World War II Draftees vs. Iraq War Volunteers
Dear editor:
As I have said and written before, I was (and still am) against the Iraq War before we preemptively attacked. Nothing that has happened has changed my mind about this. While I am against the war, I whole heartedly support our troops, including my son who at present is in Bahrain. He also has been on the ground in Iraq serving with Navy Seal Teams while a part of Navy Special Warfare. He is a career naval officer and I pray for him and all who serve, every day.
Our military casualties during the past five years are well known to everyone with just about 4,000 deaths and over 29,000 wounded during the five years of combat. I hurt for every family who has lost a loved one, or has seen a family member come home missing a limb or physically wounded, which effects them and everyone around them for the rest of their lives. It is a terrible toll.
But, being in my seventies and with memories of the Second World War still fresh (even though I was very young,) I must bring up a subject that many of my generation will agree with and will greatly offend many others, which in no way is my desire.
During World War II 16,596,639 Americans served in the armed forces of this country. They were a part of the generation that has been described as “America’s Greatest Generation.” Some were career military before America was involved in the war, many volunteered after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, but the overwhelming majority were drafted into this country’s service. Of these brave souls 416,800 lost their lives and 683,846 were wounded. It was a devastating three and a half years. These mainly draftees served in the mud of Italy, in the snows or Belgium, on the beaches of Normandy, in the lethal island hopping campaign of the Pacific, aboard ships that knew daily the danger of enemy submarines and planes, and flew thru the flack and fighter attack over just about all of Europe and Asia. They were “DRAFTED” for the duration of the war, as long as it took, and they grumbled and complained about their plight all the time. But they knew they were there for a reason. There was no such thing as rotating back to the states on a set schedule and equal time at home and overseas was not only unheard of, it was not even thought of. And for this these drafted privates were paid $21 a month, without the benefit of signing or reenlistment bonuses.
Today’s military, including the Reserves and National Guard, is 100% voluntary, and like it or not, they volunteered to be in the service of our country. True, they want to be home with their families, and I would love it if this war was ended and they could go on with their lives in peace. But, this is the cost of a volunteer military and all of its benefits. Our troops serve at the call of the president and the complaint that they want to serve as much time at home as overseas in a war zone, while desirable by all, just isn’t possible. Our armed forces are stretched to the maximum and the “volunteer” has to fill the void. Complain as you may, but remember what those “draftees” who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam had to do.
Want to change this? Talk to your congressman, senator or the president.
As I have said and written before, I was (and still am) against the Iraq War before we preemptively attacked. Nothing that has happened has changed my mind about this. While I am against the war, I whole heartedly support our troops, including my son who at present is in Bahrain. He also has been on the ground in Iraq serving with Navy Seal Teams while a part of Navy Special Warfare. He is a career naval officer and I pray for him and all who serve, every day.
Our military casualties during the past five years are well known to everyone with just about 4,000 deaths and over 29,000 wounded during the five years of combat. I hurt for every family who has lost a loved one, or has seen a family member come home missing a limb or physically wounded, which effects them and everyone around them for the rest of their lives. It is a terrible toll.
But, being in my seventies and with memories of the Second World War still fresh (even though I was very young,) I must bring up a subject that many of my generation will agree with and will greatly offend many others, which in no way is my desire.
During World War II 16,596,639 Americans served in the armed forces of this country. They were a part of the generation that has been described as “America’s Greatest Generation.” Some were career military before America was involved in the war, many volunteered after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, but the overwhelming majority were drafted into this country’s service. Of these brave souls 416,800 lost their lives and 683,846 were wounded. It was a devastating three and a half years. These mainly draftees served in the mud of Italy, in the snows or Belgium, on the beaches of Normandy, in the lethal island hopping campaign of the Pacific, aboard ships that knew daily the danger of enemy submarines and planes, and flew thru the flack and fighter attack over just about all of Europe and Asia. They were “DRAFTED” for the duration of the war, as long as it took, and they grumbled and complained about their plight all the time. But they knew they were there for a reason. There was no such thing as rotating back to the states on a set schedule and equal time at home and overseas was not only unheard of, it was not even thought of. And for this these drafted privates were paid $21 a month, without the benefit of signing or reenlistment bonuses.
Today’s military, including the Reserves and National Guard, is 100% voluntary, and like it or not, they volunteered to be in the service of our country. True, they want to be home with their families, and I would love it if this war was ended and they could go on with their lives in peace. But, this is the cost of a volunteer military and all of its benefits. Our troops serve at the call of the president and the complaint that they want to serve as much time at home as overseas in a war zone, while desirable by all, just isn’t possible. Our armed forces are stretched to the maximum and the “volunteer” has to fill the void. Complain as you may, but remember what those “draftees” who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam had to do.
Want to change this? Talk to your congressman, senator or the president.
posted by Sam Schoolsky | 7:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home