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Pentagon plans draft of medics
The Charlotte Observer ^ | Fri, Mar. 21, 2003 | MARK LIBBON

Posted on 07/21/2003 9:42:25 AM PDT by huck von finn

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is firming up a plan to draft thousands of doctors, nurses and other health-care specialists in the event of a worst-case crisis.

The Selective Service System is dusting off its plan for a "health care personnel delivery system," which has been on the shelf since Congress authorized it in 1987 to cope with military casualties from a large-scale biological or chemical attack.

At the Pentagon's direction, the agency also is examining whether that plan for a "special skills" draft could be adapted to address critical shortages that might arise for military linguists, computer experts or engineers.

"We're going to elevate that kind of draft to be a priority," Lewis Brodsky, acting director of Selective Service, says.

The plan would be needed if an attack on U.S. troops overwhelmed the capabilities of the military to care for its wounded.

The president would issue a proclamation ordering an estimated 3.5 million health-care workers to register for a draft within 13 days. Congress would quickly enact legislation authorizing the draft for health-care workers 20 to 44. For the first time, a draft would include women.

The Pentagon would tell Selective Service how many people it needed in each of 62 specialties. A separate draft lottery would be held for each of those needs.

For example, if 300 orthopedic surgeons were required, Selective Service would choose birthdays in a random lottery and order those dates from 1 to 365. Notices would go out to the surgeons, starting with the first birthday drawn, until 300 had been called.

The Pentagon expects that within several months of the crisis, Selective Service could deliver surgeons, nurses, dentists, X-ray technicians, etc. -- up to an estimated 80,000 in all -- through the Military Entrance Processing Command.

The plan isn't very well-known within the medical community.

"If you were to ask 10 doctors, maybe one might have heard something about it," said Dr. Marybeth McCall, chief medical officer at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., and an Air Force veteran.

McCall said she was confident that health professionals would volunteer their services in the event of a large-scale emergency, much as they did during Operation Desert Storm and the Sept. 11 attacks.

"I would say it would be ill-advised to force a draft," she said. "Health-care personnel commit to a life of service. We're going to take care of patients wherever they happen to be."

Congress ordered up the plan in the late 1980s, thinking more about Cold War dangers than about an Iraqi dictator who might unleash weapons of mass destruction against U.S. troops. Pentagon officials say they see no need for a conventional draft of young men to be soldiers.

Brodsky said the plan has moved to the front burner because of recent signals from the Pentagon and conversations with military leaders.

Selective Service maintains 2,000 active draft boards around the country that would handle appeals for exemptions, deferments and postponements.

Members of those draft boards can expect to be trained in the near future on a special "essentiality" exemption that health-care workers might seek, Flahavan said. A doctor might be able to show, for example, that he or she is essential to a community and should not be drafted.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: draft; medics; pentagon; selectiveservice
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To: George Smiley
The Supreme Court has ruled (more than once, I believe) that conscription is *not* involuntary servitude.

Yeah, and paying Income Tax is "voluntary".

I hate being lied to.
41 posted on 07/21/2003 11:10:53 AM PDT by Kozak (" No mans life liberty or property is safe when the legislature is in session." Mark Twain)
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Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

To: huck von finn
Maybe Health Care Professionals could be drafted to fight the War on Poverty, too.
43 posted on 07/21/2003 11:12:37 AM PDT by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch is der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: US admirer
One thing that keeps sticking in my mind over this whole issue is: That after 9-11, we had a huge response from the medical community that volunteered to go to NYC to help. No draft or orders were needed, the docs went out of the goodness of their hearts. I think that if there were to be a huge need for medical personnel, the need would be filled by volunteers. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, docs and healthcare workers were being turned away as they had so many responders.
44 posted on 07/21/2003 11:22:39 AM PDT by Cate
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To: myprecious
I thought that scare was mostly over...?
45 posted on 07/21/2003 11:26:57 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: Doctor Stochastic
I'm assuming this is sarcasm, right? There are so many great doctors, nurses, and medics who volunteer their time. Doctors Without Borders comes to mind. I remember a doctor, a friend of my parents', who was involved with that organization.
46 posted on 07/21/2003 11:31:57 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: Doctor Stochastic
Also, I think of those doctors who treat the poor free of charge. There are still some around who do that.
47 posted on 07/21/2003 11:33:06 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: Cate
Plus you know what a 'cuboid' is.

