Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

thehill.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 77 posts

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#21

Post by fiddeert »

Aboutplants wrote: post #5

I still don’t understand why, if they are having trouble with recruitment, they simply won’t raise the pay to entice more recruits? We have a seemingly unlimited budget for bombs but god forbid you pay for smart, qualified people willing to actually do the work. It is as simple as that and not anymore complicated

It's not a problem that money can solve. If you think it is, it's over.

It wasn't that long ago that men would sign up for almost-certain death in defence of their families, their people, their nation. Recognise that young men have nothing worth fighting for now. There is a much larger issue that can't be solved by throwing a few more shekels at disillusioned mercenaries.

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#22

Post by khuey »

frugalmail wrote: post #10

I'm for this, but what happened to equal rights? What about women?

There was a lawsuit about the constitutionality of only requiring men to register back during the first Trump administration that won at the District Court level but lost on appeal in the Fifth Circuit. SCOTUS declined to take the case at the time because Congress was considering changing the Selective Service System. Then Congress ultimately did nothing, and the same people are now suing the government again in a different circuit.

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#23

Post by jjmarr »

If you're a man that didn't sign up between 18 and 25, you permanently lose student aid in most states along with federal employment eligibility. Some even ban getting a driver's license.

In practice, it's young men of lower socioeconomic statuses that are failing to register. This is due to lack of knowledge or presence in the system more than conscientious objection. e.g. Prison or being homeless.

Many choose to get their life together in their late 20s and 30s, only to find out they can't get job training or student aid. These are legislatively mandated penalties and cannot be unilaterally removed by the current administration.

There's no clause for late signups outside of that window.

The only way out is to prove that you didn't know, which is difficult. There's about 40,000 people a year requesting the paperwork to appeal their loss of benefits.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/02/failin...

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#24

Post by peyton »

owlninja wrote: post #6

> But former President Jimmy Carter in 1980 reinstated the Selective Service in the event of a “national emergency,” where the registry could be used to “provide personnel to the Department of War and alternative service for conscientious objectors, if authorized by the President and Congress.” Department of Defense*

Quit being obnoxious and have something of substance to say. It’s disrespectful to the author, senior defense reporter Ellen Mitchell, who is simply pulling from Selective Service’s materials.

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#26

Post by Spooky23 »

frugalmail wrote: post #17
owlninja wrote: post #6

> But former President Jimmy Carter in 1980 reinstated the Selective Service in the event of a “national emergency,” where the registry could be used to “provide personnel to the Department of War and alternative service for conscientious objectors, if authorized by the President and Congress.” Department of Defense*

It was historically called "Department of War" then renamed to "Department of Defense" and of course, recently reverted to the original name.

It did not. The Trumpist "Department of War" is stupid branding. No law passed to change the name.

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#27

Post by heavyset_go »

Aboutplants wrote: post #5

I still don’t understand why, if they are having trouble with recruitment, they simply won’t raise the pay to entice more recruits? We have a seemingly unlimited budget for bombs but god forbid you pay for smart, qualified people willing to actually do the work. It is as simple as that and not anymore complicated

> I still don’t understand why, if they are having trouble with recruitment, they simply won’t raise the pay to entice more recruits?

Because the proles don't deserve it, that might give them ideas and they'll force you to fight before they give you a fair deal

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#28

Post by crooked-v »

fiddeert wrote: post #21
Aboutplants wrote: post #5

I still don’t understand why, if they are having trouble with recruitment, they simply won’t raise the pay to entice more recruits? We have a seemingly unlimited budget for bombs but god forbid you pay for smart, qualified people willing to actually do the work. It is as simple as that and not anymore complicated

It's not a problem that money can solve. If you think it is, it's over. It wasn't that long ago that men would sign up for almost-certain death in defence of their families, their people, their nation. Recognise that young men have nothing worth fighting for now. There is a much larger issue that can't be solved by throwing a few more shekels at disillusioned mercenaries.

None of the wars the US has started or gotten involved in since WW2 involved defense of "their families, their people, their nation". The 'War on Terror' was advertised as that, except oops, actually it wasn't and nothing was gained from it! Of course young men don't want to sign up.

Re: Automatic registration for US Military draft to begin in December

#29

Post by ks2048 »

Aboutplants wrote: post #5

I still don’t understand why, if they are having trouble with recruitment, they simply won’t raise the pay to entice more recruits? We have a seemingly unlimited budget for bombs but god forbid you pay for smart, qualified people willing to actually do the work. It is as simple as that and not anymore complicated

No one gets rich by giving more money to soldiers.
Post reply on HN