[MineralMan]

"Not serving does equal draft dodging.

You are NOT backing up your lie."

That is your opinion. My opinion is that those who were patriots did serve. My father served in WWII. My grandfather served in WWI, and I served in my own time. That's what one does when the nation is at war. I have my opinion of those who do not, yet who claim the right to send young men to battle.

[geaux]

Actually, it's not an "opinion." Draft dodging is not, as a simple matter of fact, the same as not volunteering.

[cyncooper]

That is your opinion.

And you are entitled to your opinion of those who didn't serve though they did NOT illegally avoid doing so.

However, you are using the term "draft dodger" and that term does NOT apply. I consider that term reserved for those who fled the country or undertook other means outside the law to avoid service.

[SBprone]

"I have my opinion of those who do not, yet who claim the right to send young men to battle."

I'm glad you didn't help draft the US Constitution. If military experience were required to run for President or Vice President then somebody like you would possess superior credentials to somebody like Dick Cheney.

I'm glad he's Vice President. I respect his judgement and his patriotism very much. My respect for him wouldn't be any greater if he had served in combat.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Some are rejected for physical reasons and that makes them not a patriot? Not hardly.

[Utah Girl]

Were you married when you volunteered? Did you have children?

[CatoRenasci]

Not everyone who doesn't serve was a draft dodger. A draft dodger is someone who went out of their way to avoid serving, whether by going to Canada or Sweden, or getting a phony medical condition (there were lots of doctors who'd write you up), or using a sleazy deferment.

In WWII, my dad, who was a reserve Cavalry officer and a bacteriologist, was required to stay at his job rather than be mobilized with his unit. Go figure. In my book that doesn't make him a draft dodger.

[Tennessee_Bob]

My opinion is that those who were patriots did serve.

You need to clarify your definition of "did serve."

[BaghdadBarney]

"I have my opinion of those who do not, yet who claim the right to send young men to battle."

Cut the crap. The Founders of this country explicitly laid out a framework in the Constitution which gave civilians the final authority as to the date and time to send our soldiers, sailors and flyers. Last time I checked it doesn't qualify whether the civilian had to have served his country to make such decisions. We don't live in Sparta...

[Hot Tabasco]

That is your opinion. My opinion is that those who were patriots did serve. My father served in WWII. My grandfather served in WWI, and I served in my own time. That's what one does when the nation is at war. I have my opinion of those who do not, yet who claim the right to send young men to battle.

BFD! My grandfather also served in WWI, my dad served in WWII as a marine, graduated from MSU in 49 and entered re-entered the Army as a 2nd Lt and served in Germany in the MP. I in turn enlisted in the Army in 69, served until 72 then went my merry way!

So as far as I am concerned, I have just as much right to cast judgment on those who did not serve as you do and quite frankly, I don't have the moral justification to do it! Neither do you!

But if you think you do, then you have just called my mother, my aunt, my uncle, my father and my cousins cowards simply because they did not enlist for VN....

Anyone who so easily throws out the blanket of cowardice as you do is not my friend and never will be.......Pray our paths never meet

[Dave S]

My father served in WWII. My grandfather served in WWI, and I served in my own time. That's what one does when the nation is at war.

Too bad, your father and grandfather had real wars to serve in. All you had was Johnson's vain personal attempt to avoid being called a loser.