by Mick Marten

Created on: November 12, 2007   Last Updated: November 19, 2011

Here in the U.S.A., military membership is voluntary. There is no forced membership, or draft anymore, although young men are supposed to register with "selective service" (information used to locate and notify for draft purposes) at the age of eighteen (few do).

All of the young men and women who have served in any conflict since the late nineteen-seventies have done so as volunteers. In order to maintain this all volunteer force at the levels required, each branch offers such things as tuition assistance programs and accelerated promotions for those with some college credits, or those who agree to enlist for longer terms.

People all over America help to fund their college educations with the "G.I. bill", for both active and reserve military. Some enlist because work is hard to find (military ranks always swell during tough economic times), and they need money. And some enlist just for the excitement of the travel and training; as silly as that may sound, to an eighteen-year-old, that is quite an enticement.

So, should any of them be able to "opt out" of a war that they disagree with? Absolutely not. Since most do not enter the military with high hopes of being shot at, or blown up, when that possibility arose, it would be, "thanks for the money, and see ya' later!" This is a contract; an agreement. It should not be allowed to be breached.

And they DON'T allow it.

Currently we have several 'soldiers' who, at the first hint that they might have to live up to their agreements, high-tailed it to Canada, and declared themselves to be "conscientious objectors". And they remain there today, afraid to return under threat of prosecution. And if they return they should be prosecuted, forced to pay back any and all money spent on them, their compensation, their medical care, and their training. To whom should they return it? To me; to the public, who agreed to entrust them with our defense if the occasion should arise. It was never agreed that our tax dollars would feed, clothe, care for, and educate these cowards, only so that they could run away well-fed and well-dressed.

Conscientious objector status was designed for soldiers who were DRAFTED; not for volunteers. If one tells a recruiter that he has these inclinations, that is that he or she is a pacifist, and doesn't believe in war, or in the occasional necessity of killing, then they will be sent away with a handshake and a goodbye. They do not accept volunteers that object to what they volunteer for. But during

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