Military Memories

This book describes eight American military veterans of the Vietnam/Cold War era and describes their service and its influence on their lives.

Eight American military veterans of the Vietnam/Cold War era describe their service and its influence on their lives. Their service is shaped by the history of America’s raising of its military forces with particular emphasis on the use of mandatory military service (the draft, Selective Service) in 1917–18 and 1940–73. The final chapter provides the authors’ reflections on the challenges facing the American military in the third decade of the twenty-first century and the possibility of a return to drafted military service after a half century of an All-Volunteer Force.

Bios of Contributors; Section I Introduction; Section II America Raises Its Military Forces, Bibliography; Section III Personal Recollections, Eugene R. Fidell, Tom Mackie, Mick McBee, Arne Salvesen, Leif Salvesen, Paul Strieby, John Tewhey, Donald Zillman; Section IV Perspectives on Today’s Military, The Draft and the All-Volunteer Force, Our Shared Experiences, The Contemporary American Military, Decisions for the Government about a Renewed Draft, The Extraordinary Events of 2020–22; Index