Quote Originally Posted by selil View Post
Much like the current discussion over "professional" versus draft and such of today. The military is starting to look like a giant self licking ice cream cone right now.
And has for some time, sadly.

And this sort of discussion/debate has gone on every time the Army's downsized after a major conflict. Some of the debate after the Civil War springs to mind, as does the acrimony that flew after Vietnam. Actually, I'd say that some of the current discussions come closer to the post-Vietnam period. The Regular Army has never been keen on relying on what it considers "non-Regular" elements (an unconscious legacy, perhaps, from the number of efforts in the 1800s to do away with or significantly shrink the Army and replace it with militia or state volunteer units), and don't forget that general officers tend to reach that rank by parroting the views of their mentors. Big Army has a way of looking after itself.