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U.S. raises draft questions
By Dave Stephens
And
Megan Finnerty
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and
several days later the United States Congress initiated the draft.
On Sept. 11 terrorists destroyed the World Trade
Center and a portion of the Pentagon, and the talk of drafting men into
military service has not yet been seriously considered by Congress.
The difference between then and now, according
to Randy Roberts, a professor of American history, is partly because
of Vietnam.
"If you take a look at the age of people who fight
wars, it hasn't changed, the 19 to 23 age group," said Roberts. "This
is a very different war from Vietnam, but the question, do I want to
die for it, do I want to fight for it, is the same."
Roberts said that even with the American people
supportive of a war effort, initiating the draft could cause sentiment
to change.
"People supported Vietnam in the beginning, it
wasn't a big problem. Anti-war sediment didn't run very deep," said
Roberts. "But as the war progressed and more men were sent, it became
a bigger issue.
"America's very united right now, but we have professional
soldiers over their right now, but no one knows how the country will
feel if we start drafting."
The major difference between the draft during the
Vietnam War, and a draft that could happen today, is the result of changes
in the Selective Service policy to make the system more fair.
During Vietnam, college student could qualify for
a deferment if drafted, under current procedures students can only defer
enlistment until the end of the current semester or the end of their
senior year if they are seniors. Other people who can be exempt from
the draft include conscientious objectors, ministerial students and
religious ministers, and those who can qualify for a hardship deferment
by proving military service would cause hardship upon his family.
The other major change in Selective Service policy
since the Vietnam era, changes the way in which people are drafted.
Under the old procedure, any male between the ages
of 18 and 25 who was eligible to be drafted had an equal chance of being
called. According to the Selective Service Web site, under the new procedures,
"A lottery based on birthdays determines the order in which registered
men are called up by 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."
The policy also says that men aged 18 and 19 are
unlikely to be drafted, unless those men age 20 to 25 have been drafted
first.
Chad Yotter, a junior in the School of Agriculture,
said that if he were drafted he would serve.
"If you got to go, you got to go," said Yotter.
"You can't let people terrorize your country."
Yotter also said he thinks most people would go
if drafted, because many people were deeply effected by the terrorist
attacks.
"I don’t think people would run to Canada
like they did in Vietnam, this is something that every American needs
to be involved in," said Yotter.
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Campus editor:
Laura Pelner
Assistant campus
editors: Kurt Esposito,
Dave Stephens
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