Thursday, October 4, 2001

Fear of draft hits close to home
By John-Mark Day
Staff Reporter

Jared Salzman and Jennifer Tidwell are planning a wedding. They’ve set a date, found a church and planned a future. But the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks left them with one more thing to think about — the possibility of a military draft.

“I don’t think (the draft) will be necessary for this war,” Salzman, a sophomore criminal justice major, said. “But if the world goes to war and my country needs me to ensure the safety of our government and way of life, I would be willing to fight.”

Political science professor Ralph Carter said a military draft is unlikely any time soon.
“(This war) will consist of very small units of very specialized forces doing very specialized tasks,” Carter said. “It won’t require massive call-ups.”

Tidwell, a sophomore marketing major and Salzman’s fiancee, said while she would support a draft if needed, she would do so reluctantly.

“If Jared got called, there would be brutal tears shed,” Tidwell said. “(It) would be extremely hard being away from my best friend and (then) husband.”

Salzman and Tidwell are part of a growing number of American college students who are concerned the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 will include a new military draft.

Speaking at a news conference, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said the military was not considering calling up a draft.

“At the moment I do not foresee the need to do that,” Rumsfeld said.

Carter said if a draft was necessary, the first step would be to make sure the Selective Service database was accurate. All males citizens of the United States are required to register with Selective Service when they turn 18.

Once the database is accurate, a lottery would be established, choosing people by their birthdays. Everyone of a certain age born on that day would be called up, Carter said. The system is designed to be implemented quickly.

“If you need it, you need it in a hurry,” he said.

While the last time the draft was used only males were called up, Carter said he would expect a new draft to include females as well.

“The old presumptions about women in combat are largely over,” he said.

College students would probably be exempt only through the end of the semester they are in, Carter said.

Salzman and Tidwell are two of those students who could be called up at the end of a semester. The date for their wedding is April 27, 2002, which would give them two weeks together before the end of the semester if either one was drafted next Spring.

“We would definitely not take for granted our time together any more,” Salzman said. “I’m sure there would be many tears about the separation and possible death of each other.”

Salzman said he could not watch Tidwell get drafted.

“I would feel helpless if my wife got called up,” he said. “I would probably enlist or get involved some way to make me feel closer to her. I could not stand to be apart from her, but I know that it would be our duty and there would not be much of a choice.”

Salzman said he is afraid fighting in a war would change them.

“I would be scared she wouldn’t return the same person as when she left,” he said.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Don Mills said drafted students would return changed, which would affect their return to class.

“If this is like the last draft, veterans will come back with much of their situation altered,” he said.

Mills said in the last draft, veterans came back to TCU with new funding through the G.I. Bill, change in career aspirations and, in some cases, married.

“TCU would welcome back students in good standing who wished to return,” he said. “The student’s goals and personal situation would then determine how best for the student to come back to TCU and be successful.”

Salzman said if he were called, while it would be hard to leave his family, he would serve.

“I would be honored to fight for this country,” he said. “I don’t want my kids growing up in fear for their life every day because terrorists are still randomly choosing targets and killing thousands.”

John-Mark Day
j.m.day2@student.tcu.edu