Do you know your history about the military draft?

Do liberals put less value on the life of older warriors?

Do liberals put less value on the life of volunteer verses drafted warriors?

 

Again, I don't see much difference between 18 YO dying and 18 and 19 YO dying. What's the big difference?

 

This makes me wonder about the percentage of people enlisting to avoid being drafted.

 

If I were drafted, I'd go, if I weren't exempted. They'd have to lower the medical standards to let me in (asthma). Also, I'm a minister.

If not for my asthma, though, I would probably consider the military chaplaincy at some point.

 

Right there with you, NCT.

 

You were making the point that very view 18 YO's died in VN. I refuted that point. I believe in the sanctity of life as a Christian. That means all life, the unborn, American soldiers of all ages, enemy soldiers, innocent civilians killed during war. Do you care at all that hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed by this war? Aren't they human beings too?

 

Check this thread for who wrote what on this subject. Check the official records for the demographics of those who died in the service of our nation in Viet Nam.

Most every American warrior I know cares about those killed in war. They absolutely care about their fellow warriors, most certainly care about the non-combatants caught up in the middle of it, and very often even care about their enemies once they lay down arms.

War is the result of a failure of all other means to resolve an intolerable situation. It can't be consummated without the consequence of death and destruction. Those in the land where it's fought will suffer whether innocent or not. Warriors understand this reality but, regardless, do what has to be done to secure a greater and longer lasting peace than there would be should they do nothing. In war there are acts of cruelty and acts of compassion.

Overall there aren't any more compassionate warriors on this earth than those of our nation. Our warriors take prudent care not to bring undue harm on either the land or the non-combatants of our enemies.

We tried to accomplish a greater and longer lasting peace in Viet Nam - for our benefit and their's - and today's warriors are trying to do the same thing in Iraq. Both are about just cause. Both generations of warriors need to know that. No war has been nor could be without sacrifice and without harm to those in the middle of it.

The added sorrow for Viet Nam were the years of hardship and suffering endured after we came home and after they lost their struggle for freedom. Few of us know about that. Remember, that South Viet Nam continued to fight hard until the last day. Many paid dearly for it in the years thereafter. What we fought against there was proved to be the very evil we claimed it to be. No one will ever convince me that what we fought for was wrong!

 

Good job Redbelt! Just as I suspected the differences were in which grouping of veterans was being considered. Mr. Outerspace was wrong! Hooah!

 

No you didn't and you can't. It's the truth.

All you can do is try to misdirect.

 

Ok, Mr Hoo(r)ah,
Here is the site http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htatrit/articles/20061207.aspx

 

Uh huh.

I say about 1/3 of the troops that served in Vietnam were draftees and about 2/3 of the troops that served in WWII were draftees. That's close enough for me.:BangHead:

 

I agree. That was the overall point. Not the fact of a few percentage points.

 

What's your problem with Redbelt's Hooah?

Wouldn't it be better just to acknowledge that Redbelt's numbers were also correct depending upon which group of veterans is referenced?

 

I went back and read the string of posts. You are right. I took what he said as saying my numbers were wrong. This is probably a result of different ratios from different articles.

 

Yes, the numbers depend on which group was being considered - i.e. all service members in the military during the era, all in the Viet Nam theater of operations, all on the ground in Viet Nam, etc. It's been analyzed a lot of different ways. There's a lot of data out there now that just wasn't readily available a decade ago.

One observation I recall is that regardless whether volunteered or drafted the men I served with during both tours in Viet Nam did their jobs well. If the subject didn't come up you probably wouldn't know the difference in their status. Everyone was treated the same regardless.

Memories - so much remembered, so much forgotten, and so much never known or understood!