The Last American Draftees

Abstract

In 1973 the United States ended a 33-year-old practice of manning its military forces by conscription. The shift to a policy of using only volunteers followed a debate-as old as the nation itself-about the best way to maintain the force. And the debate continues. Opponents of conscription argue that draftees tend to serve only the minimum time required, usually two years, while volunteers are more likely to remain in the force for much longer periods. Length of service is important because more experienced people are needed to fill positions of supervision and leadership and, depending on their occupational specialties, to provide important technical expertise as well. This article provides a 15-year record of two cohorts that entered the Army during the last year of the draft: 157,797 volunteers and 32,288 conscripts. For each group there is evidence about tenure and performance as measured in terms of voluntary and involuntary departures from the Army. (Comparative data for the other three services are also shown.) Some policy implications are discussed.