National Service Tom
Brokaw wrote a book and entitled it The Greatest Generation.
While his book was about people of my generation, I have some reservations about his
claim . He cited many true stories and events of those years that lend creditable support
to his theme. In fact, this generation may well be credited as the saviors of
Western Civilization. The barbarian ideologies of totalian nations seemed to be
overwhelming and they were militarily prepared for total conquest. One of my
reservations is that there was another exceptional generation in the beginning of our
nation's history. At no time in the story of mankind has there been a group of men so
enlightened and so dedicated to a passion for human freedom, liberty and justice, as the
founding fathers of our nation. The whole of the human race still look to the descendents
of those great men and the nation they established as the fountainhead of hope for the
race of man.
In fact, there have been other instances of greatness and more instances
will come. We need a much better knowledge and appreciation of our history; the victories
and the defeats. The vision of our future must contain the seeds and growth of those new
ideals of freedom, liberty and justice that are the foundation for the future. The
potential for humanity may depend entirely on the potential of America. One
reservation for my generation as the "Greatest Generation" therefore, is
that we see events too often in the near term and are happy with our very real
accomplishments, but do not see our failure to teach our children some major rules of
life. Rules, incidentally that our parents taught us and which made possible our
successes.
Finally to NATIONAL SERVICE: The rules I spoke of must be taught early
in life and it seems to me we do not have time to teach a generation of parents and then
another generation of newborn . The rules are quite understandable, namely that there is
right as distinguishable from wrong, patience, self discipline, respect for self and
respect for others, respect for property, hard work for fair pay, kindness, perseverance,
determination and among many others patriotism and ideals. Of course there were the
"Thou Shalt Nots" and entertainment was not first and foremost in the land, but
we did have fun and we got things done. I am afraid our children have not heard or seen
some of this as we were busy acquiring things. Now we have reached a time that requires
reestablishment of quality to our national life and in a magnitude of emergency comparable
to the days of The Great Depression and the days leading up the series of wars since 1939.
In these days of prosperity and our national power it seems highly improbable to many that
days of anxiety lay ahead. But the need of high character and courage do lie ahead. Our
people must be a people of vision and purpose. One way of instilling in us the
strengths we are going to need and doing it quickly is by means of a new kind of National
Service.
National Service..... Not a popular idea, I know, but I propose it for
consideration.
Hear me out - there are several important reasons. Obviously recruitment
for a volunteer military is not going well. Like it or not, it is going to be
necessary to remain strong militarily for many more years. The perception that the United
States is overwhelmingly powerful is, at least, temporarily a deterrent. But will not hold
the militarists who see conquest as their best bet to obtain power.
Reason number 1.
A danger far more eminent now and in the forseeable future is the threat of terrorism. Terrorism is a different kind of
warfare, one we are not used to and one directed not, as in conventional warfare, at
trained soldiers and sailors, but at the civilian population. The aim is not occupation of
ground but the total destruction of a nation's will to resist. The mission of this new
enemy is directed at the entire nation, and the entire nation must be engaged in the
defense. Imagine living in a condition of abject and complete subjection as the people,
particularly the women, of Afghanistan are now living. This is understatement.
Reason number 2.
The very idea and the spirit of service and of patriotism is failing and weakening to the
blandishments of materialism and meism in our land. We live in a period of great affluence
and soft living. A major segment of our people have never experienced even a suggestion of
hardship; those who have are the aging among us. Hard days are ahead of us but it is not
apparent to most.
Reason number 3.
The good news is that our youth have great talent, they are inventive and a great many of
them are well motivated. Many of our young people are increasingly questioning the state
of our values. Many already have demonstrated a willingness to give sacrificial service.
The future,of course, belongs to them.
Reason number 4.
