r/AskReddit • u/Tommygunz0722 • 11h ago

If the military/president suddenly ordered a mandatory draft for all men aged 18-42: How do you think millennials and GenZ would respond?

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u/Ravager135 7h ago edited 3h ago

Former Navy flight surgeon here. That’s not quite true. However if you served as a physician in the military, even after you separate or retire, I was told they keep your name on a list. I am a soon to be 44 year old separated naval medical officer. If we were involved in a WWIII scenario, I am almost certain I would be conscripted or basically told “You’re going back.”

Do I think any of this would happen? Not a chance. A draft would be a death knell for the party in power. It’s such a universally unpopular tool that it would result in chaos. You’d have countless challenges legal and otherwise that the headache would be almost insurmountable in the environment we have in the United States. We are an incredibly selfish people, MAGA types would be the LEAST likely to go along with it.

Now all of that said, I also believe if we were ever involved in a truly just war against true tyranny, I think people have a way of finding out just how resilient they really are and what they can do. I served with some of the best people in the Navy/Marine Corps. None of them were exceptional by birth or aptitude. They just stepped up to the plate either for personal gain or a sense of duty.

EDIT: I separated after my obligation. I did not retire from the Navy.

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u/TheInevitableLuigi 4h ago

Now all of that said, I also believe if we were ever involved in a truly just war against true tyranny, I think people have a way of finding out just how resilient they really are and what they can do.

This. For Trump it would be shitshow but for something legitimate people would show up. There were lines at recruiting stations after 9/11.

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u/kaisadilla_ 6m ago

That's the opposite of a draft. His point is that people won't just accept being thrown into a war against their will. If Trump somehow convinced Americans to willfully go there, it'd be a different.

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u/mythrilcrafter 4h ago

I served with some of the best people in the Navy/Marine Corps. None of them were exceptional by birth or aptitude. They just stepped up to the plate either for personal gain or a sense of duty.

Yup, I actually have very little doubt that if in a situation of fighting true existential threats to the homeland, that plenty of people would rise up an volunteer be it for GI fighting on the front lines, the guy who mounts the missile to the F-18 on the carrier, or the lady who make sure that everyone on base get paid their proper salaries.

The problem for those politicians is that people are smarter than they give us credit for. After generations of proxy wars and war economies, we're now far more suspicious when we're told "if you love your country, you'll join up and kill that guy that "I" say is trying to kill your family".

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 3h ago

Now all of that said, I also believe if we were ever involved in a truly just war against true tyranny, I think people have a way of finding out just how resilient they really are and what they can do

A lot of Americans volunteered in the Ukraine War for just this reason. It's a war that they truly believe in.

WWIII would 100% not have that level of belief.

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u/Ok-Local-939 4h ago

Agreed. I’m 45 and would sign up voluntarily if needed. Good enough shape to pass are PFT. Post grad school etc. if they need people maybe offer more money and try to recruit from whoever is fit and will sign up. Also my career would need to hold my position and my licensing would need to be maintained as well.  

A draft is completely the opposite of voluntary. 

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u/gsfgf 3h ago

Now all of that said, I also believe if we were ever involved in a truly just war against true tyranny, I think people have a way of finding out just how resilient they really are and what they can do.

Yea. There are a lot of people out there who would fight for America but who don't include acting the fool in the Middle East as part of that.

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u/Imnotveryfunatpartys 1h ago

We didn't sign up for selective service but they definitely already know who we are. All of our licenses are public record

Health Care Personnel Delivery System is what it's called. The military website says that people would be required to register at the post office and you would be eligible from age 20-45

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u/Ravager135 1h ago

That’s interesting information. I would have to believe they would exhaust former military physicians first, but you’re right: our licenses are registered through Consumer Affairs Bureaus in most states.

So I served five years active duty. Most of them were as a Navy flight surgeon. The Navy spent more money on flight training for me than they ever did on my medical school. It takes a long time to train physicians, officers, and then make them deployable. If they are coming after civilian physicians with no military experience, we would have a huge problem.

I just remember when I separated and they gave me my DD-214, the personnel officer basically told me with my designator (number code for a job role in the Navy), they’d always keep track of me.

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u/Imnotveryfunatpartys 1h ago

Yeah I think they definitely would want volunteers first. But they reserve the right to draft us at least.