Veterans Day

Today we honor our veterans on the anniversary of the armistice that ended the first world war, or as it was called at the time the Great War.

Of course time takes its toll and our oldest combat era veterans are from WW2 and Korea followed by out Vietnam Era Vets.

It was because of Vietnam that we went to an all volunteer army.

Since then we have in effect a military that while more professional, costs more and reflects a less diverse slice of America.

We still make people register for the draft but generally its not considered likely by most.

There has long been a discussion about whether service to the country should be universal.

The argument in favor has basically been that it would give everyone a real stake in how we use our military and create a military reflective of our total country.  Of course after any initial period, those who stay would form our permanent volunteer military and the others would return to civilian life.

The argument against is simply that people shouldn't be required to serve if they don't want to except possibly in time of war and that some object on religious or other grounds.

I tend to think requiring service is the better option, but there should be an option that allows for non-combat service.

For one thing, in the military you get to actually interact with people that you likely never would normally, leading to a better understanding of the humanity we all share.

Second, it equals an investment in the success of our country that will carry forward in their subsequent lives as citizens.

Third, it would be a way to justify funding educational benefits or technical training for more.

However, I realize that its unlikely and in all honesty not sure we would be prepared to handle the numbers that would result.

Anyway, Happy Veterans Day to my fellow veterans!