I agree we are in a unique situation having so many ground troops in Iraq. I just don't see the draft being the answer. Did you volunteer/drafted? BTW- Thank you for your service.

Volunteered. Eventhough I am a liberal, I walked into the Army recruiters office on 9/12/01.

-Demosthenes

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Yup, I understand. My son left college to do the same thing only he went Air Force and his two best friends went Navy. I find your statement about being a liberal quite funny. I'm sure many liberals have served this country proudly, you're still American, right? j/k

but if there ever was one, I would be willing to serve

It just seems like there have been alot of people on this sight saying that liberals don't serve in the military. I think it is all bull. To me serving the military is not a partisan issue but a class issue. The military has always been mostly manned by the lower and middle class while the rich stay home and reap the benefits.

-Demosthenes

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

...do you get to chose what branch you serve in, or do they have seperate drafts for the seperate branches?





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"Why check the third lock on the front door when the back door is wide open?" -Orson Scott Card


"Ohh, ADD, what bliss, ahh..err...what was i saying?" -Me

I believe the way it worked in Vietnam is they just chose at random who would go into what branch. I've heard stories from people I've talked to about being lined up against a wall and a person from the draft board would point at a few guys and inform them that they were now Marines.

-Demosthenes

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

What happened after you volunteered? Did you get to serve? Maybe you already answered this question and I missed it.

Tracker

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"Mister Downchild, please take a fools advice -- never let no one woman misuse you twice"

Sonny Boy Williamson II and the Yardbirds at the Crawdaddy club, London, 1964

I enlisted to be an Arabic Translator and took the option in my conrtact to be attached to a Special Forces Unit. I did my basic Training @ Ft. Jackson and then went to the Defense Language School in Monterey, CA. I began to learn Arabic, but I was injured during some training. The injury was to my Achilles Tendons so it pretty much stopped me from running. Can't run, can't be in the Army any more. I fought for about a year to stay in, but the Medical Board deemed me un-retainable. I was medically discharged, and was rated to have a disbality of 40% by the VA. I loved being in the Army, but thats how the Army works. If you are unjured but want to stay in, then they discharge you. If you are unjured and want out, then they keep you. It sucks. If there is a draft, I'll find my way back in. No one will stop me from doing my part.

-Demosthenes

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

I hope you avoided the summer months because they can be brutal, as it is almost 100 here today. yikes!

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Drum Corps Rocks!