Letter: A system that asks more from the less fortunate

April 9, 2026

To the Editor-

Two main stories in the news recently were (1) students enduring long lines at the airports going to and from spring break and (2) Trump’s deployment of Marines, Airborne and Sailors to the Middle East to protect oil shipping routes. Both groups about the same age. One on the way to fun in the sun; the other being put in harm’s way. Again, it’s America depending on those less well-off to defend our shores while those born more fortunate continue unhampered toward fulfilling their dreams. Welcome to America!

There’s nothing new here. With Old Abe, you could “hire a substitute to take your place for $300.” Abolitionists putting their money where their mouth was. For the South: owning 20 slaves got you a pass. They should have been locked up for kidnapping! During our involvement in Vietnam, it was the 2-S (or, as we called it, the 2-***) deferment, which allowed college undergrad and graduate students to avoid the draft by pursuing their BS, More of the Same, and Piled Higher and Deeper. Class of ’65: rich kids talking about what school they were going to; poor kids talking about the draft. And if they volunteered, it was usually for the GI bill. After all, they were “dreamers” too!

In July 1973, the powers that be came up with a new wrinkle – the “All-Volunteer Force”. They told us it would make the military leaner, more professional. Emphasis on leaner! Many years quotas aren’t made. Result: service men and women, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq, were doing more tours than the law of averages for coming home without being seriously injured or killed would allow. Salaries may be up, but service members are still putting their life on the line for salaries materially below the average suit sitting at a desk back home. Over 20,000 military families are on SNAP!

For the wealthy, it’s perfect. Their kids can stay right on track – no anxieties or guilt; no waiting 2, 3, or 4 years plus an adjustment period before first starting school; no worries about getting injured, or worse. Hey, it’s “all-volunteer”! But for others, there are fewer choices. Statistical data shows the highest rate of enlistment still comes from lower-income families. Scene 1, take 250.

I have long felt that everyone should do at least a 2-year enlistment either serving in the military, working on infrastructure, etc. Why should those that stand to gain the most from this country give the least? Those that opt out would still sit out those 2 years before starting school. Those successfully completing their service would then be entitled to 2, up to 4, years, depending on their length of service, of free education or training, including room, board and essentials, as the GI Bill is today, plus SAT prep and college placement priority. And everyone competes for placement. No more born rich legacies squatting in Ivy League or National schools while poor kids of equal or greater abilities settle for community colleges or nothing at all! Best and brightest my ***!

The draw remains the GI bill, currently the new and improved Post-9/11 version. The real question is whether, in time of war, these “volunteers” make it through in good enough shape to take advantage of it and then, if they are, that they can pursue their dreams regardless of the popularity of whatever war they served in. There should never again be a time when supposedly smart people are so short-sighted and/or ignorant as to blame particularly enlisted veterans for a war they had no control over!

I also notice, every so often, there’s a commercial for veteran’s charity groups having to ask for money to help wounded veterans. Should this be? These people went at the government’s behest and got hurt doing so. Paraplegics, quadriplegics, those disabled by IEDs, etc. They fulfilled their responsibilities; now we should fulfill ours. The government – we as taxpayers – should take care of them. Hell, we’re taking care of everyone else! But, with most congressmen, their children, etc., never being in the service, it’s going to continue to be just lip service while VA budgets continue to be cut into the bone.

The other continuing story has been the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie. Everyone hopes she’s found – and found alive! But seeing all the time and publicity given to this one case, I’d like to see other people going through a similar ordeal getting the same attention. Even her daughter has recognized the disparity and pledged money to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Having less doesn’t make someone less important!

Craig R. Tesch
Stevens Point