Could You be a Conscientious Objector?

Yes, Draft Registration Requirements are still on the books! Men, 18 through 25 years of age (despite the fact that medical science has confirmed that the brain has yet to reach full growth at this age), are REQUIRED by law (within 30 days of their 18^th birthday) to register with the selective service system. In a hawk-driven government, it is easy to re-start that process, so while the DoD internally argues the pros and cons of the draft, it is also argued that the conduct of current wars should be part of a ­national security strategy.

But it is not, and because war is so profitable to Wall St. and the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower argued against, America is currently by far the world’s largest weapons producer/exporter.  Plus, Congress is not willing to abide by our Constitution and rein in an out-of-control continual war that also keeps generating continual “enemy” opposition, so there is an ever-escalating need for more military manpower.

But the more wars we are in, supported by Wall St. and dollar-hungry politicians, the more troops we need. Note: In the 27 years preceding the all-volunteer military, the U.S. engaged in 19 overseas military operations. Between 1973 and 2012, the military executed 144 operations.

Meanwhile, over the past decade, the costs per active-duty service member in DoD’s military personnel account (which funds cash compensation and the accrual payments for retirees’ pensions and some of their health care) and the total costs for the military health care program have increased consistently, even with an adjustment for inflation in the general economy.

The upward trend in the military personnel account—which has increased at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent since 2000 after adjusting for inflation—is attributable primarily to a series of pay raises that exceeded the general rate of inflation and, in some years, the growth rate of private-sector wages and salaries.

So, we are in a vicious cycle, including the debilitation and loss to our nation of those experiencing combat…the best and brightest, as chewed up in the combat-for-profit machine.

So, while Earth and humanity are (vibrationally) changing, potentially with common citizens questioning on-going Wall-Street-driven wars in the name of lofty ideals, we continue our historically imperialistic ways and will be requiring more and more “cannon fodder.”  The logical alternative is to rein in our “need” to expand our historical “manifest destiny” globally.  However, as long as greed (Wall St., U.S. arms manufacturing, politicians etc. – a non-MSM, Feb 3, ’18, headline:  “Overflowing Swamp: Non-Partisan Watchdog Report Shows Political Bribery Now at Record Levels”,) is driving our war machine, I don’t see that in the cards very soon.  Ergo, what’s the trade-off? Continue our high-cost global expansion or potentially resort to a more cost-effective solution such as the draft?

I don’t know what the solution will turn out to be, but if you have truly-held feelings and beliefs against violence of any kind and killing others, there are provisions and procedures, used from our own Revolutionary days, to mitigate your involvement with the military.  You start with this explanation and prepare yourself to provide honest, written answers that contain no hint of expected personal benefit from any deferment to the Selective Service Board questions.  Here are brief checklist CO questionaires ( CO questionaire and Questions for COs Who Could Be Drafted) that APPEAR simple but aren’t, because it is far too easy to insert non-applicable personal reasons.  Here is a Sample SSS Form 22 for you to work out your answers before it might be absolutely necessary.

Meanwhile, here is a dialog with an “old head,” Bill Gavin, concerning pre-registration as a CO.  Bill was considered a national expert on the Conscientious Objection subject at the centeronconscience.org a few years ago.

But once you’re in uniform and suddenly decide it was a HUGE mistake because of the “kill-kill-kill,”  “blood makes the grass grow green” mentality that strongly conflicts with your inner/core values, the job of applying for CO status, for either a non-combatant role or a discharge, becomes almost infinitely more difficult (ref: The Guide for COs in the Military and  Understanding the in-service CO Application Process). You’re now in a system that may be run by combat vets and typists who refuse to type such long applications, so rejections for even minor typos, application misdirection or even loss of your application could be the rule of the day.  An exception might be a senior ex-combat NCO who has a very healthy respect for non-combat medics (which could be what you’re trying for), respects such a different personal set of values and, as a result, is willing to process your application for being a medic.

If you do succeed in becoming a combat/non-combatant medic, your life then can become one long experience of, as one such ex-‘Nam medic says, the constant smell of “piss, shit and blood” in 12-on/12-off duty cycles.

So, if you might have any questions of your inner convictions about the process of learning to kill, I’d strongly suggest establishing an early basis for CO registration.