If there was a Vietnam war draft today...

[StSanta]

Would you volunteer? Let's say the war had been ongoing for three years and details about it were known.

I like to think of myself as an honest person. I'd probably try to get outta it on medical grounds. Or studies. Like my life too much to lose it in a foreign nation fighting a war politicians had screwed up. But if I couldn't get medical/school leave,  I'd accept my fate and go - preferrably as an artillerist, since that tend to be away from the real mens fighting .

So, be honest. What would you have done/did you do?

[-tronski-]

if you were drafted you couldn't volunteer...however if I was conscripted into the Australian army during the vietnam war, I still didn't have to go. You could object to go to vietnam, and serve your time in australia.

But even still I've got no idea whether I'd go, but honestly I probably would  considering the australian tactics and the fact my mates would also go.

 Tronsky

[Smut]

Already served.

USN 1984-91

Without a change in the law, I can't be drafted. However, if it were ever to come to that, you can bet your life that I would be in line to reenlist.

-Smut

[lazs2]

I was in that exact situation.  1969...   They wouldn't tell us anything about the "war" ... they had no goal in mind.  They had no reason that they could give to be there that made any sense and there was a feeling in every American that we were having smoke blown up our ass.

I had a few legal problems and was asked to see the army shrink.  given the nature of the "war" I felt that it was a mercenary thing even if not state outright.   I told him that obviously I had nothing against violence or even killing but that the wages were low for killing the poor little yellow fellas whom I had no feelings for one way or the other..  I informed him that instead of 300 bucks a month, if he would give me a contract for $300 a head I would fill his office with heads.... In fact... since I disliked him.... I would do him for free to prove my heart was in the right place.  think they called my defferment 3a or something.

in retrospect... I had a broken back that was just healed... I shoulda went and then fell down on the last step of the bus as it pulled into boot and not got up no matter what... have a nice army disability forever.

No... I didn't think much of the war.   I might have served if there was anything resembling a reason or even if it would have been earlier in the war before it became apparent what a scam it was.   I had a lot of friends killed or crippled from that war.   I recall telling one of em that later died, that he didn't have to go... he could get out of it... he was scared and intimidated into going... bled out after losing both legs.
lazs

[davidpt40]

Without a change in the law, I can't be drafted.

They drafted WW2 veterans into the Korean War.

[batdog]

Yes... without a doubt. I DO NOT desire to die, but if my nation calls and the cause is just then I'd go.


xBAT

[Monk]

Oh No!
Let someone else take of it.

[eskimo2]

No.

First of all, I would make a terrible soldier.  I don't take bad orders very well.  As a firefighter I've gotten into arguements with higher ranking officers who wanted to do really stupid things.  

More importantly, I'm older, have a wife and kids and wouldn't want to give them up for anything.

I also have a bad back.

In my younger days, perhaps.

eskimo

[Smut]

Originally posted by davidpt40
They drafted WW2 veterans into the Korean War.

Drafted?

Or reactivated?

Big difference.

-Smut

[midnight Target]

I'd be on the Group-W bench with Lazs.

[narsus]

When I was younger absolutely and would even now if I thought the cause was just. If Iraq invaded a neighboring country again like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait again I could see going and getting invovled but in this current mess, not a chance.

[Gunthr]

My brother and I enlisted in the US Army in 1968 around the time of the Tet Offensive.

We were just two young, starry-eyed, dumb kids trying to help the country and find a way to get to college at the same time. Our Mom and Dad supported us. My brother went to Vietnam, I did not, due to an injury.

When my brother came home, he was so skinny from being sick with Malaria that we hardly recognised him. He had some medals and a stomach ulcer. 20 years old.

Would I volunteer today, for Vietnam?

No way, unless it was to be with my brother.

[DoctorYO]

Im in the same boat as smut....

I have served my term (8yrs ) 4 active 4 inactive, thru service....

drafts have no bearing on me...


Unless we go nazi (or worse)  and change our laws..

the only way Ill get involved is if america is attacked Red Dawn style and we have active enemy troops on North American Soil...

Then I would demand a battlefield commission of captain or higher...

If they granted it to me then I would know the **** has hit the fan.. and im needed...   If they didn't give me the commission then I'd know our leaders are full of **** and tell them to fight thier own battle...


2 cents


DoctorYO

[Preon1]

If there was a draft, I doubt that any drafted personnel would actually be sent into combat.  War these days is 99% logistics.  The people who actually come under fire on a regular basis voluntarily go through more training than a draftee would be able to handle (including a huge amount of 'law of armed conflict' training).

If for some reason congress wanted to make a move away from the current volunteer military, draftees would still go through basic training, but would wind up driving a truck or manning a computer running paperwork way in the back lines.

[Hawklore]

If drafted Id find a medical excuse...


If It was my decision I would join as something as far away from combat...Like a doctor or something...Not that I could..