I also see the potential good in drafting all of the men. It would make men out of many of them and would change their views for the better, but only if they, all as enlisted recruits, first graduate from at least 13 weeks of total control initial training at one station (real combat training to prepare them for combat platoons).
If there’s an ounce of remaining civilian-like pride in them at the end of initial training, they’ll revert to political correctness later on. And no transfers for Navy or Air Force NCOs (except for Marines from rifle/infantry platoons) to Army light combat units (big mistake there, even in 12B units). And no promotions that aren’t based on merit.
I was in a unit that was good, tight and earned the Superior Unit Award with a commander, who was in his thirties. Then, a commander in his twenties came in. That was all she wrote.
I saw a few enlisted who were there before me, were all made NCOs at one time and didn’t get that kind of initial training. They didn’t belong in combat platoons (or especially in leadership positions).
They were also more likely to preach in favor of the counter-culture left (feminism, homo-activism, etc.). Some members of a small, junior NCO clique even cried and talked about deserting, when we had an alert. Their ring leader claimed to have some pull with a major at HQ unit. He acted like a queer sometimes.
Every combat unit needs to be looked at by regular evaluators (from other, proven units) with some say in that unit’s future. “Political” individuals and cliques should be weeded out. Eagle privates (specialists) who prefer to go by the book and are capable of training others should be increased.
Local civilian politics needs to be weeded out of Guard combat units. Would that be possible in today’s political environment? I don’t know.
This is a great post and certainly a viable blueprint for restructure. Local political influence has been involved in our military since the days of the revolution. Good luck with that one, but, your assessment is very well thought out. IMHO.
A major concern of mine is that since I have been out of the military (1970), we now have a whole generation of young men with no conception of national service. We need to bring back a national service mandate.