A new day is dawning , Y2K is upon us. We cross over a new century marker in a matter of
days. William Raspberry noted the other day that "...easy access to information is
transforming the world". In this nation, the explosive increase in the numbers
of personal automobiles alone is creating a massive transportation gridlock. We struggle
and confront each other endlessly with the issues of education, crime, health care and on
and on; always frustrated and usually angry. This is true in part, at least, because of
our mindset for the old days and the old ways; too slow, inadequate and even inappropriate
to the changing dynamics of todays world.
Reason number 5.
Gearing ourselves to forward-looking acceptance of a new day is a requirement for
survival. But first things first. We'll find no solutions until we honestly break out of
the aforementioned "Mind Set". We must seriously look at "New Ways
for New Days". It is not an easy thing to do. One thing we might consider is another
kind of NATIONAL SERVICE.
For consideration; A different, not a new kind of NATIONAL SERVICE,
modeled on three years of service inclusive of all citizens of both genders and all races
to be served between the 18th and 25th birth dates. One year to be engaged in basic
military training. All branches of the military to participate. During the year of basic
military training all trainees would receive thorough medical examination and care to
include medial, dental,optical and hearing correction in those cases where indicated.
Major medical problems would be diagnosed and treated. Career counseling would be a
required activity. A database for potential future career opportunities will be
established. Did I mention that no minimum physical or educational requirements for
service would exist?
In the 2nd year of service extensive training in disaster emergency response would be
implemented, to include the formation of multipurpose emergency units modeled after the
formation of military organization. All graduates of the three year service would become
reservists of a emergency response unit. During the year educational pursuits and career
counselling would continue.
In the final year of service continuing educational pursuits and additional counselling
would be directed at career choice, opportunities and placement. Part and parcel of this
third year would be wide disemenination and familiarization with opportunities in all
areas of world trade, foreign diplomatic service, and unlimited possibilities in
technology, finance, business and or a continuing career in the military. In the 3rd year
the attention should be focused on a design for world wide peace. Emphasis is made that
the three year service obligation would be completed with the provision that career
opportunities would be elective for further military or diplomatic service by application.
On the one hand, we must maintain strength and will for our self
defense. But in a world being compacted by the blinding speed and unbelievable power of
technological advances we will be unable to continue much longer a "leadership of
dominance". Heretofore our strength of wealth and spirit has been a deterrence
but the day of conventional warfare and commerce driven diplomacy is rapidly coming to a
close.
War as diplomatic policy is already an anachronism. We just have not
realized it yet. The "first thing that must be first" is a willingness to think.
And whether we fix on the idea of a new kind of national service as one course of action
or not; new realization that a new day is upon us must be faced. The next important thing
is the question of whether we have the backbone and the courage and the determination and
the vision to face facts as they are. It is a new day.
Can we believe?
The old softliving? Not likely!
Sacrifice? You bet!
We should establish a Peace Academy of the rank and importance of our present Military
Academies. We should establish a Foreign Service Academy for training in Diplomacy of the
rank and importance of our military Academies. Our Ambassadors and Foreign Service
Officers should be commissioned upon graduation. Perhaps, in time, there would be no
political "appointment" Ambassadors. Three Years of basic military training,
physical conditioning; to encompass correction of physical defiencies (elimination of
obesity as a serious national health problem), additional educational opportunities
including vocational training, instruction in military law and courtesy. An expanded
World Service opportunity would be offered.
A National Service registration could alleviate several of our worrisome problems. It
might well be a solution to the recruitment problems of our military establishment. It
should be a partial answer to a national health problem for the present and the future
especially in light of remedial corrections. It could be a very real restoration of the
vital strength and morale of discipline and patriotism. It could be a partial solution to
the overwhelming educational needs that are a great concern of the American People. And
there are other possible benefits we do not necessarily see before the idea could even be
effected. The serious hazard is that the idea may be rejected out of hand, or die
the death of a thousand negative or frivolous cuts.
The need for positive thought is great because the threat is far more dangerous than
apparent.
Old Dog
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