The All-Volunteer Force Is in Crisis

MSN ^ | Jason Dempsey

[Antioch]

Fifty years ago, one American faced Independence Day having just lost much of his personal freedom. Dwight Elliot Stone, the U.S. military’s last draftee, was inducted into the United States Army on June 30, 1973. Private Stone served not in Vietnam but in the safer yet equally humid swamps of Fort Polk, Louisiana. His 17 months in uniform brought down the curtain on the draft. Stone was the last of more than 17 million men conscripted into the U.S. military.

Those who joined the American military in July of 1973, and in the five decades since, have been part of what is known as America’s “all-volunteer force,” or AVF. For most Americans, the AVF is something to be celebrated, but foreign to their daily lives. The AVF gave most Americans the freedom to be indifferent to their military, shifting the burden of service to a smaller, self-selected cohort of citizens.

The AVF receives endless accolades; American politicians often refer to it as “the finest fighting force the world has ever known.” But despite 20 years of war and military interventions with mixed results, the all-volunteer force has been subject to little debate about whether it’s still the right force for America.

When these discussions do occur, most focus on democratic accountability. As President George W. Bush quipped about the Iraq War to a group of Oval Office visitors in 2006: “If I had to do this with a draft army, I would have been impeached by now.” The idea that misguided wars might be prevented by a more engaged population has its appeal, but the AVF also faces more

[MCF]

Very good summation.

[Night Hides Not]

Won’t be long before the Army issues cats to female soldiers.

[Night Hides Not]

When I arrived in Germany in 1977, our personnel strength was approximately 80%. You were lucky to have 60 percent available for training, what with sick call, profile, and special projects.

My third, and final platoon was a Towed Vulcan platoon, with 3 "acting jack" squad leaders. IOW, three of my 4 squad leaders were E4s. Most fun I had as a platoon leader. They were hungry to learn. We surprised the heck out of the rest of the battery, when we were the only platoon that passed during a battery level evaluation. It was no surprise to me, I had been through those ARTEPs with my two other platoons, I knew how the game was played.

Thanks to these shortages, I was able to volunteer as an augmentee in our sister battalion during REFORGER. It was additional experience that was greatly beneficial. I let the Platoon Sergeant run his platoon, while helping him in any way I could. LOL, from the start he said, "you're the platoon Leader LT, I'm happy as the Platoon Sergeant."

[Night Hides Not]

My experience is similar to yours. I served from 76-84, and the quality of soldier improved every year.

There was a "street smartnees" to many of my soldiers, which I used to my advantage. It certainly wasn't my great leadership!

When a new soldier was placed in my platoon, I gave them all the same message: follow the orders of my squad leaders, do your job, and you will continue to enjoy your omelets made to order in the Air Force dining facility.

If you can't follow these instructions, I'll ship your ass to Mannheim, where the battalion is attached to the Big Red One. They spend 8 months out of the year training in the red mud at Grafenwoehr. It's your choice.

There's always one or two who thought I was lying to them. There was one who came back to visit, he let everybody know the LT was telling the truth.

[Jan_Sobieski]

America is headed for a Judges 19-20 judgement. Conscientious Objection is an escape for our God fearing Christian children. As an 8 year veteran and former officer, I could not (in good conscience) send our young ones to fight in a sodomite military

[Jan_Sobieski]

We need it now, desperately. And the military needs to be distanced from the notion that it’s just a job like any other, because it isn’t.

I disagree. Our embrace of Sodomy has marked us for destruction (biblically speaking). Now is the time to let the woke military go on to its destination, and Christian Conservatives protect home through conscientious objection

[knarf]

I copied your treatise about Ukraine and it is in the throne ro . . . . I mean, reading room.

[nonliberal]

I’m getting a little tired of conservatives saying that the military is being destroyed. It isn’t. It’s being repurposed-not to fight Russia or China-but to come after YOU.

[ansel12]

Do you have the exact date for the end times yet or just that it is within what, a few years?

[norwaypinesavage]

It’s not the “All Volunteer” force that’s in crisis, it’s the “Woke” force” that is. Who would ever want to fight in an LGBTQ++@%& $#!T force. you’d have to watch your butt, not your enemies.