It's a requirement for all services that enlistees have a high school diploma or GED, that they have no criminal record, that they get a certain score on the ASFAB, which is a test given during the recruiting process. Want to get more people? Lower the requirements. My guess is there are sufficient numbers of fathers, mothers and single folks with very low income who'll jump at the opportunity. The probablity of dying may not be enough to deter people who are looking for a chance to provide food, a decent place to live, and receive free medical and dental care for themselves and their families.

All of the services have been greatly down-sized within recent years. Bases have been closed and numbers of people recruited have intentionally reduced. People already in have been given 'early outs' and other people that would have sailed through in years past were discharged for failing to pass tests on job training and not-all-that-serious Uniform Code of Military Justice infractions. I don't think we're going to see anyone pushing for a draft just yet.

As to Viet Nam and learning, governments don't ever learn anything unless it's about acquiring and maintaining power. Individuals who vote DO learn, though. I think a lot of us who heard veterans speak about their experiences with hate-filled lovers of peace really thought about the damage those angry with government's decisions can do to individuals who had no more say in those decisions that they did. I think some people were angry and other people were ashamed. I think maybe we, as a society, learned a little bit about not using human beings as targets for the anger and frustration we have with our government.