>>>You have a point, but it's a bit more complex.
>>>
>>>Iraq and Afghanistan were invaded by an all-volunteer force. Those people asked to be there.
>>You could say the same of WW1 and WW2
>
>Actually most of the US soldiers in WWII were draftees.
>That was also true in Korea and Vietnam.
>Since Vietnam we've had all volunteer military.
>A career military person knows that the fastest way to advance a career is in combat.
>Eisenhower - who graduated at the top of his class at West Point, was a major languishing in the Philippines before WWII broke out and was ready to resign his commission because he saw no path forward.

Not to be picky because " I LIKE IKE" but Ike graduated 61 out of 164. I have a lot to say about this thread and the Afghanistan thread and have written several responses but all seem to too personal to post. I do know quite a lot about plans for withdrawals - from dependents in Europe in 1966 to the top of the US Embassy in RVN in 1975. Maybe, I'll soon find something worth posting

>WWII came along and we know what happened.
>I belong to a vet's group here and we invited active duty guys to come and talk to us during the Iraq war. They were, of course, all volunteers. One was a West Point grad who had done two tours in Iraq.
>To a person, they couldn't wait to get back in action but it was more than ambition that was driving them.
>You could tell that these guys really missed their comrades and that life.

I only intended to respond to the first part of your post but when I got to this part I had to add something. First I had to have a cry ( and I'm not a crier) because all I could think about was 13 more of my brothers and sisters died doing what they believed in and I was too old and not there to help. I can't respond anymore , now but I will always remember:
“To those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.”
― P. McCree Thornton, The Star Spangled Son






>
>On the other hand, I spent a lot of time with draftees during the Korean war.
>Those guys counted the days till their tours ended and they could get back home.
>They even had an acronym for it:
>FIGMO
>Farewell, I got my orders!