ROTC Cadets Don't Worry About a Draft

But should the draft be reinstated, ROTC cadets may be the safest people on campus.

At Florida A&M University, Maj. Willie Jackson said FAMU's 120 Army cadets have agreed to serve at least four years in the military after they finish school, and therefore cannot be drafted.

The government says that there are enough personnel to fight a war against Iraq. (File photo)

Still, in the event of a draft, some might try to join ROTC so they could not be called to duty.

Jackson said that wouldn't work because once the draft took effect, a "freeze" would be placed on the program so that no one, especially draft-dodgers, could get in.

Tarik Fulcher, 21, said that dodging the draft was one reason why "a good deal" of his fellow cadets joined ROTC, although they still have to serve in the military after graduation.

"So it's not really dodging it, but more like putting it off," said the junior economics student from Orlando. Fulcher said he joined ROTC because of scholarship benefits that came with his contract.

Corey Curtis, 19, a sophomore music education student from Hollywood, Fla. said he has other plans in the event of a draft.

"I'm going to move to Canada," said Curtis, who has family members in the military who are overseas. "Nobody ever fights with Canada."

Nick Harrell, 21, an army cadet from Miami, said that single people -- not college students -- should be the first ones to worry if the draft is reinstated because they would be the first ones called upon.

"If you're a college student you really don't have anything to worry about," said the senior nursing student.

Harrell said there was still a chance that ROTC cadets could be called into war, even though they are still going to school.

"If things get really, really bad and it looks like we're going to lose, then we'll probably serve about six to eight months," Harrell said.

Robert Bryant, who is not an ROTC cadet, said he hopes things don't get that dismal.

"Hopefully, we can stop terrorists in their tracks before they bring the war over here," said the 20-year old sophomore pharmacy student from Atlanta.

Posted March 20, 2003

Tanya Caldwell is a student at Florida A&M University who writes for The Famuan. She can be reached at [email protected] .