The Draft - How You Can Get Involved

[RPM]

Hey folks - at the urging of a fellow DUer with whom I have been PMing, I am posting about the possibility of a draft and how you can get involved in the process should it be activated. As a preliminary matter, my involvement with this is in no way an endorsement of conscription or of the Iraq War - just a way to ensure that those who are called are selected fairly and given a fair opportunity to air their objections to service....

I signed up with SSA about 8 months ago when draft rumblings were getting louder. Needless to say, I am no fan of Conscription, but I
wanted to get involved so that I can help ensure that the process is administered fairly and evenly.

Last night a lady from the agency called me and did a brief phone interview. I will be starting my training with the next statewide group, sometime in the fall or winter as the nomination process is one where the state recommends to the president and the president officially nominates board members (wow, huh - me, a Bush appointee). Anyway, part of my role on the board will be to hear appeals from people claiming conscientious objector status or other hardships.

General Impressions from the phone call:
- Everything was couched in very conditional language,e.g."there will be one annual meeting, unless there is an 'emergency'"
- The infrastructure for a draft certainly seems to be ramping up - she mentioned that just last week a class of 30 some people finished training... This certainly seems like more than what i would assume the attrition rate to be.

So there you have it. Like I said, I am no fan of the idea of a draft, just want to be sure it is fairly administered and that those voicing their objections have an impartial and fair opportunity to do so.

If you are interested in serving on your local board, see https://www4.sss.gov/localboardmembers/bminquiry.asp

[FloridaCrat]

1. I just signed up - can't wait to see if I'm "appointed" n/t

[AndyTiedye]

2. The Only Way to Make the Draft Fair...

...is to defer everyone.

There is no such thing as a fair draft. Never has been. Never will be.

Now if we pack the draft boards with people who feel this way,
it would at least slow them down a bit. Simply don't draft anybody.
Declare them all ineligible due to medical or CO or whatever.

[Singleterri]

3. I would only support a draft if we got involved in some huge war

Like if we were attacked by China.

[newyawker99]

5. Hi Singleterri!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[SlowDownFast]

4. I applied to get on the draft board,

only to recieve a letter stating that I would have to travel to Chicago (i live in michigan) for a 2 week training - that I would have to pay my own way and lodging.

That's an expensive commitment. Wish I had the time and money....