Military Draft Essay

“Through out most of their history, Americans freely defended their nation from threats both domestic and foreign. Only in their greatest conflicts - the Civil War, World War I, and the lead - up to World War II” (Forbes) they had to implement the draft. A draft, "called conscription in most countries, is the process by which the United States has, in the past, gathered members of its military. Generally, a man called to serve through the draft would serve for two to four years" (Rich). "Toward the end of the increasingly-unpopular Vietnam War, President Nixon led efforts to end the draft and create an all-volunteer military"(Nyden). The difference between a draft and an all-volunteer army is based on the quality, decisions, and the money.

With the draft, the government had to pay for training and bunks, but with the volunteer army, the government has to pay them strictly to work. “Although the US military is called an “all-volunteer” force, it is equally valid to call it a “professional army.” Individuals may “volunteer” for a variety of reasons, but the fact is that everyone is paid-- and sometimes eligible to collect significant bonuses or benefits for having done so”(Wright). “A professional army comes awfully close to an army of mercenaries-- individuals willing to fight for anyone who can afford their services”(Wright). People may believe that the draft is cheaper than the all-volunteer army but in reality it costs just as much. “First, conscription doesn’t save much cash. It costs money to manage and enforce a draft- history demonstrates that not every inductee would go quietly. Conscripts serve shorter terms and reenlist less frequently, increasing turnover, which is expensive. And unless the government instituted a Czarist lifetime draft, everyone beyond the first ranks would continue to expect to be paid” (Forbes). Even though “The military not only provides training in a range of specialties; it also offers educational benefits for veterans-- including many from underprivileged back grounds-- that might not be available under a mandatory