Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force
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THE PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMEDFORCE FEBRUARY 1970 - Official editions of the report of The President’s Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force may be freely used, duplicated, or published, in whole or in part, except to the extent that, where expressly noted in the publications, they contain copyrighted materials reprinted by permission of the copyright holders. Library of Congress Catalogue Number: 78-605447. ii Dear Mr. President: Thomas s. Gates PRESIDENT’S COMM,SSlON ON AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMED FORCE 71‘ 1*51so* CL,. *.w. w.**I*~TO*. D.C. 2054s February 6, 1970 Dear Mr. President: It was an honor to be named by you to membership on the President’s Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force. I looked forward to serving on this Commission because it confronts an extremely important issue. Unfortunately, a combination of a minor illness in December and an operation at the beginning of January prevented my participating in the last five Commission meetings during which specific recommendations and various drafts of the report were discussed. Because I was able to play only a small part in its shaping I did not feel it was proper for me to sign the report, and advised the Chairman, Thomas Gates, accordingly in late December. I am writing now to express my regret at not being able to sign this report. Although I have been unable to share in its specific recom- mendations, I would like to endorse the basic idea of moving towards an all-volunteer armed force, and to express my hope that you will be able to take steps in the near future to reduce reliance on conscription. Respectfully, / Roy Wilkins The Honorable Richard M. Nixon The White House Washington, D. C. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 27, 1969 STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF THE COMMISSION To achieve the goal of a” all-volunteer force we will require the best efforts of our military establishment and the best advice we can obtain from eminent citizens and experts in many related ‘helds of national endeavor. For this purpose, I have today appointed a” Advisory Commission on a” All-Volunteer Armed Force under the Chairmanship of the Honorable Thomas S. Gates, Jr., former Sec- retary of Defense. I have directed the Commission to develop a comprehensive plan for eliminating conscription and moving toward a” all-volunteer armed force. The Commission will study a broad range of possibilities for increasing the supply of volunteers for service, including increased pay, benefits, recruitment incentives and other practicable measures to make military careers more. attractive to young men. It will consider possible changes in selection stahdards and in utilization policies which may assist in eliminating the need for inductions. It will study the estimated costs and savings resulting from an all- volunteer force, as well as the broader social and economic implica- tions of this program. The transition to a” all-volunteer armed force must, of course, be handled cautiously and responsibly so that our national security is fully maintained. The Commission will determine what standby machinery for the draft will be required in the event of a national emergency and will give serious consideration to our requirements for a” adequate reserve forces program. I have instructed the Department of Defense and other agencies of the Executive Branch to support this study and provide needed information and assistance as a matter of high priority. vii PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMED FORCE Thomas Gates Chairman of the Executive Committee of CHllRYlM Morgan Guaranty Trust Co., former Secretary of Defense. New York City Thomas Curtis Vice-President and General Counsel, Encyclopedia Britannica, former Congressman from Missouri and ranking Republican on Joint Economic Committee, United States Congress. St. Louis, Missouri Frederick Dent President, Mayfair Mills, Spartanburg, South Carolina Milton Friedman Paul Snowdon Russell Distinguished Service Professor of Economics, University of Chicago. Chicago, Illinois Crawford Greenewalt Chairman, Finance Committee, E. I. duPont de Nemours and Co. Wilmington, Delaware. Alan Greenspan Chairman of the Board, Townsend- Greenspan &Co. Economic consultants. New York City VI” Alfred Gruenther Former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. Washington, D. C. Stephen Herbits Student, Georgetown University Law Center. Washington, D. C. Theodore Hesburgh President, University of Notre Dame, Chairman, US. Commission on Civil Rights. South Bend, Indiana Jerome Holland President, Hampton Institute. Hampton, Virginia John Kemper Headmaster, Phillips Academy. Andover, Massachusetts. Jeanne Noble Professor, New York University. Vice President, National Council of Negro Women. Former member, National Advisory Commission on Selective