How long before they reinstate the draft?

[Magus]

Ah. my bad. you still got guts for miles for going though.

 

[Lenny]

I wasn't going to let them draft me and send me to Vietnam.
So, I enlisted in the Army, and after almost two years of that BS I volunteered for Vietnam.
And I found that the farther away you get from the Generals, and the closer to the enemy, most of the chicken crap regulations don't get enforced.
I did my three, and went home.

I was in the Navy from 1965 to 1969. We were off the coasts of North and South Vietnam and it some Da Nang harbor quite a bit. I'm on the Agent Orange registry. I don't perceive my life being in danger but we were up for 24 and 48 hours quite a bit. I was in electronics, so my teammates were great but a lot of real jerks in charge of us.....they were pretty pissed at the hours and other BS, so they took it out on us. I did my duty but you can imagine what I told them when they asked if I would reenlist. And coming home on leave, I'd go through the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. A lot of hippies would get in my way and accuse me and the rest of being baby killers but loved the government that ordered us over there. I would cock my fist and say, "Get the **** out of my way!"

 

[Neb]

I was in the Navy from 1965 to 1969. We were off the coasts of North and South Vietnam and it some Da Nang harbor quite a bit. I'm on the Agent Orange registry. I don't perceive my life being in danger but we were up for 24 and 48 hours quite a bit. I was in electronics, so my teammates were great but a lot of real jerks in charge of us.....they were pretty pissed at the hours and other BS, so they took it out on us. I did my duty but you can imagine what I told them when they asked if I would reenlist. And coming home on leave, I'd go through the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. A lot of hippies wood get in my way and accuse me and the rest of being baby killers but loved the government that ordered us over there. I would cock my fist and say, "Get the **** out of my way!"

The bad attitude toward service members lived on through 78 or 79. I visited a park in Norfolk and was dismayed to see a sign that read...

"Sailors and dogs keep off the grass"

Many people dismissed my story of the sign but about 15 years ago I was talking a guard at a CDC facility that confirmed he saw the sign.

Ben

 

[Lenny]

The bad attitude toward service members lived on through 78 or 79. I visited a park in Norfolk and was dismayed to see a sign that read...

"Sailors and dogs keep off the grass"

Many people dismissed my story of the sign but about 15 years ago I was talking a guard at a CDC facility that confirmed he saw the sign.

Ben

Nobody talks about the hate crimes and discrimination against Military and Veterans.

 

[Bacpacker]

Many thanks to all you Nam vets. All you vets for that matter

 

[Dani]

Our government continues to lie to us to get into wars. That is their money maker! Why did we actually have 4 years of peace under Trump? And now that we have Biden, it's endless apparently. . proxy war with Russia, and Iran is happening now. Then we have China with Taiwan, in the future? Who knows?

 

[Lenny]

Our government continues to lie to us to get into wars. That is their money maker! Why did we actually have 4 years of peace under Trump? And now that we have Biden, it's endless apparently. . proxy war with Russia, and Iran is happening now. Then we have China with Taiwan, in the future? Who knows?

Like you, I wonder what's going on behind closed doors. Among other things, there should be a strong law that says politicians and their families should be the first to be drafted and in the front lines of battles.

 

[Pearl]

I was in the Navy from 1965 to 1969. We were off the coasts of North and South Vietnam and it some Da Nang harbor quite a bit. I'm on the Agent Orange registry. I don't perceive my life being in danger but we were up for 24 and 48 hours quite a bit. I was in electronics, so my teammates were great but a lot of real jerks in charge of us.....they were pretty pissed at the hours and other BS, so they took it out on us. I did my duty but you can imagine what I told them when they asked if I would reenlist. And coming home on leave, I'd go through the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. A lot of hippies would get in my way and accuse me and the rest of being baby killers but loved the government that ordered us over there. I would cock my fist and say, "Get the ****ing out of my way!"

Those hippies should have been over there too!

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I was in the Navy from 1965 to 1969. We were off the coasts of North and South Vietnam and it some Da Nang harbor quite a bit. I'm on the Agent Orange registry. I don't perceive my life being in danger but we were up for 24 and 48 hours quite a bit. I was in electronics, so my teammates were great but a lot of real jerks in charge of us.....they were pretty pissed at the hours and other BS, so they took it out on us. I did my duty but you can imagine what I told them when they asked if I would reenlist. And coming home on leave, I'd go through the Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. A lot of hippies would get in my way and accuse me and the rest of being baby killers but loved the government that ordered us over there. I would cock my fist and say, "Get the ****ing out of my way!"

