Readers of Tom Philpott's Military Update column sound off.

Return To Draft Would End These Wars

I am in total agreement with retired Army Col. George Juskalian on return of the draft. He has seen three wars and his wisdom should not go unnoticed. He also is right that the economy is driving young people into the military to survive and to get their education paid for.

As to the effects that wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are having on our other veterans, I assure you it is great. It doesn't matter in which era they serve, if they see dead and wounded or had to do the killing, the affect is the same. What young men and women are going through today brings it all back like it was yesterday.

Many veterans have never discussed the effect of war on their lives. After 30 years of interviews with veterans from all wars, I can say with confidence that our older veterans don't like watching the war news. They are well aware of the price paid by those who serve.

Related article: Old Vets Scorched By Strain of New Wars

Colonel Juskalian also is right about the danger of sending these men and women back and forth to war. It is destroying them. In WWII, they stayed until it was over and those left came home together.

In the forgotten war, the Korean War, it was every bit as devastating but not as long. When they came home, nobody but their families knew they had even been gone. A police action, it was called. Men died or men froze to death. Only half of the 7,000 American prisoners of war survived.

During Vietnam, veterans knew exactly how long they would be over there. If they went back it was because they volunteered.

The draft should be reinstituted, and no one should be exempted because they are in college. The only exception should be if it is an only son. Even religious who don't believe in war should have to serve in some capacity, whether in kitchens or as medics helping the sick and wounded.

The sooner the draft is reinstituted, the sooner these wars will be over. Powerful and influential people do not want their children in battle. As it stands right now, our poor young people are the ones fighting the war, for the most part. They shouldn't have to give up legs, arms or other body parts, if they live, just so they can send money home or pay for college.

I agree with the colonel: "If it is a war worth fighting, the whole country has got to fight for it."

LENA SWANSON
Bremerton, Wash.

Of your column about older veterans affected by the strain of current wars, I guess I'm one of those "older" veterans. I enlisted in 1956 right out of high school at age 17. I would have gone sooner but my mother would not let me.

It is not just the Boy Scouts mentioned who, in our society, are oblivious to what is going on in their world. Last week I was undergoing treatment with a physical therapist, a young man, on the day of the Fort Hood Memorial. I mentioned watching it at home that morning. His comment was, "When did that happen?" Then he asked if that was why flags were at half-staff.

While I was growing up, we were in World War II. My mother worked in a factory making uniforms in Napa, Calif. My father worked at Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo. When he received his draft order to report for physical, Mare Island turned down his request for a release because he was doing essential war work. They changed his draft status.

I guess I was more aware of what was going on because of my family background. One uncle was a combat engineer in the Pacific. Another was a corpsman on a hospital ship. As a young adult I learned that my father-in-law, a retired Navy Chief, saw combat from the first day; he was at Pearl Harbor. His old service jacket displays a Purple Heart with three clusters, indicating he was wounded four times.

I have a friend who was a POW during the Korean War. Another friend was at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam, when I was there. He has suffered with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for years.

Yes, I have been involved with the military for a very long time. I retired in 1981 after 26 years in service. Both of my sons enlisted in the Air Force. The youngest retired in 2008. He had his tour in Iraq. The oldest retired the first of this month. He had a tour in Saudi. They have their own stories now. They don't have to listen to mine anymore. I listen to theirs!

I guess this rambling note is just to say we need to make our youth, and our whole country, aware of what has gone on and what's going on now. Our military is over extended and undermanned.

I agree with Colonel Juskalian. He said, "If it's a war worth fighting for, the whole country has got to fight for it." I go further: "If it's a war worth fighting, it's a war worth winning!"

STEADMAN B. (TED) WHITE
Senior Master Sergeant, USAF-Ret.
Via e-mail

More Support for Coburn

I agree with Senator Coburn. The U.S. is broke and this is not the time to spend more. The caregiver payments are certainly beneficial and I can see incorporating this in future legislation. However, now is not the time to be adding to our budget deficit.

Related Article: Lawmaker Holds on Vets' Caregiver Bill

I am a wife of a 100-percent disabled veteran. When we stop spending on everything else except the military, then we can go with this expenditure.

Let's encourage Congress to stop spending on other things and concentrate on what the federal government was intended to support, our military and national security. The states should take care of the rest.

RENEE SLINKARD
Kansas

This kind of bill really burns me. Bills affecting veterans should include all veterans.

I am a severely disable veteran. My wife has been caring for me for 26 years now. She has never received much in VA benefits.

I wish politicians would quit playing these games to keep favor with constituents so they get re-elected.

GREG DAVIS
Via e-mail

Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA 20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.