General Discussion

Fumesucker

(45,851 posts)

43. It's better to fix the problems before they happen

Sat Feb 6, 2016, 02:28 PM

Feb 2016

Combat arms is amazingly stressful physically, younger is better for the physical part with the ability to heal quickly from exertion. Instant unthinking obedience, much as I personally loathe it, is necessary for certain sorts of military operations. They tell you as little as they have to for you to be able to handle your particular portion of any plan and you are a meat machine that does that portion to the best of your ability.

What I'm saying is the problem isn't so much young troops but screwed up leadership priorities and goals. Fix the actual problem and the symptoms will mostly fix themselves.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

106 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Compulsory female registration for the draft [View all] woolldog Feb 2016 OP

Good mythology Feb 2016 #1

It's long overdue. In_The_Wind Feb 2016 #2

It's only recently that ground combat units were open to women woolldog Feb 2016 #4

I'm too old to be drafted but I would have served if called. In_The_Wind Feb 2016 #5

I don't doubt that you would have. woolldog Feb 2016 #31

It's not overdue until we have the Equal Rights Amendment. When we spent pnwmom Feb 2016 #68

I agree with you. In_The_Wind Feb 2016 #71

Equal is equal aaaaaa5a Feb 2016 #3

Or was until the ultra-Orthodox started squeezing women out starroute Feb 2016 #56

But we're not. The SCOTUS has ruled we're not equal and the states failed to pass an ERA. n/t pnwmom Feb 2016 #69

ERA needs to come first (plus, the military needs to deal with rape/sexual assault harshly). n/t demmiblue Feb 2016 #6

This. ^^^ CrispyQ Feb 2016 #36

I still chuckle at this: demmiblue Feb 2016 #37

LOL. CrispyQ Feb 2016 #38

That's going to haunt my dreams mythology Feb 2016 #72

Good point. nt Laffy Kat Feb 2016 #62

The draft is wrong. Expanding the draft is wronger. Warren Stupidity Feb 2016 #7

There is no draft linuxman Feb 2016 #25

Having to "register" for a non-draft makes no sense, dixiegrrrrl Feb 2016 #40

You understand that there needs to be a registry in case we bring back the draft, right? linuxman Feb 2016 #47

There is a draft - registration for military service is compulsory. Warren Stupidity Feb 2016 #63

That is not a draft. linuxman Feb 2016 #65

My state has the death penalty but we haven't executed anybody in nearly 80 years. Warren Stupidity Feb 2016 #76

That's a poor analogy. linuxman Feb 2016 #94

Agreed nt lostnfound Feb 2016 #81

I'm too old Bettie Feb 2016 #8

Same here. Zing Zing Zingbah Feb 2016 #93

I think they probably wouldn't draft a pregnant woman. Zing Zing Zingbah Feb 2016 #96

America should have a standing draft of ALL citizens Hortensis Feb 2016 #9

That is a good point. SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #17

Required non-military service to one's country is Hortensis Feb 2016 #19

By 24 kids are starting to think a little too independently to make good troops Fumesucker Feb 2016 #34

I see your point, SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #39

It's better to fix the problems before they happen Fumesucker Feb 2016 #43

Again I agree. SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #44

Sorry, I'm jumping back and forth from here to somewhere else and I'm losing track... Fumesucker Feb 2016 #50

Oh, I wasn't being snarky - SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #51

Exactly. And how if we waited until, say 28, Hortensis Feb 2016 #41

I'd actually be in favor of universal service if I could figure out a way to be fair about it Fumesucker Feb 2016 #48

you do realize it's not just citizens that can get drafted right? n/t w0nderer Feb 2016 #35

In my world they would be. :) Non-citizens could volunteer. Hortensis Feb 2016 #42

whilst in the real world w0nderer Feb 2016 #83

LOL, yes, and my notion that they should be drafted Hortensis Feb 2016 #95

Give us the ERA then yes! MuseRider Feb 2016 #10

>THE< ERA is dead. A new one could be brought up, of course. Thor_MN Feb 2016 #28

OK. *An* ERA. nt SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #53

Well, if war comes and they start drafting, migration to Canada will be by both sexes this time. Tierra_y_Libertad Feb 2016 #11