Welcome Home my Brother.

 

[Lenny]

Welcome Home my Brother.

Thanks Brother!

 

[Peanut]

The bad attitude toward service members lived on through 78 or 79. I visited a park in Norfolk and was dismayed to see a sign that read...

"Sailors and dogs keep off the grass"

Many people dismissed my story of the sign but about 15 years ago I was talking a guard at a CDC facility that confirmed he saw the sign.

Ben

I was in Norfolk in 85. They had taken the sign down but i heard all about it. My division chief had photos of the sign. He showed them to new guys as part of his 'welcome to norfolk' speech. He wanted new people to know the local attitudes. If nothing else, know what to expect if we got in trouble off base. Short answer... sign was gone but the attitude was prevalent all over town while i was there.

But i saw the same in every military town I ever went too. Locals despised us, they were happy to take our money but screw up or have a problem then the hammer came down. You were in the wrong no matter how right. The cops... they were worse!

But, on my very first deployment we stopped in Mobile AL which hadn't had a large military footprint in decades. I remember being so proud of the way my state and Mobile treated me and my shipmates. I was proud to go out in uniform! We were appreciated by everyone we met... and it was Mardi Gras, a 4 day party.

I didn't buy a single beer that week, locals always stepped forward. If no one did the barkeeps would say 'On the house'. Lots of guys including me were invited to the homes of locals for cookouts. They'd pick us up and drop us back at the ship. It was amazing, I've never been treated so well by a town while in the military, period. I was so proud of my state!!! That port call was still talked about years later on my ship.

Funny mobile story (everyone had a few and this isn't even my best one ). Buddies and I were drinking in the local vfw club. I had Mardi Gras beads around my neck, everyone did. A really cute young woman was trying to talk me out of a necklace, finally agreed to a trade for one of her much nicer beads. She said 'okay but you have to give me a kiss too!' Okay! twist my arm!

So I laid one on her! As i stepped back a guy tapped on my shoulder, was trying to give me his aviator Raybans. I asked why are you giving me these? He said... They're for having the balls to kiss my wife in front of me!!!


I thought he was going to deck me!!! Instead... he invited me to Mardi Gras brunch at their house the next day, a tradition!!! They picked me up from the ship next morning!!! I spent the whole day with them and a dozen friends/family. Yes, Mobile is known for hospitality!!!! And I still have those sun glasses!!!! (in a box somewhere)

 

[angie_nrs]

One way our lovely govt' (ie:CIA) could avoid the draft (so the libs wouldn't cry pink tears) would be to concoct another 911 type event. Remember how many people flooded the recruiting offices after that? I hope that's not why they are training more recruiters, but it would make sense. How obvious is it that I don't trust our govt' one little bit?

 

[Magpie]

I agree with you that the government would not care and cannon fodder is sexless no doubt. It would be the families and the American people that would stand against it. JMHO, but this country is no where near the point of sacrificing ALL of its youth especially if the war is on foreign soil. And with all of the woke culture and all the BS about equity and equality, how could they exempt women from the draft?

Ah I understand you now- kind of damned if you do or don't scenario. I have wondered, considering the constitution is geared very much towards freedom, why, by law, do you not have the right to refuse? Obviously, you'd be slated in some quarters, but is it an option at all nowadays?

 

[Magus]

I think all the gays and transgenders should be at the front to show how inclusive America is. By the time the enemy gets done using up ammo and tired from getting the butt sex we send in the real military.

True story but secondhand.
One of my buddies was coming home from Vietnam and getting off the plane when some nasty, smelly, stoned-out-of-his-skull hippy that was carrying a bunch of balloons for whatever reason spit on the guy in front of him and called him a butcher, the guy turned out was a SEAL, and by the time they pulled him off the stinky little pinko, he had popped every one of those balloons with his K-Bar and was starting to give him a haircut!
I love it!

 

[Lenny]

I think all the gays and transgenders should be at the front to show how inclusive America is. By the time the enemy gets done using up ammo and tired from getting the butt sex we send in the real military.

