I come from a family whose military service dates to Cowpens and Kings Mountain. (My nephew just graduated from Parris Island.)

One undeniable benefit of universal, or near-universal, military service is that it exposes you to lots of different kinds of people and makes you work with them toward a common goal. That's valuable experience that a lot of people otherwise never get, patriotic elements aside.

At the same time, though, that benefit is a side effect, not something the military is intended or inherently set up to do.

True, Lex, but the other principles involved are national service and sacrifice.
It seems unfair to place the burden of protecting the country on the poorest among us -- because they are the poorest among us, and are often lured to the military because their other options are more limited.
The other troubling aspect of the WUNC broadcast is the assumption some panel members say people make that something must be terribly wrong if a person of means does choose military service.

Allen, I think you are absolutely right. And I am coming around to the view that we may need a draft. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and the behind-the-scenes involvement of Syria and Iran-- together with Iran's nuclear aspirations-- suggest to me that we need to be ready. It may be for the best if events dictate movement away from the status quo you are describing.

Several countries, such as Israel (whose almost always on a war readiness status)& Switzerland, have mandatory military service for their male population (women also in the case of Israel).

In light of the fact that we're at war amazes me that our leaders in the WH as well as Congress never positioned our country on a war footing psychologically as well as emotionally by instituting mandatory military service, raising taxes to pay for the costs, and inspiring our people to make those sacrifices that were significant in winning past wars.

What I find striking about our military personnel fighting in our terrorist wars is that some of them aren't even citizens (primarily Hispanic) yet feel strongly enough in our values to pay the ultimate sacrifice if necessary.

Allen mentions above the fact that the poor tend to turn to the military due to the fact that their options are limited. This is true, of course. I haven’t seen anyone mention the connection between economic status and level of education (perhaps it is implicit); those who have pursued higher education may be less likely to pursue military service because they are more aware that serving in the military doesn’t necessarily mean "serving the country" so much as it means "serving those who hold power." For example, serving in the military in Iraq isn’t "defending America" as Iraq never threatened America; serving in the military in Iraq is serving a powerful elite that currently runs the US government. And those who have been fortunate to pursue higher education are more likely to understand this that those who have not been so fortunate.

Regards,

Cries for a draft are usually from those with "class envy" who want to "stick it" to those more fortunate than they are.
I admire anyone who volunteers to serve our country, especially in a time of war. It takes a special person to step forward and say, "Send me."

Allen where do you get your facts that the military is made up on basically one class and that being poor?
The facts are that the military of today(according to the 05-06 recruiting stats) the best educated, older and more middle class than it has ever been. The lower class is actually under represented according to DoD figures. Hispanics, not Blacks are the largest minority in the military today. Black recruiting figures are actually falling. The liberal whine of the poor class making up the military and doing all the fighting is pure bull left over from Vietnam days. It just doesn't fly in this day and time of the all volunteer military.

Sometimes the immigrants who go to war on behalf of the America are not doing so because of American values. I'm afriad it is about economics for them as well. I personally know of African youth who join up because "making it" in America is so difficult otherwise. I'm sure the same is true for Hispanic youth. It's a steady job where youth who are "different" are not scrutinized like in the real world in America. Its a place to live and an opprotunity to travel. So why not.

Mrproduce:
You might want to check out the broadcast of "The State of Things" on the subject. They cite some statistics, as I recall.

Mrproduce:
Here is some of the numbers the Douquet book cites:

In 1956, 400 out of 750 in Princeton's graduating class went into the military. In 2004, that number fell to 10 out of 1,100. Princeton led the Ivy League. Further, only 5 percent of today's Congress are veterans, and only seven have a child serving in the military.

Here's more: In the years after World War II, nearly every member of Congress was a veteran. By 1971, three-quarters of the members had worn the uniform. Today, only a third of the 535 members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have served in the military.

And here's more:
Both Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had sons serving in uniform during World War II. Today's political leaders typically don't.

President Bush volunteered and served in the
National Guard, he could have been sent to Vietnam as many were during that time.
Bill Clinton ran away from military service.
Sen. Baucus(D) of Montana lost his son this week fighting in Iraq.
Why this obsession with who's sons or daughters are serving?

That may well show that the "rich" don't sign on as often as in the past but where do you get the facts to back the statement or infered statement that the military is made up of mainly the poor or lower class members of society?
Please reference the following data which I believe you will find comes straight from the "horses mouth" so to speak.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2005/20051123_3437.html

Basically the same article is quoted in this report as well.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/06recruiting.htm

To Jaycee:
Oh, I don't know. I think there is a credible argument for shared sacrifice in the defense of the country.

Allen, do you also decry the fact that very few oil barons have sons working in the grease pit at Jiffy Lube?
This kind of "moral equivalency" with regards to military service is ridiculous. It's just transparent class envy.

Allen, re the "other principles" you mentioned, yes, I agree. That, among other things, is why I said I "go back and forth on it." :-)

There are good arguments to be made in favor of a draft and good arguments to be made against it, and neither set directly addresses the other.

Jaycee:
On Jiffy Lube and oil barons, nah. But I don't think that's a good comparison.
Military service means more than a job at Jiffy Lube.And it costs more, in limbs in lives.

I think it's a good analogy, and I'm the analogist here, LOL.
All military service does not result in loss of life or limb. Many service members never leave the U.S., or serve in overseas areas such as Korea, Japan, Germany, etc. The KIA and WIA percentages are far less than you might think.
Would you feel that city councilmen or county commissioners have no credibility in areas such as firefighting or law enforcement or dog-catching if they don't have any sons or daughters doing that?
How about a lay-person police review board made up of community activists who have never served as police officers?
My point is that it doesn't matter. SecDef Rumsfeld served in the military himself, and has served as SecDef under two presidents. Is he not credible because he doesn't have a son or daughter in the military and in Iraq and actually in combat? Of course not.

Jaycee: That was never the point. The point is that military service requires a special kind of sacrifice and commitment to God and country, whether you see combat or not.
We are not all sharing in that sacrifice. And the more we become distanced from the reality of the military experience, the more we risk becoming detached and insulated from its enormous human costs.
That's unhealthy and I'm not sure that's the type of country we aspire to be.