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Are Vets Next?

By VVAW

WE WON'T FIGHT ANOTHER RICH MAN'S WAR

So there's going to be another draft—but you put in your time already and the hell with them: they aren't going to get you again! Well, think some more because the government has some plans for you, and these aren't plans to test and treat you for Agent Orange poisoning.

Carter has now asked for authority to call up 100,000 reservists (the law now gives him the power to call up 50,000) on his own declaration that they're needed. This, of course, is in addition to the whole Army, Navy, and Air Force who can back up the "Rapid Deployment Force" whenever the President decides it's needed. The added reservists are to be on tap because they're already trained and ready, says the White House, and would not require the period of training it would take for new troops.

Already, retired military personnel have gotten their preparatory orders about where to go in time of "emergency"—all the orders need is the date to move out.

And while the discussions are being kept very quiet, you can bet that, with the need for trained troops in a hurry, there's a big plan for veterans sitting on some Pentagon desk marked "Top Secret," and highly confidential, and don't let Vietnam vets know about it for damn sure!

Plans for World War III are on another desk; this one, with the RDF, the reserve call-up, and probably vets is looking toward another venture like Vietnam where "only" 550,000 or so will be needed. If the figure is familiar, that's because that's what was needed to lose in Vietnam!

Vets should not ignore the draft registration or the draft to come. While it doesn't hit vets directly, only a fool would believe that vets aren't right there on the list and that Uncle Sam and his corporate backers aren't quite ready, as a part of the many steps toward war, to bring vets right back in—having used vets once, and then thrown them away, to use them all over again. Maybe, if you're sick enough from Agent Orange poisoning, you might be "safe"; otherwise, start getting the dust off those old boots and practice some marching. Maybe you and your kids will get to go in together!