Pat Tillman, The Draft, and the American Soldier

Pat Tillman, The Draft, and the American Soldier
By Corporal Killer
Saturday, April 24, 2004

I’m going to get a few things out of the way right away. “Corporal Killer” is obviously not my real name, but a pseudonym to protect my identity. Not that I have anything to hide, rather that I do not want to get in jeopardize my career or my well being by revealing my real name. I am enlisted in the United States Army, have been for the last six years, stationed abroad, and also a former recruiter.

I want to address all this media hub-bub involving the possible re-instatement of the draft. First of all, it is a ridiculous idea. All branches of service have met both their enlistment and reenlistment missions for the past few years. Secondly, it would waste time and money to process, train, and maintain a massive amount of new bodies. Most important of all, however, it would be counterproductive to the mission of the Armed Forces. This is an all volunteer force for a reason. The brave men and women who join the Army, Air Force, Navy, or even the Marines willingly do the best job because they want to be there. If people are brought there against their will, they will whine, moan and groan and not give a rats rear-end about the mission or if it gets accomplished. They would just be a huge burden.

Now, I’m not saying that there are not pieces of trash that join the Armed Forces as just a way to receive an automatic paycheck every first and fifteenth and then slack off. There are far too many of those people in the service for my taste. I am also not trying to say that everybody who is brought in via selective service would not do their patriotic duty honorably. There are lots of young Americans who would. But the idea of a draft is insulting to those who serve honorably of their own free will. Are we not doing a good enough job for you, Senator Hagel?

Something else has sparked my think-box about this, though.

Pat Tillman was a football player who gave up a seven figure contract to serve his country as an Army Ranger. His death today has really gotten to me. It makes me think about all my fellow troops, myself, and all those I helped put in boots. We gave up so much to do this, and to be honest in recent days I’ve began to wonder what I did it for. I have a strong belief in the freedom of this country and the moral courage of our leaders, but media coverage of Fallujah has made me wonder if I should have just hung it up after my first six years and not have to worry about the headache that comes with the biased media coverage from where I sit. Now, with Tillman’s death, it has been put into perspective for me. Pat Tillman is a hero. All my fellow troops are my heroes, no matter where they come from, what their political stands are, what color they are, or whatever. Now, I know I made a right decision. This is the greatest country in the world and I am proud to serve in whatever way I can of my own free will.

“I am proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Because there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God Bless the USA.”