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FROM ONE AGE TO ANOTHER!

June 24, 2005

The year was 1964 and I was able to avoid the draft because I was in college. The year was 1965 and I was married, and in college so once more I could avoid a trip to the Southeast. The year was 1966 and I was in college, married, and expecting a child so once again, I get moved to the end of the line. It wasn’t a plan, because while in college, I was in the Air Force ROTC and #1 in my class; however, due to the strange nature of life, I never had to go off to war.

It’s been 31 years since America had a draft, but that all may change in 2005 if Bush is re-elected: probably not if Kerry is. Stand-by plans are now in place and there’s even a “testing” of the effectiveness of setting up 442 area offices, and 1,980 local boards. Folks (as Bill O’Reilly would say), it’s going to happen.

Our military is too stretched even though America spends nearly as much on defense as all other nations in the world combined! The latest figures show that we have 1.4 million people on active duty and another 1.2 milion reservists. That’s a 1/3rd reduction in reservists compared to 1992 when Clinton became president. He decimated our military by the way!

All that said, with 138,00 troops in Iraq, problems in N. Korea, growing concerns with Iran, and that 800 pound gorilla (can you say China?) in the Far East, the handwriting is on the wall. What I missed (a draft) in the 60’s, won’t be missed by many of our young people, which could very well include my youngest son who is a Freshman in high schol this year. If you have a son or daughter in high school, it’s time to pray!

Having gotten through the trauma of an older son surviving the introductory war of Iraq, I don’t look forward to the prospect of a new draft in 2005, but from where I sit, it looks like a reality: he dawnng of a new age and I’m not talking Acquarius.

Written by Ernie · Filed Under Daily Commentary 

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