Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

malthaussen

(17,065 posts)
172. I suggest an alternative.
Tue May 26, 2015, 08:17 AM
May 2015

All citizens should do two years of service, such as VISTA or the CCC, for the community and infrastructure, or in the military. Deferments should be hard to get, and not for college, which should be delayed until after said service. This will serve any number of useful purposes: providing useful skills to high school graduates, integrating people from all walks of life, repairing and maintaining the nation's infrastructure, etc... consequently, it will never fly, but I like to fantasize about it from time to time.

-- Mal

Thanks for your good work to keep safe the man next to you. discntnt_irny_srcsm May 2015 #1
Couldn't have said it better myself. GGJohn May 2015 #2
I didn't understand why we were there erlewyne May 2015 #114
I enlisted because I then truly believed that we were helping the S. Vietnamese govt. GGJohn May 2015 #117
Stop the spread of communism erlewyne May 2015 #126
My brother, rest his kind soul... malokvale77 May 2015 #137
Ain't it a tragedy that those that voted to send us to war GGJohn May 2015 #139
They never do GGJohn... malokvale77 May 2015 #142
Earlier I pulled out some of my old photos of friends I served with, GGJohn May 2015 #143
I share that downer with you. malokvale77 May 2015 #152
This a great post, and maybe the saddest great post I've ever read. man4allcats May 2015 #138
Recommended. H2O Man May 2015 #3
Until most of its veterans have passed, sarge43 May 2015 #18
Slight disagreement and that is by degree nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #77
This right here nadin... malokvale77 May 2015 #140
Exactly, Hubby retired from the USN as a Chief nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #144
Mitt Romney comes to mind. GGJohn May 2015 #145
And so does W nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #146
And W also. GGJohn May 2015 #147
Two movies that are worth watcing that sort of explain nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #148
You failed no one. Your nation failed you. The Vietnamese are a beautiful people. America's loss. Fred Sanders May 2015 #4
Fred Sanders, I totally agree with you. Bet you never thought you'd see me say that. rhett o rick May 2015 #103
I rarely agree with you, GGJohn May 2015 #104
Well said! nt City Lights May 2015 #108
John Fogerty said it best: KingCharlemagne May 2015 #5
I sent this to my brother TNNurse May 2015 #6
Day of Shame dpatbrown May 2015 #7
For me, it's a day of remembrance, GGJohn May 2015 #8
Well said. H2O Man May 2015 #13
Agreed dpatbrown May 2015 #26
Thank you, and I agree, GGJohn May 2015 #27
I'd rec your post if I could. nt cwydro May 2015 #39
Memorial Day began as a day to remember the Union dead who died to free the KingCharlemagne May 2015 #9
If you're talking about how corps. have used Memorial Day to sell their goods, GGJohn May 2015 #10
You and I may disagree on many matters large and small, but on this I believe KingCharlemagne May 2015 #46
GREAT POST!!! GGJohn May 2015 #47
Again GGJohn... malokvale77 May 2015 #149
My heart goes out to you and your family. GGJohn May 2015 #153
I thought that military service would end with my children. malokvale77 May 2015 #155
my lifetime dpatbrown May 2015 #29
The draft Rolando May 2015 #124
83, wow, welcome to DU! steve2470 May 2015 #128
No shame to those who served. Those who sent them, however... malthaussen May 2015 #11
Thank you!!!! eom. GGJohn May 2015 #12
The battle interlude in the long version sets up the impact for the last two stanzas. John1956PA May 2015 #55
I alluded to that in another thread. malthaussen May 2015 #57
No shame here.. My husband enlisted in 1969 mountain grammy May 2015 #14
Government dpatbrown May 2015 #35
agree.. mountain grammy May 2015 #37
Reinstate the draft, and we just get more warm bodies to throw into stupid wars Scootaloo May 2015 #90
I am 20 years old, and would be the first of the first to be drafted. F4lconF16 May 2015 #132
So us old combat vet farts wouldn't have a say on going to war or not? eom. GGJohn May 2015 #133
No. F4lconF16 May 2015 #159
That's bullshit. GGJohn May 2015 #160
I fully admit I could be approaching this the wrong way. F4lconF16 May 2015 #161
I didn't take it as disrespect. GGJohn May 2015 #162
I suggest an alternative. malthaussen May 2015 #172
