Posted on 08/25/2013 1:38:22 PM PDT by lee martell
Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who pleaded guilty to killing 16 Afghans in a shooting spree last year, was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole, legally ending an episode of one of the worst atrocities of the Afghanistan war. The Jury of six soldiers deliberated for less than two hours before reaching their conclusion.
Many are saying the Bales did not receive very good defense representation. There is surprise that the Post Traumatic Stress Defense was not employed by defense attorney, John Henry Browne. Mr. Browne's reply to that was; "We didn't want to open that door, Because then, you get into a battle of the experts, and I don't think juries like that." It is likely that Robert Bales and family are too shaken by this entire matter to think critically or question the wisdom of his attorney. One would be inclined to expect your defense attorney to do all that was legally possible to allow for some possible consideration of parole in the future.
I supported the first Iraq war and the actions in Afghanistan. What reduced my enthusiasm was knowing that the U.S. Military made a policy of sending soldiers back to those same hot spots again and again and again. This happened in some cases, even when that enlisted's contractual active duty was over, and they should have been re-assigned elsewhere. Why would they stridently break their word by recycling our warriors this way? A primary reason for this recycling is likely because not enough qualified young people are volunteering for the military. When you remove all the morbidly obese couch potatoes, the gang bangers, the super-sensitives who cannot take the rigors of drills and rules, there aren't many left. Those left end up doing the jobs of two or three personnel in more populated times, and they may not make a career out of the military as often as in the past. Marriages can easily break down when spouses are unexpectedly separated for years.
We will probably need to reintroduce the draft, is my feeling. An added advantage to the draft (for both men and women) is that there will be a few less million unemployed people with too much time on their hands. For some, serving two years in the service will help them and their enabling families to finally grow up.
When 9/11 happened, it did not result in the enlistment offices being filled.
Many of us older freepers will tell how we tried to reenlist but were told we were too old, but the young didn’t show up, and black and female enlistment clearly dropped when we started fighting.
Things got so desperate that the Army actually started allowing in 42 year old grandmas in 2006.
My first post to reply to this, I can’t stand this kind of talk.
snip..
I do not want to serve with anyone that has been drafted.
The all-volunteer force does work. These instances are rare.
/johnny
As a Draftee, I did not like serving with you lifer mofos either....wait, maybe you never had the pleasure of doing so for your country, much less doing it at your country’s request.
Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam, over 1.5 million were conscripted during the Korean War, and of 292,131 Americans that died in WW-II...about 60 percent of those (175,000) were draftees. I believe the families of these fallen “conscripts” would take issue with your strange idea that draftees were inferior.
Can I set you up as guest speaker at our next regional 1st Cav Association meeting, as your special knowledge of the the quality of drafted troopers should make for a lively discussion in the bar or even out in the parking lot, later.
heh
If you ain’t Cav, well you know the rest.
“”Any country worth fighting for will not need a draft. Any military worth serving in will not need a draft. Any war worth fighting will not require a draft.””
The draft and historical amnesia
VFW Magazine, March, 2003
“No 20th century war could have been waged, much less won, without draftees. During WWI, 72% of servicemen were drafted—50% of the men in France’s trenches were conscripted.
In WWII, 66% of all U.S. forces were drafted. Of the 10.5 million Army personnel, a whopping 93% were draftees. A poll taken in 1941 showed that just more than half of Americans would be willingly drafted for overseas service.
From 1946 to 1973, 5,077,185 men were drafted. During the Korean War era, 30% of total troops were drafted. In December 1950, 82% of the Army in Korea was made up of regulars. Exactly two years later, the ratio was 37% regular to 63% draftee in the war zone.
During the Vietnam era, 1,728,344 men were drafted. Of the forces who actually served in Vietnam, 648,500 (25%) were draftees. Draftees (17,725) accounted for 30.4% of combat deaths in Vietnam.”
I'll defer to you on that. I thought there were plenty who showed up to enlist after 9/11. Bush (warts and all) had the respect of those who did.
I did not serve, and I believe you did. So thanks. That said I would not encourage young kids to sign up with this treacherous regime.
My statement stands. I don't want to serve with someone forced to serve. Enough screw-ups get in as it is.
/johnny
Innocent civilians killed and that is what you wish on them and their families? Sorry bro but you and I don't subscribe to the same God you claim to worship by virtue of your membership on this site.
