With the ENLIST Act headed for final defeat in the House Rules Committee today, it's important to make one final argument. This week in my Breitbart column, I explain why, as a Marine and combat veteran, I oppose legislation that exchanges amnesty for military service:
It is a privilege to serve in America's all volunteer force, and that service instills some of the most valuable virtues a citizen could hope for in a Republic. Military service also builds within one the vital moral warrior ethos that every peaceful society must maintain. The United States government also spends significant amounts of money to impart enduring skills on military servicemen and women. The financial compensation for my time in the military pales in comparison to the betterment of my character that military service and combat experience gave me.
In proposing the exchange of amnesty for military service, politicians not only create the wrong incentives for military service and potentially expose security risks, they also undermine the military's service-oriented ethos.