Other News

The Draft and Historical Amnesia 

	New York Rep Charles Rangel’s suggestion that the draft should be revived 
elicited a number of key and insulting responses.  Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield 
set the tone by saying draftees were of “no value, no advantage” in Vietnam.  But at 
least he formally apologized and explained his remarks.
	Former Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger commented that during World War II, 
“There was no doubt in anyone‘s mind that volunteers were far more effective than 
draftees and eager to train and to fight.”
	The most derogatory remarks, came from one Hans Halberstant in  San Jose 
Mercury News:  “The quality of a soldier during the draft era was, by comparison 
to those today, awful.  The place was full of malcontents and malingers, drunks and 
disorderlies.”  This from someone who claims he was in Vietnam prior to March 1965 
when only a handful of draftees were serving in Vietnam.  (Halberstant can be reached 
at hans@pacbell.net.)
	Obviously, a few too many engaging in this revisionist nonsense suffer from 
sever cases of historical amnesia. No 20th century war could have been waged, much 
less won, without draftees.  During WWI, 72% of servicemen were drafted 50% of the 
French’s trenches were conscripted.
	I WWII, 66% of all US forces were drafted.  Of the 10.5 million Army 
personnel, a whopping 93% were draftees.  A poll taken in 1941 showed that just more 
than half of Americans would be willingly drafted for overseas service.
	From 1946 to 1973, 5,077,185 men were drafted.  During the Korean War  era, 
 30% of the total troops were drafted.  In December 1950, 82% of the Army in Korea 
was made up of regulars.  Exactly two years later, the ratio was 37% regular to 63% 
draftee in the war zone.
	During the Vietnam  era,  1,728,344 men were drafted.  Of the forces 
who actually served in Vietnam, 648,500 (25%) were draftees.  Draftees (17,725) 
accounted for 30.4% of combat deaths in Vietnam.
	Rangel also resurrected the race issue with his proposal.  But as Northwestern 
University military sociologist Charles Moskos put it, “If anybody should be complaining 
about battlefield deaths, it is poor, rural white.”
	Indeed, of the Army’s 45,586 enlisted infantrymen, only 10.6% are black.  Of 
armored cavalry scouts, 11 % are black and 4.5% of Army Special Forces are black.
	Past wars demonstrate pattern for black KIA: Korea (9.3%), Vietnam (12.1%), 
Grenada (0%), Panama (4.3%), Persian Gulf (15.4%) and Somalia (6.9%).
	Despite distorted perceptions and statistics, debating the concept of service 
has merit.  “What we‘re going through now,” Rangel said, “is patriotism lite.  Put a 
flag on your lapel.  Put a flag on your car.  Put a bigger one on your SUV.”
	No doubt this has struck a raw nerve and made a lot of people uncomfortable.  
Of the 535 members of Congress, only four have a son in the military: Senators: Tim 
Johnson (D-SD) and Jim Bunning (R-KY); and Representatives: Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and 
Ike Skelton (D-MO).  Johnson’s son served as an Army sergeant in Afghanistan.
	Persian Gulf vet Ralf Zimmermann summed it up best: “The brass‘s argument I 
cannot accept is that draftees are a liability to unit morale and readiness because 
‘they don‘t want to be there.’  The majority of draftees [would be] intelligent people 
who often contribute essential civilian work skills, maturity and  questioning minds.” 

Department of Defense

DIRECTIVE

NUMBER 1005.8
October 31, 1977
ASD(MRA&L)

SUBJECT: Order of Precedence of Members of Armed Forces of the United States When in Formations

References: (a) DoD Directive 1005.8, subject as above, October 8, 1957 (hereby cancelled)
(b) Title 10, United States Code, Section 133(b)

1. REISSUANCE AND PURPOSE
This Directive reissues reference (a) to update the listing of organizations and to change the order of precedence. Reference (a) is hereby superseded and cancelled.

2. APPLICABILITY
The provisions of this Directive apply to the Military Departments.

3. PRESCRIBED PROCEDURE
By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of Defense, under the provisions of reference (b), and pursuant to agreement with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Commerce, members of the Armed Forces of the United States and Merchant Marine midshipmen shall take precedence in the following order when in formations:

3.1. Cadets, United States Military Academy.
3.2. Midshipmen, United States Naval Academy.
3.3. Cadets, United States Air Force Academy.
3.4. Cadets, United States Coast Guard Academy.
3.5. Midshipmen, United States Merchant Marine Academy.*
3.6. United States Army.
3.7. United States Marine Corps.
3.8. United States Navy.
3.9. United States Air Force.
3.10. United States Coast Guard.
3.11. Army National Guard of the United States.
3.12. Army Reserve.
3.13. Marine Corps Reserve.
3.14. Naval Reserve.
3.15. Air National Guard of the United States.
3.16. Air Force Reserve.
3.17. Coast Guard Reserve.
3.18. Other training organizations of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, in that order, respectively.

Provided, however, that during any period when the ·United States Coast Guard shall operate as part of the United States Navy, the Cadets, United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Coast Guard, and the Coast Guard Reserve, shall take precedence, respectively, next after the Midshipmen, United States Naval Academy, the United States Navy, and the Naval Reserve.

4. EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION
This Directive is effective immediately. Forward two copies of implementing regulations to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics) within 30 days.

* Added

C. W. DUNCAN, JR.
Deputy Secretary of Defense

The average age of the military man is 19 years.
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country.
He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm Howitzers.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because
he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but
he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity.
He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle.
He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food.
He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime.
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom.
Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

Please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for those fighting the war on Terrorism. This can be very powerful.... Just pass it on to all the people in your address book. Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airman, prayer is the very best one.

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