After further thought, I don't think you affiliate with any God at all and that makes you worse than the muslims...
In the 1st two wars mentioned there were plenty of volunteers. The draft was used to keep the intake orderly.
The 3rd war mentioned proved to be in vain. My position stands.
The military made a conscious decision, under the civilians in control, to NOT expand the Army much. Expanding it enough to handle the demand would have required money, and it would have signaled that we would be there a long time.
During my tour in Afghanistan at 49 (in 2007), I was serving with guys who were on their third & fourth rotation. That was obscene. But GWB didn’t want America to be disturbed from its comfortable lifestyle...
Tell me the gain of being in Afghanistan. Tell me when you look at your grandchildren you approve of your governments coddling of moslems. Tell me you want Sharia in the United States.
You spit on our servicemen.
You don’t think. And all of you people who don’t think have turned this place into a third world craphole.
Congratulations.
Let me guess, you got your draft notice back in 1969 and moved to Canada..........I think I met your daughter at the Detroit Metro airport baggage claim back in march of 2003. She was from Vancouver, BC, and bragged about how you and your wife moved to BC after you got your draft notice.....I found it ironic how you chose to remain in Canada all these years and still had the guts to enroll your daughter into Ohio State......
The last draftee retired 2 years ago.
Army’s Last Draftee to Retire After 39 Years
Published July 03, 2011 Associated Press
Mellinger told the draft board there was a mistake.
“I ... told them I don’t need to go into the Army, I’ve got a job,” said Mellinger, who hung drywall for a living. “They just kind of laughed.”
(snip)
He heard so many war stories in training that he was fired up about going, and was disappointed he was instead assigned to be an office clerk in Germany.
(snip)
Mellinger wasn’t long for clerking. He earned a spot in the Army Rangers, and would go on to do more than 3,700 parachute jumps. And despite the 1991 parachute accident that gave him the material for the wind chime, breaking his leg in several places, he went on to run nine marathons. He was made a command sergeant major in 1992.
Nearly a decade later, he was sent to ground zero in New York right after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as part of an advance party from the First Army. Then came his time in Iraq as the top enlisted soldier of the multi-national forces in Iraq, where he says he survived 27 roadside bombings during his deployment of nearly three years straight.
(snip)
“Draftees are pretty maligned over time,” he said, “but the fact is they are part of every branch of service up to 1973, and when you look at what those military branches accomplished over time, I’ll let the record speak for itself.”
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/03/armys-last-draftee-to-retire-after-3-years/#ixzz2d1ast2Gx
Your explanation helps me to make a little more sense of those times. What you say has an unfortunate sort of logic, if you take the Rove/ Rumsfeld perspective. I guess style ruled over once substance again, just like last November.
Did you read my post, or just skip to the part that echoed in your vacuous noggin?
I served 12 years, most of it overseas and did serve in a combat zone behind a deck-mounted gun.
Anything else I can spell out for the THIRD time?
I am Dana Lee Kissick, United States Navy, STG1. And you are?
I do?...LOL!
I demand justice against those who bring dishonor against the unform I wore...And in the case of Mr. Bales, he got what he deserved.
Nice to meet ya.......but for what it's worth, who cares?
So what was that about me draft dodging? What service did you do? Are you man enough to put your name behind your words? You have any skin in the game?
There clearly not plenty of volunteers, that is why the WWII Army was 93% draftees, the draft was needed to get men into ground combat.
The draft has always proven necessary for large wars, it is why we had to accept old 40 something grandmas, for even these small recent wars, we were desperate.
You were there. You KNOW EVERYTHING. Judge jury and executioner all rolled into one.
Congratulations. Your Honor.
Military.com
“Contrary to popular belief, recruiting offices didn’t fill up after 9/11 like they did after the attack on Pearl Harbor. A modest rise in enlistments followed 9/11, but that increase quickly dissipated as the nation got caught up in two grinding wars.
By 2006, the services were missing recruiting goals. They began lowering standards and offering enlistment bonuses to draw volunteers. In 2003, 94 percent of Army active-duty recruits had high school degrees. Four years later that number had fallen to 82 percent, according to the Army Recruiting Command.”
Thank You Dana L. K., for your service to our country.
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