I was thinking a general draft—mostly into the Army.
In hindsight, I DID know we drafted into the Marines. While never serving in the Corps, I agree that is NOT the place to send someone who is not going to be “Gung Ho.” I can only imagine the eye rolls he got upon showing up.
In my post I was going to suggest a “kind of draft” for women that would place in them stateside support roles which would allow for more folks to be sent into the war zones.
I have two daughters and think they are a capable as most men these days. I would not suggest they qualify for infantry...but that should be there choice and as long as they pass the physical tests at the same standards—thats fine.
But drafting into the Marines? I am 100% in agreement with that.
I am all for universal service - including my children - but military service should be something only for the select among them and infantry combat strictly for the young men capable of its rigors. In other words, any draftees who volunteer for infantry military service should have to pass a rigorous selection process. Combat doesn’t favor randomness.
In Vietnam, the average time for a Marine to be wounded or killed was a month and a half. Very few frontline grunts made it all the way to thirteen months and every grunt I knew had at least one Purple Heart. We were well-selected and in majority, talented. It was a true meat grinder.
Not a place for the untalented or unwilling.