The voluntary army and the draft

The all volunteer US military just received a 3.4% pay increase.

"Increase in Basic Pay Effective on January 1, 2010, the rate of monthly basic pay for members of the uniformed services is increased by 3.4 percent."

Any military personnel held in service by "Stop Loss" orders will receive an additional $500 per month.

Military pay and reenlistment bonuses earned in combat zones are not taxed.

How is it the government war enablers can get a pay raise when the government's revenues are down?

I'm against the draft and against our foreign wars and the military nation's power, but if we had a draft the cost of a soldier would be much less than the all volunteer army.

If the wars are worth fighting, why not have a draft? It would be a much cheaper way to fight the wars.

If the US used the draft the way it did from Lincoln's time in the Civil War until 1974, the US could invade foreign countries for a lot less cost to the taxpayer.

Government employees, including military, will have their college student loans forgiven under President Obama's PLAN to have some people pay for another person's education so that other person can get a better paying job.

Today's military is more expensive than past militaries. In the Vietnam War an E-5 enlisted man would earn about $4000 per year. Today an E-5 enlisted man is older and earns about $45,000 per year plus other benefits of around $35,000. Military pay has outpaced inflation. The $4000 in 1970 dollars would be equal to about $22000 in 2009 dollars. The all volunteer military is very expensive.

Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize winning economist, said an all voluntary army was the best way to staff the military because the market will determine the value of a soldier. Friedman is correct, except, war is not about free markets producing something of value in a competitive market place. War is about a monopolistic State using force, violence and aggression for its own power enhancement. "War is the health of the State".- Randolph Bourne.

Today's military is older, and more expensive. The average age of active duty military personnel in 2009 is 28. In the Vietnam War that used a draft to supply troops, the average age of the troops was 23. More than half, 55% of today's military are married. In the Vietnam War, only 30% of those killed were married. The average compensation for a military person in 2006 was over $86,000 per year! No wonder so many people are available for invading and occupying other countries in unnecessary wars during a down economy. A young man with no skills can join the military and become a hired killer and have economic gain and respect from his community. Had he remained in the private sector doing what his skills allowed he would have not been noticed.

I'm in favor of bringing all our troops home. If we must fight a war then it should be paid for with increased taxes and not on borrowed money that unborn children will have to pay. If we must fight a war then we should have a draft, even if it requires a constitutional amendment. A draft will bring to light just how important or unimportant the war is.

The cost of staffing our all voluntary military shows how unimportant the foreign military invasions and occupations are in the minds of those who invade and occupy other countries. If citizens really believed we were in danger of being invaded, the supply of military personnel would increase and the price for these personnel would decrease.

Charles Tolleson