Getting a CO will not be easy in new DRAFT, says SSS Director Brodsky

[Dems Will Win]

Women and men will have to register at local POs if they are doctors or nurses or have Special Skills, like computer expertise or languages, and they are under age 45. COs will have to provide "compelling evidence" to draft boards who are filled on recommendations by local politicians (NOT EASY, BELIEVE ME I DID IT).

Military Draft Could Include Women, Pacifists

Michael Betsch, CNSNews.com

Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001


http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/11/12/184604.shtml

<snip>

"There's an increasing number of states now that are linking draft registration to obtaining a driver's license," Galvin said. "There are states where, if you haven't registered, you can't get a license or you can't renew your license.

"And if they don't register by the time they turn 26," Galvin noted, then they are "permanently barred from all federal financial aid, most federal jobs and job training."

<snip>

But it's not that simple to get a draft exemption, Brodsky said. "Conscientious objection is not self-determined. A man is not a conscientious objector because he says he is; he's a conscientious objector because he proves he is, or at least shows compelling evidence to a board of his community peers.

"If everybody had the ability to declare themselves conscientious objectors, it would be kind of like anarchy in a draft," said Brodsky.

<snip>

[durutti]

1. One thing I agree with...

As long as there's going to be a draft, women as well as men should be subject to it.

[Mel]

5. No ERA, No Draft for women

that's what I believe. If ERA was passed I'd be fine with it but until ERA is passed then I disagree with drafting women.

[shanti]

24. right, how dare they!

can't pay us the same as men, why should we die like them?? :grr:

[salin]

2. Quakers in the family... and what I recall is that CO requires serious

documentation. Documentation that demonstrates overtime a philosophy of pacifism (quakers, for example, believe that "God" resides in all humans and thus killing is killing a part of God, they are one of two denominations that is recognized as legitimate for CO status on religious beliefs). The biggest thing, if I recall, is to demonstrate this belief over time so it doesn't appear a "conversion" just in time to avoid a draft. Also - the composition from Draft Board to Draft Board varied so much during Vietnam, that in some places COs were relatively easy (never easy, btw) and other places they were never granted (regardless of documentation.) For those granted the status, service was still expected. Often it was stateside/institutional - from areas that were likely to experience worker shortage due to the draft (eg medical support staff in mental institutions... so some CO workers would be placed as workers in mental institutions.)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. My High School Debate Teacher, A Pacifist. Was A C O

during the Viet Nam War...

One of the questions they asked him if he would have taken up arms agiainst Hitler....

I forgot his answer....

[IndianaGreen]

4. The children of the elites will get out

as will those that claim that "GAWD" has called to go to seminary to become preachers.

[hedda_foil]

6. CO has always been difficult. That's nothing new.

The problem with drafting women is that even during Viet Nam, married men with children were exempted, as (I believe was the case in WWII as well). For the first several years, students were deferred and married men were exempted. Also, no-one over 25 was drafted.

Now they're talking about much a older age range, married and children as far as I can see, and men and women. What that boils down to is both mothers and fathers in the military involuntarily. What the f*ck happens to the kids?

[Dems Will Win]

7. They would only induct a few thousand to several thousand

doctors and nurses out of 3.4 million people. And maybe several thousand more in a Special Skill Draft of computer experts, engineers and linguists (especially those that can translate Islamic languages). The odds of a mother and father being drafted together would be very small and could be counter-manded by the Draft Board or Appeal Board, I think...

[T Bone]

23. Doctors have always been under the aegis of the Surgeon General

not draft boards per se, is what my understanding has been. The Surgeon General could declare a need for Doctors at anytime, and pick the ones he wanted to serve.

Same goes for medical students as well.

At least that is what a very informed person told me at one time.

Probably not stuff every med student and Doctor is aware of actually.

[PaDUer]

10. What happens to the kids?

As he said, "leave no child behind". Put nothing past this whatever he is~

[shanti]

25. didn't you get the memo?

the grandparents will be taking care of their grandchildren! this whole thing sucks mightily.

[HFishbine]

8. Men & Women w/special skills UNDER 45 ?!?!

Bullshit!

[Dems Will Win]

9. here's a link. Brodsky himself said the Special Skills DRAFT would be a

"priority". The Special Skills Draft would be run the same as the Health Care Personnel DRAFT (if Congress approves in 2005).

