Citizenship and Military Service in America.
Abstract
The recent improvement in accession quality in the American forces is not due to the policy of maintaining an all-volunteer force, but rather to the youth unemployment rate, and to accession standards that were adjusted in response to that rate. An improvement in the nation's economic health can rapidly lead to a deterioration in the intellectual quality of the armed forces. But if the armed forces can use no more than 26,000 draftees, how can we increase the number who serve? I suggest that it be done by embedding the notion of military service in a broader matrix of national service, in which doing something for the nation service, in which doing something for the nation becomes a normative part of American life. It may not be a cost-effective way of meeting specifically military manpower problems, but I believe it will make us a healthier nation. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 25, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADP000821
Entities
People
- David R. Segal
Organizations
- University of Maryland