Will Selber speaks truth about why losing wars and the subsequent lack of accountability among the top brass and the elites of the military-industrial complex helps to deflate America's enthusiasm for military recruitment. We may have entered another era of what used to be called "Vietnam Syndrome" because Americans are not feeling much …
Will Selber speaks truth about why losing wars and the subsequent lack of accountability among the top brass and the elites of the military-industrial complex helps to deflate America's enthusiasm for military recruitment. We may have entered another era of what used to be called "Vietnam Syndrome" because Americans are not feeling much return on their investment of blood and treasure after Iraq and Afghanistan. One political party is already going Isolationist, not even willing to provide a few bullets to support someone else to fight and degrade our Russian adversary. However, I have a hard time seeing retired generals talking to the local VFW or American Legion about their culpability in the lost wars in the Mid-East. As a former Marine myself from a bygone era, my buddies and I just wanted the bragging rights of belonging to an elite force -- win or lose. I must have picked up this ambition from school because I did not come from a military family. So, allow me to suggest another solution that might help in restoring the motivation to serve: civic education. There should be one full year of this subject in high school. One semester focused upon basic democratic and constitutional principles and one semester for practical citizenship. A democracy cannot survive without a socialized citizenry, schooled in the values and practical skills necessary for a functioning self-governing republic. We need to rebuild intrinsic motivation to serve, and it starts in schools. In his Lyceum Address, Lincoln identified the source of the existential threat: "I answer. If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad." And later he added that the Constitution and the rule of law should be "the political religion of our nation".
Agree. And this may not be palatable to many, but I'm a firm believer in 1-2 years of mandatory national service after high school - military or other types of service. It might help instill some sense of national pride, a better understanding of civics and the idea of the common good and maybe most important, help us get to know fellow citizens from different places, cultures and walks of life.
Decades ago, I disagreed. But now, with the fiascos of the Bush presidency where the same people were sent to fight over and over and over again, I've changed my mind. If every American had a stake in the fight, it wouldn't have last 20 years. Everyone with brains was incensed about 9/11. That's when the draft should have been reinstated, along with taxes to pay for the war.
Yes, I understand this concept of universal service. It is unjust and undemocratic for only a small proportion of the population to serve.
Selber's description of how "military families" have tended to carry this value and burden of service cannot and should not sustain the uniformed ranks. However, it is tricky to mandate service (even non-military) in a society and culture like America's. We do not live in Robert Heinlen's world (Starship Troopers). Indeed, armed service recruiters do not want a return of the draft, as it lowers quality and increases disciplinary challenges. Besides, two-thirds of the age appropriate pool of young people are not even physically qualified for military service which is a depressing and deplorable fact. And yet we now see the military lowering minimum qualifications which is extremely dangerous (we can expect routine, operational and training accidental deaths and injuries to increase, at the very least). I just continue to think along the lines of what Lincoln said -- the country depends upon whether its people will think and act to place "the common good" as you say, above their own self-interests. The question is what can be done to encourage, motivate and incentivize people to step up ? Actually, there is much that can be done.
Will Selber speaks truth about why losing wars and the subsequent lack of accountability among the top brass and the elites of the military-industrial complex helps to deflate America's enthusiasm for military recruitment. We may have entered another era of what used to be called "Vietnam Syndrome" because Americans are not feeling much return on their investment of blood and treasure after Iraq and Afghanistan. One political party is already going Isolationist, not even willing to provide a few bullets to support someone else to fight and degrade our Russian adversary. However, I have a hard time seeing retired generals talking to the local VFW or American Legion about their culpability in the lost wars in the Mid-East. As a former Marine myself from a bygone era, my buddies and I just wanted the bragging rights of belonging to an elite force -- win or lose. I must have picked up this ambition from school because I did not come from a military family. So, allow me to suggest another solution that might help in restoring the motivation to serve: civic education. There should be one full year of this subject in high school. One semester focused upon basic democratic and constitutional principles and one semester for practical citizenship. A democracy cannot survive without a socialized citizenry, schooled in the values and practical skills necessary for a functioning self-governing republic. We need to rebuild intrinsic motivation to serve, and it starts in schools. In his Lyceum Address, Lincoln identified the source of the existential threat: "I answer. If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad." And later he added that the Constitution and the rule of law should be "the political religion of our nation".
Agree. And this may not be palatable to many, but I'm a firm believer in 1-2 years of mandatory national service after high school - military or other types of service. It might help instill some sense of national pride, a better understanding of civics and the idea of the common good and maybe most important, help us get to know fellow citizens from different places, cultures and walks of life.
Decades ago, I disagreed. But now, with the fiascos of the Bush presidency where the same people were sent to fight over and over and over again, I've changed my mind. If every American had a stake in the fight, it wouldn't have last 20 years. Everyone with brains was incensed about 9/11. That's when the draft should have been reinstated, along with taxes to pay for the war.
Yes, I understand this concept of universal service. It is unjust and undemocratic for only a small proportion of the population to serve.
Selber's description of how "military families" have tended to carry this value and burden of service cannot and should not sustain the uniformed ranks. However, it is tricky to mandate service (even non-military) in a society and culture like America's. We do not live in Robert Heinlen's world (Starship Troopers). Indeed, armed service recruiters do not want a return of the draft, as it lowers quality and increases disciplinary challenges. Besides, two-thirds of the age appropriate pool of young people are not even physically qualified for military service which is a depressing and deplorable fact. And yet we now see the military lowering minimum qualifications which is extremely dangerous (we can expect routine, operational and training accidental deaths and injuries to increase, at the very least). I just continue to think along the lines of what Lincoln said -- the country depends upon whether its people will think and act to place "the common good" as you say, above their own self-interests. The question is what can be done to encourage, motivate and incentivize people to step up ? Actually, there is much that can be done.