Dear Guest: This particular issue is a sensitive one for me. If I recall accurately the last sitting President to have had actual (regular Army) service was George HW Bush who was a pilot during WWII.

I believe that military service be required for a person to become an eligible candidate for president because as president s/he will also serve as Commander of the military. It would in my mind help a president better understand the consequences of his/her choices.

But then I am one that believes that conscription should be reinstated.

First a mercinary military contributed to Rome's decline.

Secondly an all volunteer military will eventually become cost prohibitive

Third because it will become cost prohibitive quality recruitment will hampered

Fourth because it is volunteer a large segment of societies young people will have no skin in the game

Fifth Because they have no skin in the game they will become disengaged in this nation's world affairs.

Sixth because it is voluntary and the purse is in the hands of politician it will only become more political rather than strategical.

How do I know. Well that's is what is happening now

Worse yet Obama's social experiments with our military has exacerbated the damage being created by politicians who had bowed to pressures and eliminate the draft in the first place .

Personal Best Regards: