|
|
|
|
|
Sen. Hagel says U.S. draft may be unavoidable LESLIE REED LINCOLN — Sen. Chuck Hagel, speaking to audience of Lincoln High School students, warned Tuesday that the nation may need to turn to compulsory military service "or some kind of draft" to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Questioned after his speech, Hagel, R-Neb., said he is not calling for reinstatement of the military draft. But he said the growing difficulty of maintaining an adequate volunteer military force is "a reality." "I'm just stating the obvious. At some point we're going to have to make a decision on how to attract a quality force," he said.
Hagel, a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, spoke to more than 120 government and history students as part of a project to have veterans speak to students about their experiences. The U.S. military draft ended in 1973, part of the bitter reaction to the Vietnam War.
|
||||