Soldiers and innocent civilians who die so as to make rich people richer. nt valerief May 2015 #56
Welcome to DU, dpatbrown! calimary May 2015 #75
Thanks very much dpatbrown May 2015 #122
My Father was MIA Feb.1942 off Java WHEN CRABS ROAR May 2015 #97
I tend to agree with you Brainstormy May 2015 #118
Memorial Days and Veterans Days always make me feel weird. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #15
+1000!!! eom. GGJohn May 2015 #17
Well said. truebluegreen May 2015 #19
Spoken from the heart malaise May 2015 #20
I don't think you need to be forgiven... malthaussen May 2015 #28
Exactly 7962 May 2015 #168
"When Will We Ever Learn?" nt Duval May 2015 #36
Someone gave my husband a ballcap mountain grammy May 2015 #40
A few years ago My Favorite Wingnut took me to a wingnut restaurant Jackpine Radical May 2015 #45
That sounded so familiar Populist_Prole May 2015 #83
Was he an actual combat vet? GGJohn May 2015 #84
Helicopter pilot Populist_Prole May 2015 #86
That's weird. GGJohn May 2015 #88
You helo pilots were as crazy as they come. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #105
Luck my friend, pure luck. GGJohn May 2015 #106
My husband was a crew chief on a Huey.. mountain grammy May 2015 #123
Do you know what outfit he was with? eom. GGJohn May 2015 #127
1st Aviation Division, Army. In Vietnam 1970-1971 mountain grammy May 2015 #129
A Co. 101st AVN Bn. for me. GGJohn May 2015 #131
He says thanks mountain grammy May 2015 #151
I saw a TV documentary about a helicopter pilot, who took out a helicopter Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #167
I've always heard door gunners were even crazier. malthaussen May 2015 #174
There were always a lot of openings for that position. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #177
When I was driving slicks, GGJohn May 2015 #178
My dad was a rear gunner on a Mitchell (B25) bomber during WWII dflprincess May 2015 #156
You're very welcome. eom. GGJohn May 2015 #157
Sounds like mad Walter in The Big Lebowski. Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #113
That made me cry, Jackpine Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #42
Thank you for your service to the least among us JR. nt raouldukelives May 2015 #66
Thank you. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #69
+1 you hit all my spots. n/t jaysunb May 2015 #101
Thank you so much for writing this post. I have never felt comfortable telling vets "Thank you for rhett o rick May 2015 #109
If you have the time, why not stop & talk? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #110
I would love to stop and talk. Thanks again for the post. nm rhett o rick May 2015 #130
If you saw me in a store, on the street, at a function, GGJohn May 2015 #112
You do not need anyone's forgiveness jackpine. But, yes, thank you for serving in a movement to stop merrily May 2015 #164
I have been trying to say this ewagner May 2015 #16
I dunno, ewagner, but my impression is that a whole lot of the people Jackpine Radical May 2015 #23
Is it your impression that most combat veterans do not indulge this feeling... malthaussen May 2015 #59
The short answer is "Yes." Jackpine Radical May 2015 #60
REMFs... ewagner May 2015 #74
REMF GGJohn May 2015 #80
REMF a very unfair term DustyJoe May 2015 #85
Sorry, but I don't equate chopper pilots with rear area clerks, we were in just as much danger GGJohn May 2015 #89
Misunderstood Sir DustyJoe May 2015 #91
My apologies, I read your post wrong. GGJohn May 2015 #92
Definitely no Apology needed DustyJoe May 2015 #94
Thanks for the link. GGJohn May 2015 #95
... GGJohn May 2015 #93
.... DustyJoe May 2015 #96
And don't forget the mortuary guys. That was a tough job, too. MADem May 2015 #99
Ive heard it said it takes 10 in the rear to support 1 on the line 7962 May 2015 #169
yeah and while heaven05 May 2015 #175
I am in agreement... malokvale77 May 2015 #154
My dad joined for that reason - TBF May 2015 #73
My husband is a vietnam veteran donnasgirl May 2015 #21
I don't believe you need permission from the OP for your hubby to write GGJohn May 2015 #22
He doesn't need permission! MoonRiver May 2015 #24
I was in the BRO from 2003 - 2006 Victor_c3 May 2015 #25
. deutsey May 2015 #32
Just know that you're not alone. For one thing, there are a lot of combat vets on this board. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #33