OK, you gave me an idea:

Dear Uncle Sam:

At my age, weight, and general state of physical ineptitude, I am still ready to be involuntarily conscripted into the medical corps, though if I knew such was possible I never would have gotten married and had 3 kids.

By the way, what's a "Cuboid"? And I'm assuming you'll be paying off my $200,000 in student loans while I serve, of course, as well as supporting my wife and children (and inlaws, who I care for in the apartment over my office, and who will be homeless since I otherwise couldn't pay my office mortgage on a military salary.)

Always willing serve,

Sincerely,

Your loyal nephew,

Dr. Polycarp

48 posted on 07/21/2003 11:33:46 AM PDT by Polycarp (Life's not like a box o choclates...it's like eatin jalapenos. What ya do now might burn ya tomorrow)
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To: huck von finn
There are still some around who do that.

Yeah like EVERY ER doc, or doctor who takes ER call. Mandated by Federal Law (EMTALA).
49 posted on 07/21/2003 11:35:41 AM PDT by Kozak (" No mans life liberty or property is safe when the legislature is in session." Mark Twain)
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To: Polycarp
baaaaaaaaaaahhhahaaaaaaaaaa.. be careful, the inlaws may be enlisted to help out wherever necessary.
50 posted on 07/21/2003 11:38:10 AM PDT by Cate
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To: huck von finn
Just because there is a plan doesn't mean that it will be implemented. We probably even have an invasion plan for England...

Going through different scenarios, no matter how unlikely, is good practice. I wish someone would have had a better plan for action before the towers were hit. A lot of critical mistakes were made immediately after which could and should have been avoided.
51 posted on 07/21/2003 11:39:23 AM PDT by Snowy (My golden retriever can lick your honor student)
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To: huck von finn
Any talk of conscription brings to mind an old saying. To paraphrase, "A country worth fighting for doesn't have to force its citizens to fight".
52 posted on 07/21/2003 11:39:58 AM PDT by HurkinMcGurkin
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To: Prodigal Son
Ammendment XIII didn't slow 'em down even a little bit in the past when we used the draft. Not even a little bit.

Understood, do you know if the arguement has ever been made?

I think its tautological that drafting doctors for their skills is involuntary servitude.

I am curious how specifically the Constitution is evaded. For instance, you have no right to a jury trial in an IRS case because it isn't a "criminal" matter. You have no right to be free from a search of much of your vehicle because the courts have ruled that "reasonable" searches do not require warrants. You can't go duck hunting without the Fed's permission due to international treaties that have nearly equal footing with the Constitution itself.

And so on.

53 posted on 07/21/2003 11:41:08 AM PDT by AdamSelene235 (Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear....)
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To: huck von finn
Are they going to restrict the sex they draft to male?
54 posted on 07/21/2003 11:41:31 AM PDT by HIDEK6
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To: Kozak
Yes, but as a doc I think you know what I mean. It's a shame that people can't just go to their doc.
55 posted on 07/21/2003 11:42:23 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: Snowy
I agree. See my post #21.
56 posted on 07/21/2003 11:44:27 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: HurkinMcGurkin
That sounds great in theory.
57 posted on 07/21/2003 11:45:12 AM PDT by huck von finn
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To: Cate
Probably florists, jewelers, dry cleaners, TV repairmen, painters, tile masons, crossing guards, shoe repairmen, printers, upholsterers, picture framers, pet sitters, gardeners, and many others.....
58 posted on 07/21/2003 11:45:39 AM PDT by tracer (/b>)
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To: AdamSelene235
Haven't you heard the need to police the world....err maintain "national" defense...trumps the 13th Amendment
59 posted on 07/21/2003 11:46:09 AM PDT by Austin Willard Wright
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To: HIDEK6
No. But the whole thing is still just a plan--probably a precaution.
60 posted on 07/21/2003 11:46:14 AM PDT by huck von finn
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