I was in the service from 1968-72 and we had no shortage of qualified troops back then. Of course, this was made possible by the draft.

Enlisted personnel at that time were an interesting mix of high school grads, college types, and some drop-outs from all over the US. This diversity of cultures and skill sets enriched the talent pool back then in ways that would benefit the armed services today. Most of the people I worked with, draftees and "lifers" alike, were highly motivated and committed to serving their country (as they are today).

Bring back the citizen soldier: reinstitute the draft! In addition to alleviating the recruitment problem, our policy makers might come up with more coherent and point directed solutions for dealing with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. If our young people were drafted into service, our government would be highly motivated to develop an exit strategy and bring the troops home. With professional forces at President Bush's disposal, I see no end in sight.