With a long and difficult struggle facing us in the war on terrorism and the military services stretched thin, it was inevitable that talk of bringing back the draft would surface. And so it did when Charles Rangel (D-NY), representing New York's 15th Congressional District, introduced legislation to restore it.
But Congressman Rangel is not acting primarily out of concern for the manpower needs of the armed forces, where numbers are approaching historical lows. Instead, his proposal is intended to point out that the all-volunteer military services have disproportionately high percentages of minorities—especially African Americans—relative to their percentages of the nation's population. With the prospect of prolonged periods of combat ahead, he argues that we are asking minorities and the poor to bear a disproportionate share of the risk.
To his considerable credit, Mr. Rangel points out that, although Congress has the power to declare war and send the young men and women of the armed forces off to combat, relatively few members of Congress have had military service of any kind, let alone combat experience. Many of them would disdain such a career. Only one of the 535 current members of Congress is the parent of an enlisted service member who is likely to participate in combat.
Moreover, Congressman Rangel has the military service to lend credibility to his argument. He served as an Army staff sergeant, saw action with the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, and received the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He did his part in defense of the country, for which he is owed gratitude and respect.
Charles Rangel's introduction of this legislation, however, is disingenuous because he knows it will not happen. His proposed legislation is more about opposition to the administration's policies in Iraq and the war on terrorism than about sharing the risks of combat. His attempt to introduce race and class conflict into this issue can serve no useful purpose. The racial and socio-economic composition of the all-volunteer services is a result of a colorblind policy without quotas that provides career opportunities, education, and advancement to all who can pass the rigorous qualifications and who have the courage, skills, and desire to serve. No one enters the military today who does not want to be there, and no one is forced to reenlist against his or her will.
As a student at the Army War College in the 1960s, my classmates and I debated the ramifications of the imminent end of the draft. We had many concerns—the greatest being that a military force consisting entirely of volunteers would be perceived as mercenary in nature and no longer would be representative of the population as a whole. A number of us predicted that military service would appeal especially to lower income people and minorities, primarily because the services were far ahead of civilian organizations in providing equal opportunity, training and education, and unparalleled responsibilities.
To the surprise of few, that is the way things turned out. In the process, the military changed in other ways. An end to the draft meant higher pay and benefits and thus an end to cheap labor. The military now is far less labor intensive; it must do far more with fewer people and the emphasis is on technology. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines operate highly sophisticated equipment that requires years of intensive training, as opposed to the old two- or three-year hitch. Today's armed services need dedicated, career-oriented volunteers who want to be military professionals. In all, the qualifications for this profession are extraordinarily tough, as they should be. While it will no doubt come as a shock to some old veterans, many of the draftees who helped win our previous wars would not qualify for military service today.
The services are not worried about quotas, racial or otherwise. They are looking for people of any color, ethnicity, gender, and religion who want to serve—and they can use only the best of them. If that sounds elitist, it is because the services, in fact, are elite organizations. No more cannon fodder; no more amateurs counting the days until their involuntary service ends.
As the Marines would put it, the services need a few good people: the few and the proud. They do not have time for draftees, Congressman Rangel.
Retired Navy Captain Jim Kelly is a free-lance writer who commanded three ships in his 30-year career.