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=33754


The news service also reported the Pentagon is considering other "special skills" drafts, to include military linguists, computer experts or engineers, that could arise from other immediate needs.

"We're going to elevate that kind of draft to be a priority," Lewis Brodsky, acting director of the Selective Service System, told Newhouse News Service.

The plan calls for the president to issue a proclamation ordering 13.5 million health-care professionals to register for a draft within 13 days. Following the proclamation, Congress would quickly pass legislation authorizing the draft of health-care workers aged 20-44, and for the first time in U.S. history, the draft would include women.

The Pentagon would then inform the Selective Service System of the number of personnel needed for each of the 62 medical specialties. The news service said a separate draft lottery would be held for each specialty.

The Defense Department believes it could draft up to 80,000 personnel – surgeons, dentists, nurses, X-ray personnel, paramedics, etc. – within several months of the draft through the Military Entrance Processing Command.

[politicat]

11. Wonder if those who have already served will be exempt still....

Mr. Politicat is a computer programmer and a vet - he was artillery (the mathematical, difficult to find talent for type) in Iraq I. He's 33.

He'd be unfortunately perfect to send, and since he's a vet, it will be much, much harder for him to claim conscientious objector status (even though he has a far better reason to be a CO than most - he's seen it and knows it for the terrible thing it is.)

See you in Canada and Iceland and anywhere else where extradition doesn't apply to COs!

Politicat (who believes in Draft Dodging as a form of protest)

[Scott Lee]

12. A general Resistance is a better idea

Just don't cooperate. Can you imagine them trying to put millions of people in prison all at once? They couldn't, and wouldn't. I dare them.

[Paranoid_Portlander]

22. Yes, I can imagine it.

This country already has 2 million people behind bars.

[MercutioATC]

13. You don't ask, but I tell. What if I say I'm gay?

Actually, at 36, I'm not that worried (plus, I'm an ATC and we're exempt from the draft) but I have a couple of younger brothers. What if they said they were gay?

[IndianaGreen]

14. I think they will be taken at their word

I think the military's homophobia precludes them from questioning the veracity of anyone claiming they are gay.

[MercutioATC]

15. That's what I mean...seems like "gay" is the new "CO"...

...and there's no need to run to Canada (although Canada seems to be promising to be more cooperative with the U.S. Gov. this time anyway).

[sleipnir]

16. No way, if the draft comes "Don't ask, don't tell" goes out the window

It's too big of a loophole, no way it will stand. Funny how equality in the military would come at the expensive of a draft.

[murielm99]

17. Everyone

should claim to be gay, if drafted!

[IndianaGreen]

26. And I will vouch for all of you being gay

and do what I can to get you out of it.

[quaker bill]

18. There is one organized resistance that will work

Anyone But Bush* 2004.

This joker and all of his familiars need to lose in such a landslide that no one will ever consider a military draft again.

We simply cannot allow the country to go back to this place ever again.

[DemBones DemBones]

19. The article seems truthful enough, assuming they aren't

just making up quotes, but it is Newsmax. I was reminded of that when I saw the lead for another article, something like "Hillary Tries Desperately to Out-Do Bush in Baghdad." Umm, if Bush's trip was a secret until he got there and Hillary was already in Afghanistan, with another stop planned in Iraq, does that indicate "desperation" on her part?

[Dogmudgeon]

20. When will the Draft will be reinstated?

February 1, 2005.

Right after the selection and the inaugural toadying.

Four years as a lame duck with the biggest penis you've ever seen. Count on it.

--bkl
Quack quack.

[regnaD kciN]

21. Consider the sources here...

A Newsmax article from two years ago (with later additions from WorldNetDaily). That should say it all.

I'm very sceptical about this story. It's not impossible (although I think it will doom them at the polls) for the Republicans to push through a new draft of any kind, but one that would target women up to 45 if they had "speical skills" or were in the medical profession? Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the GOP retains power next year, and is thus in the position to carry this plan out in the following year. Do you know what would happen if they passed a law that would wind up forcing 30-45 year old "soccer moms" into an overseas war zone? Can you guess how the "Angry White Male" is going to vote if there's a possibility his wife might be getting a draft notice? You'd have a Democratic Congress in 2006, and control of the White House two years later. And the Republicans would be finished as a political force forever.

I'm sure President Rove is too smart to fall into that trap. If there's going to be any resumption of a draft, it's going to be so narrowly drawn that there's no danger of alienating a large sector of the Republican's key voter demographic.