True story but secondhand.
One of my buddies was coming home from Vietnam and getting off the plane when some nasty, smelly, stoned-out-of-his-skull hippy that was carrying a bunch of balloons for whatever reason spit on the guy in front of him and called him a butcher, the guy turned out was a SEAL, and by the time they pulled him off the stinky little pinko, he had popped every one of those balloons with his K-Bar and was starting to give him a haircut!
I love it!

Great idea about the transgenders and a big pat on the back to the Seal!

 

[Morgan101]

Ah I understand you now- kind of damned if you do or don't scenario. I have wondered, considering the constitution is geared very much towards freedom, why, by law, do you not have the right to refuse? Obviously, you'd be slated in some quarters, but is it an option at all nowadays?

You do have the right to refuse at least in part. From Wikipedia:

There are currently legal provisions in the United States for recognizing conscientious objection, both through the Selective Service System and through the Department of Defense. The United States recognizes religious and moral objections, but not selective objections. Conscientious objectors in the United States may perform either civilian work or noncombatant service in lieu of combatant military service.[99]

Historically, conscientious objectors have been persecuted in the United States. After the Selective Service System was founded during World War I, such persecutions decreased in frequency, and recognition for conscientious objectors grew.

There has always been a stigma to C/O status. The general perception is that you just don't want to serve, afraid or whatever, not that you truly object.

 

[Curmudgeon]

The general perception is that you just don't want to serve, afraid or whatever, not that you truly object.

Desmond Doss was a prime example, may he RIP.

 

[winds-of-change]

My oldest son was military age when Desert Storm was happening. I was terrified.

 

[Magus]

We all were.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I served with many draftees, 1968-1970. Both stateside, and in combat.
All of them acquitted themselves well.
They loved America, and had a sense of duty to our country, so they showed up and raised their right hands.

Unlike the selfish, self centered sissies who ran to Canada, hid behind student deferments, or found other ways to evade the draft.
I take the measure of a man my age by whether or not they served. Anyone who wore a uniform, of any branch, no matter where they served, shall forever be my Brother. And my Sisters are very special to me - they were under no obligation to go but went anyway.

 

[Biggkidd]

I served with many draftees, 1968-1970. Both stateside, and in combat.
All of them acquitted themselves well.
They loved America, and had a sense of duty to our country, so they showed up and raised their right hands.

Unlike the selfish, self centered sissies who ran to Canada, hid behind student deferments, or got doctor's excuses.

I take the measure of a man my age by whether or not they served. Anyone who wore a uniform, of any branch, no matter where they served, shall forever be my Brother. And my Sisters are very special to me - they were under no obligation to go but went anyway.

I sort of envy those that served. If the military was anything at all like the military academy I went to for awhile I would have either ended up in the stockade or as one of the youngest ever generals! In reality I am far to much of an independent thinker and doer to have made it in the military. I think this is also why I always worked for myself.

 

[Neb]

Desmond Doss was a prime example, may he RIP.

Alvin York as well.



Ben

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Being a Lifer was not for me either.
I fulfilled my obligation to serve our country, and when my term was up they asked if I wanted to re-enlist. I told them I just wanted to go home.

And yes, I'm one of those guys who believes that everyone who is blessed to be an American has an obligation and a duty to serve our nation in some capacity. Not necessarily the military, perhaps as a volunteer somewhere in your community.
And not just sit back and reap the privileges of being a citizen of the greatest nation in the history of the world.
I intensely dislike our government, but I love our country.

 

[Neb]

I sort of envy those that served. If the military was anything at all like the military academy I went to for awhile I would have either ended up in the stockade or as one of the youngest ever generals! In reality I am far to much of an independent thinker and doer to have made it in the military. I think this is also why I always worked for myself.

That is why I got out as soon as possible. I was fast tracked with a waver for 2nd class but was looking at 5 years before 1st class. I did better in the public sector limited only by my ambition and effort.

"Uniform" was not only what we wore but also what we were.

Ben

 

[backlash]

A buddy of mine carried a notebook and everytime he got screwed over he wrote it down.
When the Chief asked him why he wasn't going to reenlist he pulled out his notebook and started reading.
The Chief said never mind you can go now.