University of Virginia Library

All-Volunteer

This is not to say that today's
plan for an all-volunteer service
cannot be successful. Certainly the
people of our country would be
required to pay a great price for
this project-something between 2
billion and 2.7 billion annually-and
the Gates commission recommends
specifically that a "standby"
conscription be maintained in case
of any sudden manpower needs.

An all-volunteer force, I think,
would not differ significantly from
the current forces we have. I don't
see an elite corps nor do I see a
corps of mercenaries. Men who
volunteer for these forces will be
very much like the 250,000 men
who volunteer today. They will be
interested in good pay, good jobs
and a good living. They will be
patriotic and will have a certain
amount of pride in the decision
they have made to serve their
country.

I am hopeful that events in the
next several months will be such
that I will be without a job in
Selective Service. But until the
incentive to our young people is
directed to a career in the service
and until our country's role as a
world leader can be maintained by
a draft free volunteer service, I
believe this country's best interests
are served by a fair and equitable
draft system.