[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Off Topic (Important Legislation)

[Heidi Tandy]

First, I wrote:
>
>  Just some thoughts on a complex situation.
>
>

Haggridd replied:
> Wow.  Just reading your reasons demontrates to me how different the
perceptions of this generation are from those of the last conscript
era. 

Well, part of the reason might be that in the vietnam era, there hadn't 
been a break in the draft-concept since at least 1941 - it might've been 
since WWI, but I don't actually know. Further, a larger percentage of 
the population, pre, say, 1975, didn't attend any college, compared to 
the percentages now, which also makes an impact. Pulling people away 
from starting a manufacturing, service or construction job for two or 
three years has a different (not less, not more, but different) impact 
on society than does obligating a certain percentage of the population 
to delay the start of college.

Further, the consistency issue has a major impact on any transition to a 
conscription situation; we're just not set up for it anymore. When 
people were conscripted into service in vietnam, the military was used 
to conscripting. A transition to it now would be monumental.

Heidi