The Draft is next
 

Army to recall former military members
Tuesday, June 29, 2004 Posted: 12:43 PM EDT (1643 GMT)


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army is preparing to notify about 5,600 retired and discharged soldiers who are not members of the National Guard or Reserve that they will be involuntarily recalled to active duty for possible service in Iraq or Afghanistan, Army officials said Tuesday.

It marks the first time the Army has called on the Individual Ready Reserve, as this category of reservists is known, in substantial numbers since the 1991 Gulf War.

The move reflects the continued shortage of troops available to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to fight the ongoing war on terrorism as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lt. Gen. Frank Hagenbeck, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said earlier this month of the Army's troop strength, "We are stretched but we have what we need."

Pentagon officials have echoed that statement explaining that while the military is reaching deep into its resources, war planners have long had contingency plans such as this for when troops are really needed.

Several hundred members of the ready reserve have volunteered for active-duty service since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Those who are part of the involuntary call up are likely to be assigned to National Guard or Reserve units that have been mobilized for duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Army officials. An announcement is planned for Wednesday.

Members of Congress were being notified of the decision Tuesday, the officials said.

Unlike members of the National Guard and Reserve, the individual reservists do not perform regularly scheduled training.

Any former enlisted soldier who did not serve at least eight years on active duty is in the Individual Ready Reserve pool, as are all officers who have not resigned their commission.

The Army has been reviewing its list of 118,000 eligible individual reservists for several weeks in search of qualified people in certain high-priority skill areas like civil affairs.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/29/ira....ap/index.html

Wonderful. I'm a few years shy of being 26, too.

Frankly, I can't wait for the draft.

I wonder if 'mercuns will still view war as a TV show or video game when the draft is reinstated.

Who said something about riots yesterday?

A little social upheaval will do us all a world of good.

Forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm.

Wow.

Patti

I don't see the public supporting a real draft this time around.

- Jake

Like that will matter for the lame duck Pres. :shrug:

I don't see much of his "base" supporting him when their kids are on the front lines. (Or maybe they'll be the ones on Coast Guard duty. :rolleyes: )

- Jake

They don't support being in Iraq, yet we're there.

You think? And yeah, so far Bush hasn't really cared what anyone wanted, including in his election. Gawd, a draft would be terrible! I mean, I already don't have a boyfriend, and that just narrows the pool... :p
Amber

Well, they did and overwhelmingly so in the beginning - I am just sayin . . . . .:cool:

I don't think the opposition is overwhelming. It would be if there were a draft.

- Jake

I am assuming no draft will take place until his "lame duck" second term, if he has one - hopefully he will not.

I think he does care what some folks wanted, just not what most folks wanted.
And yet his dad used to drive me crazy with all of his poll watching. :(

- Jake

Well, second term seems to be when scandals hit the presidents hard, if you look at Clinton & Reagan, so who knows ;) .
And Congress would still need to worry about the 2006 elections.

- Jake

That was then, this is now. :wavey:

Is this only affecting soldiers, or is it going to be affecting everyone (ie anyone can be eligible for the draft)?

What's the age minimum for drafting? I'm only 16, but I've been absolutely petrified of the thought of being drafted and having to fight in a war ever since I first heard about it.

Meh.

More than half isn't overwhelming? :confused:

Yep - how the "mighty" fall AND to quote another proverb "pride goeth before the fall" :eek:

Definitely not. Look around. Many people are upset, but for the most part you don't see the despair and rage that typically produces change.

- Jake

That's because we're living in a totally different culture than we were in the sixties and seventies, the last time people were in such despair and so enraged was during Vietnam. We need to head this thing off before it becomes another Vietnam. For the times that we're living in now, more than half is better than we could even dream of.

Oh no darling. You won't be lonely. You'll go too. :nod:

That's because you live in Houston.

They are calling back soldiers who are retired and have less than 8 years active duty-with no training. Meaning, if the weaponry has changed since the time of their service, they'll learn to use it on the job.

SLAMOLA!!!!

It ain't just dudes anymore. But us fags don't have anything to worry about. Although, I'm 35 so I really don't have anything to worry about.

Dubya is already dust, but if anything even close to a draft happens, he'll be space dust.

I agree. I also guarantee that if American soldiers weren't dying, seemingly on a daily basis, there wouldn't even be the opposition there is now.

I'm anxious to see how they will deal with us gay folk if they reinstate the draft. I'll be 25 in just a few days, so hopefully they'll wait another year or two to start this thing. But if they don't, I have no intention of doing the "don't ask, don't tell" thing, so maybe that'll exempt me. Or get me sent to an internment camp. :-P

A big, wet kiss on the draft officer, regardless of your actual interest, would take care of that. :xoxo:

Well somebody needs to start the draft then! He can't be space dust soon enough!

I daresay the excrement will unquestionably impact the ventilation device if the draft is reinstated.

This may just be the kick in the posterior the public needs.

LMAO - that is one way of telling :laugh:

This may just work for you, Jason.

I am 37 1/2 with a bad back, bad knee, and bad eyes. I do not think they will take me on those grounds alone :laugh:

Kinda like Dumbya. :shrug:

That's it, I'll tell them I'm gayer than Paul Lindt. :lol:

:lol: I'll tell him to be gentle with me.

Seriously, that's one way not to be drafted.

May I ask, what's wrong with the Coast Guard???? :rolleyes: :mad:

Maybe, but that still doesn't make the numbers "overwhelming," IMO.

- Jake

Nothing at all. But I use it as an example, since we have a famous poltician who was put there instead of a more typically dangerous place supposedly due to his father's connections.

- Jake

34 with bad back, bad knees, bad attitude here. :wavey:

- Jake