My heart goes dpatbrown May 2015 #38
This probably won't help much, but I spent two-three times\week from 2001-09 KingCharlemagne May 2015 #50
Thank you for your contribution to trying to bring our service people home from an unjust war. GGJohn May 2015 #52
I was as much or more a failure as anyone on this thread, but I do appreciate your KingCharlemagne May 2015 #58
... stage left May 2015 #63
why the eff are they locking you up? redruddyred May 2015 #68
You're right, they usually don't. Victor_c3 May 2015 #98
I don't feel taken out on tho redruddyred May 2015 #181
may your heaven05 May 2015 #81
Heartbreaking to hear of your experiences. Dems to Win May 2015 #107
While Nixon opened up US trade with China while they were supplying weapons to the North Vietnamese. EndElectoral May 2015 #30
The main difference between conscripts and volunteers... malthaussen May 2015 #31
Anybody know if Zwoof is our old DU compatriot Jackpine Radical May 2015 #34
And I didn't take part in all those anti-war demonstrations to spit on soldiers. Paladin May 2015 #41
I don't think there were many actual, documented cases Jackpine Radical May 2015 #49
BTW, GGJohn May 2015 #51
Back atcha, Bro. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #53
For all who died from war... Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #43
If I could, I'd rec. this a million times. eom. GGJohn May 2015 #44
Me too Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #176
Thank you Dont call me Shirley. GGJohn May 2015 #179
My story is very nearly the same as yours rock May 2015 #48
Proudly Anti-War since 1967...when I went to college. Whittier College, Nixon's alma mater, libdem4life May 2015 #54
Thanking former military for their service started after 911 treestar May 2015 #61
You were more honorable than the country that sent you sir workinclasszero May 2015 #62
I would change "country" to "politicians," or possibly "government." malthaussen May 2015 #64
I see no honor in what this country did in Vietnam workinclasszero May 2015 #65
Then we differ. malthaussen May 2015 #67
No shit! Of course the vets are honorable! workinclasszero May 2015 #78
My point, which I shall retiterate... malthaussen May 2015 #170
I can agree with you that there was no honor what our country's politicians did in Vietnam, GGJohn May 2015 #70
Recent attempts at revisionism have challenged that. malthaussen May 2015 #71
I can only rely on my unit's experience and those we supported in the field. GGJohn May 2015 #72
I agree. Just as in any other war. Vietnam just got the most exposure. 7962 May 2015 #173
It all depends salimbag May 2015 #87
Celebrating Memorial Day does not mean embracing war. Buzz Clik May 2015 #76
neither did I heaven05 May 2015 #79
Pretty much the same for me, GGJohn May 2015 #82
I served for all the same reasons. jaysunb May 2015 #100
. GGJohn May 2015 #102
Wow! To me, that reads like a classic of war poetry. Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #111
K&R woo me with science May 2015 #115
You weren't alone, brother. There were thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of us.... Hulk May 2015 #116
... GGJohn May 2015 #119
Yup. Every day, every week, every month, until it was time ... 11 Bravo May 2015 #120
That big ass freedom bird sure did look good. GGJohn May 2015 #121
In Remembrance pinboy3niner May 2015 #125
+1000. GGJohn May 2015 #134
Didn't go to 'Nam but was drafted during the mess. Elwood P Dowd May 2015 #135
I feel that young people sent to fight in Vietnam were misused by the government, but Arugula Latte May 2015 #136
To a point I agree with you on the current military dflprincess May 2015 #158
That's true. I guess I have mixed feelings. Overall I understand the incentives to join. Arugula Latte May 2015 #163
I agree completely with you on that "thank you for protecting us" dflprincess May 2015 #180
Abbie Hoffman was right. Major Hogwash May 2015 #141
Thanks for trying. Glad you got back alive. Ken Burch May 2015 #150
Let's remember those who bravely chose to Not serve and Oppose the Illegal war billy_j2 May 2015 #165
My stepfather (when I as growing up) said he thought the bravest men were Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #166
I enlisted in the Navy in 1969 to avoid the draft and Vietnam. It worked, I B Calm May 2015 #171
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I didn't serve in Vietnam...»Reply #172