Milton Friedman on The draft and the volunteer army
This seemingly minor reduction is critical because, compared with the Senate bill, the reduction is entirely at the expense of first-term enlisted men and officers.
Context. From a September 1971 Newsweek column on the House-Senate conference report on the bill to extend the draft and pave the way for an all-volunteer armed force, written while the Senate had yet to vote on it. “This seemingly minor reduction” is the conference’s $2.4 billion a year in pay raises, against $2.7 billion in the House bill and $2.8 billion in the Senate bill. He argues that first-termers have been underpaid because of the draft, a major obstacle to recruiting volunteers, so that this cut would seriously hamper an all-volunteer force.
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Milton Friedman, “The Draft Uncompromise” (Newsweek, September 6, 1971; reprinted in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, September 8, 1971, p. 31094, introduced by Representative William A. Steiger of Wisconsin under the header “[From Newsweek Magazine, Sept. 6, 1971]”, 1971), Congressional Record, September 8, 1971, p. 31094. https://miltonfriedman.org/quotes/reduction-entirely-at-expense-of-first-termers-1971
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He also said
Because of the draft, first-termers have consistently been shortchanged. From 1952 to 1965 there were no pay raises at all for enlisted men in the first two years of service. As a result, first-term enlisted men now receive not much more than half the amount that they could earn as civilians. In sharp contrast, enlisted men with more service and officers above the first two grades receive as much as or more than they could earn. This was and is a glaring and completely unjustifiable inequity. It was and is a major obstacle to recruiting volunteers.
Context. From a September 1971 Newsweek column on the House-Senate conference report on the bill to extend the draft and pave the way for an all-volunteer armed force, written while the Senate had yet to vote on it. The conference had cut the pay raises for first-term enlisted men and officers below both the House and Senate bills.
The Draft UncompromiseColumn, 1971, Newsweek, September 6, 1971; reprinted in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, September 8, 1971, p. 31094, introduced by Representative William A. Steiger of Wisconsin under the header “[From Newsweek Magazine, Sept. 6, 1971]”, Congressional Record, September 8, 1971, p. 31094Checked against the sourceRead the originalBecause of the draft, first-termers have consistently been shortchanged. From 1952 to 1965 there were no pay raises at all for enlisted men in the first two years of service. As a result, first-term enlisted men now receive not much more than half the amount that they could earn as civilians. In sharp contrast, enlisted men with more service and officers above the first two grades receive as much as or more than they could earn. This was and is a glaring and completely unjustifiable inequity. It was and is a major obstacle to recruiting volunteers.
Context. From a September 1971 Newsweek column on the House-Senate conference report on the bill to extend the draft and pave the way for an all-volunteer armed force, written while the Senate had yet to vote on it.
The Draft UncompromiseColumn, 1971, Newsweek, September 6, 1971; reprinted in the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, September 8, 1971, p. 31094, introduced by Representative William A. Steiger of Wisconsin under the header “[From Newsweek Magazine, Sept. 6, 1971]”, Congressional Record, September 8, 1971, p. 31094Checked against the sourceRead the originalThere is a real danger, but it arises from a strong armed force not from the method of recruiting enlisted men. Napoleon and Franco both rose to power at the head of a conscript army. However we recruit, the essential need is to maintain close links between the officer corps and the body politic.
Context. His answer to the first of two objections to a volunteer force: that a “professional” army endangers political freedom.
A Volunteer ArmyColumn, 1966, Newsweek (December 19, 1966); reprinted in the Congressional Record, Senate, January 22, 1969, p. 1438, under the heading “From Newsweek magazine, Dec. 19, 1966”. Later collected in An Economist’s Protest (1972)., Congressional Record, January 22, 1969, p. 1438Checked against the sourceRead the original
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