I recently read a book called AWOL: The Unexcused Absense of America's Upper Classes from teh Military and How it Hurts our Country by Kathy Roth-Douquet and Frank Schaeffer. I think most of us agree that America's upper classes (maybe even Democrats, liberals, minorities, and gays) are not represented in our current service numbers. Conscription programs could fix this problem across the board but I also don't think most of us want to see conscription back in use. Does the absence of America's upper classes (and other ID'd above) in military service hurt us? We've debated this previously. I think the answer is definitely. In fact, if present trends continue, "we are fast approaching the day when no one in Congress and no president will have served or have any children serving."
Alot needs to happen in our country to begin knocking down these barriers to the upper classes serving (like ROTC back on some campuses, repeal of DADT, etc.). Most of us aren't in positions to fix these things but what are we all doing to help? Whether we believe it or not, we all have a role in fixing this. If we just sit back and do nothing to try and change things, we're exacerbating the problem. Our posts and bases provide great resources, security, convenience, and quality of life for us and our families. But if we stay on them, isolated, we're missing out on opportunities to integrate with people in the neighboring communities. Yes, CGSC has outlined community engagements as a requirement for graduation because it views these relationships as beneficial but it goes beyond that one act required this year. Take the opportunity to regularly associate with an off-base congregation, join an off-base club, volunteer downtown, or register your kids in soccer outside the gates. Building relationships with people outside of our normal comfort zones may be uneasy initially but will provide great dividends for you, those with whom you come in contact, and even the military and society as a whole. I challenge you to do more than you're required to do in order to graduate...both here and at your future duty locations. It's a good investment for all of us and our country.
I look forward to hearing what you think!
1 comment:
The issue with the absence of the "Upper Class" from the military seems to be more related to how you define the "Upper Class".
In your argument you say that we are quickly approaching the day that no one in Congress has served in the military. Is this an argument to say that people who serve in Congress are the Upper Class? That only the "Upper Class" can serve in congress? Or more an indictment that those that serve in the military don't wish to serve in Congress? Have we let by default, in choosing not to serve (in Congress), those that do not understand us to represent us? Perhaps it is time to encourage lobbyist organizations to back a candidate who has served? Would we back someone just because he or she has served? GEN Wesley Clark (Ret) ran for the democratic nomination against, then senator, Obama and was not accepted or at least was rejected by the left in favor of President Obama. Senator McCain ran against Obama but was rejected as well, was it because of his running mate or did he also not appeal to a large enough majority?
With an all-volunteer Military, and the possibility of dying in a conflict, it is unlikely that you will ever be able to entice the upper levels of society to join our ranks but it is possible for those of us who currently serve to become one of theirs simply by choosing to serve in a different manner once we leave service. Unfortunately it has become more and more expensive to mount a campaign, and without a unifying force to fund those campaigns it is unlikely that any candidate supported by the military will ever be able to mount a legitimate effort to usurp a place in the Congress. What we really need to do is be able to support our lobbyists and come together to support a candidate that we as the military can stand behind (hopefully someone with military experience)!
Any takers?
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