About fucking time! kydo Feb 2016 #12

Um...both an e-1, e-2, e-10, etc. (enlisted) male & female are paid exactly the same. jonno99 Feb 2016 #30

Doesn't matter n2doc Feb 2016 #13

Here's my response in earlier thread A Little Weird Feb 2016 #14

I'm not excited by any draft, SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #15

"Fair is fair" and "equal" comments wheniwasincongress Feb 2016 #16

You're right. SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #18

that's a good point, but since this is mere registration treestar Feb 2016 #21

Be careful what you wish for. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #45

Fine TeddyR Feb 2016 #87

yup Skittles Feb 2016 #99

Works for me treestar Feb 2016 #20

Do we have a draft? smirkymonkey Feb 2016 #22

We have registration. Male only, at age 18. nt SusanCalvin Feb 2016 #24

Oh, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the info. smirkymonkey Feb 2016 #52

Gender neutral screen names... why bother? lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #59

There hasn't been a draft since 1973 (n/t) Spider Jerusalem Feb 2016 #23

Everyone who defies the registration law is prevented from student aid. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #46

No, it isn't Spider Jerusalem Feb 2016 #55

So 90% of men are eligible to apply for student aid compared with 100% of women? lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #57

No, it doesn't Spider Jerusalem Feb 2016 #60

+1 Starry Messenger Feb 2016 #58

In many states they also are prevented from obtaining a drivers license uppityperson Feb 2016 #64

Every 18-year-old male has to register anyway. jeff47 Feb 2016 #54

Good nadinbrzezinski Feb 2016 #26

I watched my son sign up. peace13 Feb 2016 #27

There should be no gender... Mike Nelson Feb 2016 #29

It's only fair Boomer Feb 2016 #32

It can never be fair. For one thing, women don't have the same childbearing years... lostnfound Feb 2016 #82

Fine with me TeddyR Feb 2016 #88

I actually never had a problem with excluding women from combat lostnfound Feb 2016 #90

Most people in the military don't serve in combat roles Travis_0004 Feb 2016 #106

I think it's a great idea just as soon as the ERA passes gollygee Feb 2016 #33

Aside from draft registration, can you give me some examples of laws which would change due to ERA? lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #49

What planet have you been living on? Feminist groups strongly supported the ERA pnwmom Feb 2016 #73

Simple tracking of the language proposed proves my point. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2016 #74

Exactly....Feminists today do not want that original Alice Paul language davidn3600 Feb 2016 #79

That was a bill proposed by a couple of people. Hillary supported the 1970 version pnwmom Feb 2016 #80

Do feminists even truly want an ERA anymore? davidn3600 Feb 2016 #67

Not just selective equality Major Nikon Feb 2016 #84

I'm fine TeddyR Feb 2016 #89

I'm too old and already served 8 years. But it's only fair. MH1 Feb 2016 #61

Either make women register or take away the penalities for men davidn3600 Feb 2016 #66

Pass the Equal Rights Amendment first. Otherwise they'll be drafting women pnwmom Feb 2016 #70

WW3 is really the only reason there would ever be a full-blown draft davidn3600 Feb 2016 #85

End the Penalities for Men erpowers Feb 2016 #97

Better Idea: End the Wars Octafish Feb 2016 #75

Thanks Octafish, everyone else thinks sorefeet Feb 2016 #104

You are most welcome, sorefeet! The nurse at my doctor's office was in the US Army... Octafish Feb 2016 #105

My guess is that this is 'reverse discrimination' nonsense HereSince1628 Feb 2016 #77

The old draft machine was a hell of a ride catnhatnh Feb 2016 #78

OH GREAT ...I GET to go serve in a NEW WAR! yuiyoshida Feb 2016 #86

Whoa woolldog Feb 2016 #100

I'm way too old. Kath1 Feb 2016 #102

Yes, women should have to register when they turn 18, same as men do NickB79 Feb 2016 #91

slow down the wars - bring back the draft - ain't no senator's son SoLeftIAmRight Feb 2016 #92

No draft for men or women. The draft is government-approved slavery. Oneironaut Feb 2016 #98

Yes!!! tazkcmo Feb 2016 #101

well heaven05 Feb 2016 #103