State's draft boards need 78 Floridians to fill posts

[MORTARDUDE]

State's draft boards need 78 Floridians to fill posts

Uncle Sam wants you and is willing to hold basic training time down to eight hours if you are willing to volunteer.

Article published Jun 6, 2005
Karen Voyles
The Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs...5037/1078/news

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What the federal government is looking for are at least 78 Floridians willing to serve on draft boards even though the nation has not had a draft for 25 years.

"These local folks would decide cases that involve individuals who may be claiming a hardship, or that they are a conscientious objector, or ministerial student, or member of the clergy, or have some other reason why they believe they should not be drafted," said Dick Flahavan, associate director of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Selective Service System.

The current system has been in place since 1980, standing by in case a draft is instituted. In Florida, the vacancies are scattered among the 91 draft boards. Some boards serve only one county, while other boards may serve up to five.

Nationwide, all 2,000 local draft boards are made up of five citizen volunteers who have been nominated by their state's governor and appointed by the director of Selective Service in the name of the president.

Board members must meet certain criteria, including being a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, not a retired or active member of the armed forces or any reserve component, a resident in the area in which the board has jurisdiction, and willing to spend enough time at the position.

The time commitment is minimal during peacetime, Flahavan said. Following an initial eight hours of training, members are expected to participate in three-hour annual training sessions.

However, the time commitment could increase significantly during a draft.

According to the sequence of events listed on the agency's Web site, once potential draftees have undergone a physical, mental and moral evaluation by the military, they have 10 days to file a claim for exemption, postponement or deferment. Those claims are reviewed and decided by the local draft boards. The board has the authority to interview the draftee and people who know him before making their decision.

"We have vacancies all of the time because of normal attrition and because there is a limit of 20 years that someone can serve on a board," Flahavan said.

Among those nearing the end of the service is Gainesville attorney Howard Rosenblatt, who can serve for a maximum of two more years on the Alachua County draft board. His motivation for serving 18 years already was his own experience. He was drafted when he graduated from college but was granted a deferment because he had accepted a teaching job in a school struggling through integration.

"My perception of the draft board was not based on knowledge but on urban legend," Rosenblatt said. "I thought it was a bunch of old military guys who would want everybody to serve and be hesitant about giving deferments. I volunteered because I felt it was important to have people on the board who were open-minded and sensitive."

Discussions about reinstituting the draft have come up periodically, but have not amounted to anything during the past 25 years. It would require an act of Congress and presidential approval to authorize a draft.

Karen Voyles can be reached at (352) 486-5058 or voylesk@gvillesun.com.

[covan]

I have served on our local draft board for 16 years. Fortunately, those years have been without consequence for potential draftees. I would hope that we do not have to once again resort to conscription but if the government continues to stretch our military forces to extreme limits I do not see any other alternative.

I doubt that the country and our politicians have the intestinal fortitude to re-activate the draft or any other form of compulsory public service. It is too hot of a potato for any to deal with. But if we want to continue to wage a war on terror, with continually decreasing enlistment and re-enlistment numbers we have to face the inevitable.

I joined the draft board because, in the event that it has activated, every citizen who is called up should have due process. Over the past 16 years I stand by that promise.

I would encourage any qualified, fair-minded citizen to step forward and volunteer to serve on his/her local board.

[DMZ-LT]

Glad to know your on the board Covan. Thank you for your service.