-Caveat Lector-
Thank you for posting this letter. I have long wondered just what was in it,
and why I didn't make an effort to read it sooner, I do not know. As the wife
of a professional military man (who served both in Korea and Vietnam), I
cannot complain about where or when the Government sends him to fight for
whatever reason. He accepts that obligation the moment he signs the
contract. We did not (my husband and I) discuss the merits of either the
action in Korea or Vietnam. We were not, however, blinded by the fact that
what was going on in Korea was a bit odd, and it didn't require a rocket
scientist to realize that the mess in Vietnam was more than strange.
That Bill Clinton made an effort to avoid the draft is certainly
understandable. It seemed to be an effort made by many, many people. His
reasons as set forth in this letter to Holmes are more honorable than most.
There were men who spent many, many years in weird universities that seemed to
spring up just as a place to stay until the war was over. If no one wrote an
anthem entitled "Undergrad Forever," he or she missed a good bet.
Enlisting in the Air Force was one method used to avoid the draft. The odds
of survival were better, even if one ended up in Viet Nam. I was working for
the Air Force at that time, and we had much more education among our enlisted
personnel than among our officers. We had men with doctorates who were
wearing one and two stripes. I recall a major complaining to a high ranking
civilian that he felt strange commanding so many men who had so many more
degrees than he had.
We had scions of well known American aristocracy in our offices (usually very
nice people), and I remember one young man who had a seat on the Stock
Exchange. I was working for the Air Force at that time, and knew that we
benefitted mightily from the very shadow of the draft.
One of the incidents I remember very well was of a chief master sergeant who
went "boot strap." This meant that he had completed three years of college
and could now attend a university for his last year. I believe that is no
longer possible today, but it was the way it was done at that time. The man
was a very capable and well respected individual, and the commander frequently
called him for advice even though he was living some distance away. During
one of the breaks, he came in to see the commander and say hello to everybody,
and I recall listening as he told the commander that he was completely amazed
by what he was finding out about the war in Vietnam. "The kids are right," he
said. "And it's not stuff from the other side they're showing everyone; it's
the stuff right in congressional testimony and military reports and government
publications. I don't know what to think or say." The commander advised him
to think whatever he wanted to, but to say nothing, because that was what
everyone was doing. Anyone with doubts that the chief master sergeant and
the commander were right needs to read MacNamara's book.
I share Clinton's feelings regarding the draft, although I believe in
compulsary military service--an idea that horrifies most everyone. I have
never liked the "all volunteer force" concept, and the methods used to "weed
out" those unacceptable for extended military service are poorly thought out.
We have achieved the questionable goal of a military service where from top to
bottom we have the best or at least the least noticed of the mediocre.
Again, thank you for posting Clinton's letter.
Prudy
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