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Pace wants all US citizens to join the army »

Posted by: y_soitenly 1 year ago

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The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff called on all United States citizens to join the army, not through conscription but voluntarily. "I think it would be good if everyone served the nation in some capacity," Marine Gen. Peter Pace told troops at a Town Hall meeting in Djibouti. "Through an accident of birth we are American cit

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y_soitenly1 year ago

;Everybody here either volunteered to serve their initial tour or re-upped while the nation was at war and wanted to do their part,;
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trnscndr1 year ago

Well, that WOULD make it easier for America to take over the world ;)
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ETproductions1 year ago

I strongly favor a compulsory National Service Corps. Everybody who is able should do something to serve their country. Everyone who is able should go through basic training so that if there is ever an all-out war, we would have a large cache of people who could be ready to fight with minimal additional training.
The military route should be optional, but could offer advantages in pay, training, educational benefits and prestige that would attract sufficient numbers to maintain our volunteer army.
Other ways to serve could include infrastructure repair, environmental clean up, peace corps, teaching, etc. Many of these would involve training that might serve as the basis for a lifelong career.
If we had such a system in place in 2002, Bush would have never been able to sell his misguided invasion of Iraq because each and every American would have known such a fool's errand might come back to bite them or their children.
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- JohnQPublicComment removed: User banned.
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  bumbaklotartattack1 year ago
  
  So in other words, you're in favor a draft. So am I, as long as you, the political leaders, and their family go first in line. Put up or stfu.
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    ETproductions1 year ago
    
    Can you not read? I said I favored compulsory NATIONAL service with an OPTIONAL military route. I said we should NOT turn to compulsory military service unless there is another all-out war such as we faced in WWII.
    You don't know me, so where do you get off saying "Put up or stfu." I'm over 60 years old now, so I couldn't get into any branch of service if I got on my knees and begged. I served in my day in the US Navy. And my son is an MS4 this year in Army ROTC.
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  rimbaud1 year ago
  
  Can I just pay more taxes, instead? We really could use some infrastructure repair, and environmental clean up, but I do not want to be compelled to do anything, nor to take jobs away from anyone already qualified to do them.
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jumpmaster1 year ago

Participants always have a different perspective than spectators.
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SlapALib1 year ago

US citizens should also be required to wait tables for at least six months. People would get a serious object lesson in how we treat one another.
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  white-pawn1 year ago
  
  I'd rather see my kid bring a hard working family their meal at a diner than to have him roust them out of bed in the middle of the night in a far-off land.
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  Natalie11831 year ago
  
  I usually don't agree with you, but your comment about having to wait table is sharp, and right on the money. People would get a serious lesson. Positive vote from me!
  XO- Natalie
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  rimbaud1 year ago
  
  One summer, I lived in a rooming house in Northampton, MA, with Puerto Rican tobacco workers, and worked in a factory building cartons for milk bottles. Another summer, I worked as a bus boy in one of those cheap steak houses off Market Street in San Franciso. In Los Angeles, I worked as a motorcycle delivery boy, picking up patterns from garment factories, and delivering the copied blueprints back to the factories. The difference between the front offices of the garment factories, with Valley Girl receptionists, and the back, was a real education.
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jumpmaster1 year ago

Everyone should serve in one way or another. It does not have to be military service. Everything changes when you have a little "skin in the game".
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white-pawn1 year ago

Military service isn't for everybody. It's one of those things that shuldn't be for anybody. Some folks just predisposed to not kill.
Some people find they make more of an impact on the community level, like volunteering for a soup kitchen or hospital. Picking up a piece of trash off the sidewalk could be a sublime act of patriotism.
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Truzseeker1 year ago

Good comment SlapALib.
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2sidestoeverything1 year ago

This would be nice but until we treat everyone equally this will not happen.
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lovermanComment removed: User banned.
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inkyboy071 year ago

"I think it would be good if everyone served the nation in some capacity," Marine Gen. Peter Pace told troops at a Town Hall meeting in Djibouti. "Through an accident of birth we are American citizens. We grew up in an incredible nation that allows us to be literally anything we want. To pay back the opportunity is a price that is worth the nation considering."
I believe that this is the same General Pace which several weeks ago said that gay Americans should not be allowed to serve in the United States military. Apparently he really does not "everyone" just those Americans who are straight.
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DoerNotASayer1 year ago

I proudly served. But I would never, never in a million years encourage my children to join any military service. America, by putting Bush (a lying war monger) in office twice, (notice I did not say elect) has shown that it does not deserve the service and sacrifice of its bravest and best.

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  miklkit1 year ago
  
  My sentiments exactly.
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NeoWiccan1 year ago

Just remember, presidents come and go. I would only fight for my country if it were invaded; never because some windbag pres. told my to.
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doppich1 year ago

During the Civil War, the wealthy paid a substitute to serve for them. During Vietnam, the well-connected found safety for their kids - in the Texas Air National Guard, for instance. There's always an out for the moneyed class.
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KYRed1 year ago

I like the idea. 3 years? I was thinking 2. But 3 wouldn't be too bad. Everyone would be on equal footing, getting three years of experience and service and perhaps the benefit of advanced education as a result.
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tchef1 year ago

Our politicians may also not be so quick to rush off to war if they had members of their families in the armed forces.
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Natalie11831 year ago

I would prefer to serve the Peace Corp. I have seen people die right in front of me, and it is depressing. It doesn't toughen you up, especially when its your family. If I had to serve in the military and kill someone, I would just think about how bad their family would miss them like I do some of mine. But some people probably need it and there are other ways to serve besides on the field combat.
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HMMace1 year ago

To make a man return to Iraq for tour after tour is just disgracful, and Bush is to blame, him, and Rummie...As it is, the rich kids go to school, and the poor go to fight in Iraq...A draft is required..needed,,all must serve --not just the poor..Actually, the rich have more to lose..they should go first..I use every swear word in the book at Bush,,our ex drunken leader ..Making profits from oil, as is Cheny, and doing nothing to stop gouging at the pump/..
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