Service. New York City Lauris Norstad Chairman of the Board of Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp. Former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. New York City W. Allen Wallis President, University of Rochester. Rochester, New York Roy Wilkins Executive Director, NAACP. New York City ix COMMISSION STAFF Executive Director William H. Meckling Diictors of Research Deputy Executive Director Dr. Stuart Altman David I. Callard Dr. Harry J. Gilman David Kassing Editor Dr. Walter Y. Oi Richard J. Whalen Research Projects Lt. Cal. Ames Albr-Potential J. Houston McCulloch-Civilian for Civilian Substitution (U.S. Earnings A ml y) Gary Nelson-Arnry Rrenlist- Robert Barre-Oficer Rrcrrrit- mmts “lent Dr. Dave M. O’Neil-Costs of Lt. Cal. Herman Boland-Re- Military Personnel Turnover serve Requirements and Sup- John L. Rafuse-Conscription in ply (U.S. Army) America Dr. Alvin Cook-Air Force En- Dave Resume--Utilization of listment Skills by the Armed Forces Alan Fechter-Army Ettlistmmts Dr. Larry Sjaastad-The Con- Brian Forst-Personnel Reqrtire- scription Tax nwnts David Stigler-Conscription and Burton Gray--Navy Enlistments the Constitution John Sullivan-Qlralitative Re- Dr. Harry Grubert--Navy Reen- quirements of Enlisted Men listments Dr. Rodney Weiher--Navy Re- Ronald N. Hansen-The Con- enlistments scription Tax Dr. Robert White-Air Force Stewart Kemp-Recruiting Prac- Enlistnwnts tices Capt. Robert Wilburn-Air Mordechai Lando-Conscription Force Reenlistments (U.S. Air of Physicians Force) James McConnell-Conscription Dr. Desmond P. Wilson--Vet- in Europe cram in Society Research Assistants Judith Blaine Jesse Horack Mary Clark Andrea Horn&t Patricia Flanary Ruth Kurtz Eleanor Gages Joanne Linnerooth William Holahan Mary Ostrander x Data Processions James Parsells Shelia Rafferty tmce statI Dimitrios Drivas Robin D. Margenau Candy Haga Warren Parker Dorothy Hitselberger Marty Roberts Rose Lawrence Allaire Williams Consulting Organizations Center for Naval Analyses Institute for Defense Analysis Rand Corporation CONTENTS Part1 INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 PROTECTING THE FREE SOCIETY 5 Chapter 2 THE DEBATE 11 Chapter 3 CONSCRlPTION ,IS A TAX 23 Chapter 4 MILITARY PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS 35 Chapter 5 COMPENSATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MILITARY PERSONNEL 49 Chapter 6 OFFICER PROCUREMENT AND RETENTION 69 Chapter 7 RECRUITMENT 83 Chapter 8 CONSCRIPTION OF PHYSICIANS 87 Chapter 9 RESERVES 97 Chapter 10 THE STANDBY DRAFT 119 Chapter 11 BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 125 Chapter 12 OBJECTIONS TO AN ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE 129 Chapter 13 CONSCRIPTION IN AMERICA 159 Chapter 14 RECENT FOREIGN EXPERIENCE WITH VOLUNTARISM 169 Chapter 15 ALTERNATIVES TO AN ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE 173 Appendix A BUDGET EXPENDITURES FOR ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCES 117 Appendix B MILITARY AND CIVILIAN COMPENSATION 197 Appendix C REVIEW OF THE 1966 DEPT. OF DEFENSE DRAFT STUDY 203 xiii PART I INTRODUCTION The Commission’s report consists of two parts-the first, Chapter I and 2; and the second, Chapters 3 through 15. In Chapter 1 we take up the questions we recognized as critical from the outset: Is an all-volunteer force feasible? Are there practicable reforms in present procedures that will maintain voluntary forces of the size and quality deemed necessary for national security? Chapter 1 summarizes the considerations underlying our conclusion that an all-volunteer force is feasible and lists our recommendations for major reforms. Chapter 2 deals with another set of questions: Regardless of whether an all-volunteer force is feasible, is it desirable? Will voluntary recruitment weaken our democratic society and have harmful political and social effects? The Commission has studied such issues at great length, in the light of whatever relevant evidence we could assemble. Chapter 2 notes some of the main objections raised to ending conscription and summarizes our responses to them. In Part II of the report, the Commission presents the pertinent evidence gathered during its inquiry and the analysis underlying its recommendations which form the essential background of the Commission’s findings. Of course, the members of the Commission, in expressing their individual views on this broad range of issues, would choose a variety of phrases to express their particular emphases and there- fore should not be held individually responsible for each and every sentence of the report. 1 CHAPTER1 PROTECTINGTHE FREE SOCIETY Since the founding of the republic, a primary task of the government of the United States has been to provide for the common defense of a society established to securethe blessings of liberty and justice. Without endangering the nation’s security, the means of defense should support the aims of the society. The armed forces today play an honorable and important part in promoting the