Reviving the Militias

It may be time to revive the militias. The US military is experiencing some difficulties in the recruitment of properly qualified personal. It's little wonder considering the unpopularity of our current wars and the over-deployment of troops that weren't really intended to part of overseas operations.

Thomas Jefferson wanted this country to be free from the burden of a standing army. Ambrose Bierce wrote a great definition of ARMY is The Devil's Dictionary (which I can't find at the moment so the following isn't an exact quote, but..) as a body of men designed to protect a land from invaders by devouring all of the resources that would make that country desirable for invasion.

Today's military is far to complicated and technologically reliant to make Jefferson's hope even close to a reality, but we can still honor the spirit of that visionary founding father. I propose to make that possible with The Militia Restoration Act.

The Militia Restoration Act would create a new branch of military or quasi-military to fill the gap that lies between the National Guard and the civilian populace. This organization would empower most US citizens to receive free military training without any obligation of service in the military.

Law enforcement and the NRA could also participate to help the general populace of the US to become more proficient and responsible; in use of weaponry, self-defense and hand-to-hand combat, comfortable and compatible in highly structured hierarchies, etc.

Citizens in good standing could qualify for advanced training in use of ordinance and military equipment operations. Convicted criminals, especially those convicted of violent crimes, would not be eligible to participate. This would help to create a safer society in which the general populace was decidedly more proficient in managing violence than the criminal class while nurturing superior relations and collaboration with law enforcement.

This Act could also help to promote physical fitness of the populace which may help to mitigate the obesity epidemic and lower health care costs.