Half a century of all-volunteer service

In the prelude to America’s entry into World War II, President Roosevelt signed off on the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 on September 16th of that year. That act of Congress with multiple amendments resulted in the compulsory military enlistment of over ten million American men ages 18 to 44 between October 1940 and March 1947 before it was replaced by the Selective Service Act of 1948. Regardless of combat readiness requirements, the military draft remained a fixture in the lives of young American males for well over three decades after FDR’s original authorization. As inconveniencing as it may have been for a great many of those subject to it, the draft lottery was carried out fairly without regard to social class or income level. Exemptions to it were few and often difficult to obtain, especially if those seeking them lacked access to power or influence. Circumstances necessitating compulsory military service, at least initially, lent heavily to a pervading attitude among those of draft age that it was a solemn duty to answer if called. This sentiment waned significantly in the 1960s. As the war in Vietnam dragged on generating so many U.S. casualties on a daily basis without producing any real demonstrable benefit to the nation, many draft-age citizens considered it their duty to oppose the war by refusing to serve in it. This pushback against conscription took several forms from open protests to public burning of draft cards and draft induction notices to going so far figuratively and literally as to leave the United States.

It is true that power concedes nothing without a demand. It was the vocal outcry from those who were subject to what came to be viewed as a dubious practice together with enough support from that part of the body politic that President Nixon referred to as “the great Silent Majority” that helped get compulsory military service ended as a matter of public policy. That popular demand became reality fifty years ago this month. Although the last draft call occurred on December 7th, 1972, the last conscript reported for duty on June 30th, 1973 and authority to induct expired at midnight on that date. Although the framework for the Selective Service draft lottery has remained in place, it has never again been activated. The U.S. Armed Forces has procured manpower on a total volunteer basis ever since.

US Armed Forces Recruiting Ad 1979

When the draft ended, military service rapidly became just another career option. During the waning years of the Cold War, President Reagan sought to maintain high military manpower levels which stayed relatively unchanged throughout the 1980s allowing the U.S. to exert its global military presence opposing the Soviet Union and its client states. After a swift victory over Iraqi forces in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union later that year, the U.S. military underwent a reduction in force throughout the 1990s.

After the 9.11.2001 attacks, swift command decisions were made which ultimately resulted in an open-ended military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite the ostensible need to increase military manpower, conscription was never officially considered or even seriously discussed as a means by which to ensure adequate human resource strength needs. What resulted was a tapping of those trained soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors by extending their end of active obligated service date as delineated in their enlistment contract. Some referred to this as a “back draft” and rightly so. It was often said by many who served during that time from later 2001 through 2009 that “the military went to war and the rest of the nation went to the mall.”

As has been noted several times past on this blog, Yours Truly enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18 in early 1978. That was a time when the Navy and military service in general was neither popular nor glamorous. As was alluded to previously regarding the public attitude after the draft ended, enlisting in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines soon became seen as just another career option. I vividly recall however, outside military circles, serving in uniform was not only shunned but often openly ridiculed by many. Certain authority figures attributed this to a “Vietnam hangover” effect. JROTC was initially offered on the elective course list at my high school in 1975, but not enough students showed interest by enrolling in it for the local school district to keep it in the curriculum. All who chose JROTC as an elective were instead placed in Physical Education class. I quietly took note of the less-than-warm reception that military recruiters received on more than one occasion when visiting my high school in 1975-’76. During this time, I remember seeing and hearing military personnel in uniform out in town being cat-called, something that I even personally experienced as late as 1978. I find it particularly bothersome that some of those who were hurling those verbal insults back then are same ones or the same types of individuals now who are today thanking everyone in uniform for their service. It is as if an obligatory “Thank You” assuages any guilt they may feel for not serving as most of those I hear saying it have never deigned to so much as consider seeking to apply. As a veteran and a Navy retiree I find that this relatively recent socially mandated patriotic greeting toes the line of being an open in-your-face insult, but I suppose it is better than some of the previous alternatives.

An all-volunteer military force has served well many politicians and government officials of all parties. If ever a query is publicly fielded by any elected official regarding overuse, mismanagement or misuse of the military or particularly anyone serving in it, all politicians have the wonderful pat answer reply, especially if such a pointed question comes from a service person’s family member, “Your spouse/son/brother/sister VOLUNTEERED!” It is therefore assumed by all, friend, foe and all enlistees, that all signed their first enlistment contract without coercion, regardless how long they may be involuntarily extended beyond their end of active service date. For the past half-century and looking ahead, it is fair to assume the All-Volunteer Military is here to stay. Given where our Armed Forces have been over the past twenty years, we really have to wonder how bad things would need to be to bring the military draft in the style of the mid-20th century out of mothballs.

Thanks for reading.