ABSTRACT
This chapter explores who serves in the military and would the military attract sufficient and appropriate personnel. It discusses the underlying choice made by the US government when it opted for an all-volunteer force. In 1973, the United States replaced conscription with an All-Volunteer Force (AVF). The 1970 Presidential Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force, chaired by former Secretary of Defense Thomas Gates, provided the rationale for this change and noted several primary concerns of critics. In civic republican thought, emphasis is placed upon developing individuals as citizens and engaging them in public life including governance and defense. In classical liberal thought, on the other hand, emphasis is placed upon protecting the liberty of individuals to pursue their own interests to the extent possible without abridging the liberty of others. The Gates Commission considered the possibility that "an all-volunteer force will become isolated from society and threaten civilian control".
