[arthurus]

This nation needs a universal male draft at age 18. Universal with exemptions only for medical lack of fitness. The draft would be for training only and last perhaps 6 months. The unavoidability of it would ameliorate the hoorah against the draft considerably as it would be a step in becoming a man, a step between high school and college or voc ed or an apprenticeship or whatever.
At best one would not be allowed, except in wartime, to enlist in the regular military until one has completed draft training and been 6 months a post draft civilian.

Other than the training draft the military would be wholly voluntary. In time of war there would be quite enough volunteers, the reason being that everyone has experience with the military and has the basic training. There would not be the widespread fear of the draft or the military because it does not disrupt lives if everyone has to do it before he can do anything else. Draft dodgers don't get to get an educational jump on draftees. Much of the opposition to the draft, other than the purely political, is fear of the unknown. Building a fighting force if serious war does come would be much quicker if everyone already had that basic and infantry training.

[kearnyirish2]

I couldn’t imagine parents turning their children over to the government at age 18; there is no reason to trust our government (in case the implementation of the war in Vietnam didn’t make that clear).

Imagine a grandson of a Vietnam vet being drafted while our government is in bed with the communist government there that killed grandpa...