Bring the draft back? I fear for our sons..

by LyinEyes 43 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  LyinEyes

  I am feeling a bit emotional today,,,,,, I was watching CNN today and there is a big debate going on , if they are going to do another draft like back in the Vietnam war. This made me stand still in my tracks. War,, my son. OMG. My son is almost 16 and I can't stand to lose him , I am patriotic yeah, and I love my freedom of my country,,,,,,,but honestly I cant stand to think of sending my 18 yr old son off to fight and die. Why can't I go in his place? You can't run to Canada anymore.

  I even heard that going to college being a full time student may not keep you out of the draft, that college can be postponed.

  Have any of ya'll heard any other things about this today? I know it will be awhile before anything goes to the senate and all, but still , I never planned on this, especially being a dub, for religious reason you could get out of war.

  Time goes by so fast, and we could be having to send our son off and I am more than shook up about it. Plus I have many nephews that are at the age right now .

  At the end of the day, it is family and friends, life and death that really matters. We should all really stop and think about that everyday and live like there is no tomorrow. Not to be so darn grim but things are just so unsure right now. Maybe it is just me seeing the real world , I don't know .

  But I hope that at least we as ex jw's can stand together and unite and prove to the JW's that we support one another and that we are strong. I don't want them to see me afraid of world events, I am sure they will try to use that as a sign of the last days and try to use that.

  I just think when things get hard and many of us may be going thru what others did back in the other wars and conflicts, we can be there to hold each other up.
• 

  Sadie5

  I know what you mean, I have 5 sons, one in his 20's and 2 teens. It caught my breath when I heard it.
• 

  Been there

  (((((((((((DeDe))))))))))))

  He's only 16. You have two years til you have to worry about it, don't wear yourself out now, wait till you have something to worry about.
• 

  Simon

  I don't think, that with the nature of modern warfare, that there is as much emphasis on masses of people as there once was so I'd be very surprised if they did bring it back. Still, a scary thought.

  I suspect it is probably a 'propagenda' excercise to sway public opinion to letting them attack Iraq now with the weapons they have "so we won't have to draft your son".

  Sometimes, my cynicism amazes even me ...
• 

  ashitaka

  I too think that it is bull. They'd have a helluva time getting re-elected if they instituted the draft again. I'm going on 24 and am married, so I'm not really worried, but my little brother is 15, and if they instituted the draft, I would be so piseed. My bother is the first one who is going to follow through with college, etc, and I'd hate to see his dreams shattered by a government fighting for oil.

  ash
• 

  Shakita

  Hi Lyin:

  I, too, am a Mom who has a 15 1/2 year old son at home. I also have a son who is married and 23 years old, and a son-in-law who is almost 21. I worry about them, too. I have heard them throwing this draft question around for the past months. The people on the TV say that the Vietnam War is still very fresh and real in people's minds. That to bring back the draft would not be necessary at this time and to even try would be stirring up a hornets nest of controversy.

  Try not to worry to much, I know that is easy to say, harder to do. I tend to be a worry-wart. Right now I am doing all my worrying about these terrorists who are hellbent on coming into this country to kill as many Evil Americans as possible. The FBI is asking for help from the average American Joe to alert them to these 5 illegal aliens who have come into the US from Canada. They think they are part of a larger group of terrorists that could be here plotting more attacks. Geeze,.......see.......I'm sorry, but this has me more worried lately than the draft. All I know is, when the terrorists didn't inflict enough casualties in the first WTC bombing, they came back to finish the job, and succeeded. Sorry.....there I go again.........

  Just know, Lyin, that you are in good company when it comes to worrying about our sons going off to war.

  My Mom had a brothers that were in WWII. One brother was MIA. The other brother came back home and my Mom was much younger than him and kept asking him what he did "over there." He finally got mad at her incessantly asking him so he told her, "I Killed People, now leave me alone!" Very sad.

  Just want you to know that you are not alone,

  Mrs. Shakita
• 

  Pork Chop

  Charlie Rangel doesn't have the clout to pull this off. It's a very thinly veiled attack against whites, the middle and upper class and anyone else Charlie feels is under represented in the military. He's trying to sing the "blacks are disproportionately at risk" song. All those dudes are volunteers, right?

  Simon is quite correct. Masses of draftees with just basic training don't have much use anymore. They could use more Special Forces but the criteria is so steep that draftees won't help a lot, threshold IQ is 120 and it takes a whole lot of training.
• 

  LyinEyes

  Good point, Simon, I hope to God it is all talk.

  I know from what I watched today there is a public outcry about the rich and privledged, senators and other government officials sons dodging the draft years ago.

  Please here in USA are saying,,,,,,,,all you congressman who pass this , if you do, send your sons off first.

  Talk about fighting , boy it got heated on tv today about this. There were human rights activist saying that the army is going around to underprivledge poor minorities and telling them , that they have no future unless they join the army and make something of themselves. Some are saying that they want to put the poor boys on the front lines and let them die first.

  THis is not my opinions , this is just what I heard on CNN Talk Back Live today..........
• 

  Carmel

  Hey,

  Do like the Jewish mothers did in Israel. Poke out one of your son's eyes and he is inelligible for the draft. Course chopping of a few fingers will get the same results but at 16 I doubt he will be a willing accomplise. Good luck.

  caveman
• 

  RubyTuesday

  ((((((DeDe)))))...I really don't think you have anything to worry about (check out Number 2) If there is a war..even if he was drafted the war would more than likely be over before he even made it out of boot camp.

  Sequence of Events

  Here is a brief overview of what would occur if the United States returned to a draft:

  1. CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT AUTHORIZE A DRAFT A crisis occurs which requires more troops than the volunteer military can supply. Congress passes and the President signs legislation which starts a draft.

  2. THE LOTTERY A lottery based on birthdays determines the order in which registered men are called up by Selective Service. The first to be called, in a sequence determined by the lottery, will be men whose 20th birthday falls during that year, followed, if needed, by those aged 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. 18-year-olds and those turning 19 would probably not be drafted.

  3. ALL PARTS OF SELECTIVE SERVICE ARE ACTIVATED The Agency activates and orders its State Directors and Reserve Forces Officers to report for duty. See also Agency Structure.

  4. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND MORAL EVALUATION OF REGISTRANTS Registrants with low lottery numbers are ordered to report for a physical, mental, and moral evaluation at a Military Entrance Processing Station to determine whether they are fit for military service. Once he is notified of the results of the evaluation, a registrant will be given 10 days to file a claim for exemption, postponement, or deferment. See also Classifications .

  5. LOCAL AND APPEAL BOARDS ACTIVATED AND INDUCTION NOTICES SENT Local and Appeal Boards will process registrant claims. Those who pass the military evaluation will receive induction orders. An inductee will have 10 days to report to a local Military Entrance Processing Station for induction.

  6. FIRST DRAFTEES ARE INDUCTED According to current plans, Selective Service must deliver the first inductees to the military within 193 days from the onset of a crisis.