Why I believe that America should bring back the draft | Emmanuel Bernadin | TEDxHerndon
Emanuel Bernard shares lessons learned over 29 years, arguing that the sacrifices represented by the US military are increasingly unsupported by current societal and healthcare systems. He provides evidence of the camaraderie during service, contrasting it with modern statistics showing high rates of veteran suicide and poor post-service support. The central plea is for cultural and structural change to support returning service members, encapsulated by the question, *"what culture will they come home to?"* ## Speakers & Context - **Emanuel Bernard** — Speaker who turned 29; immigrated from Haiti in the early 80s. - **Family History:** Father immigrated from Haiti in the early 80s to provide opportunity. - **Service Context:** Entered the United States Navy in July of 2007; served in Iraq and Afghanistan. - **Emotional State:** Reflection based on 29 years of life and military service experience. ## Theses & Positions - US freedom is afforded by the strength of its military, which requires sacrifice. - The American spirit and culture taught profound lessons about sacrifice, vigilance, and community. - Current societal structures fail veterans, leading to potential future crises, as seen in rising rates of veteran suicide and inadequate healthcare. - The cultural impact of service, exemplified by the commitment of service members, is not matched by adequate support or recognition upon return. ## Concepts & Definitions - **"Land of Opportunity":** Concept by which Emanuel's family immigrated to the US. - **American Salute:** A form of respect rendered with the palm hidden, symbolizing that the country has *never been conquered* and is unconquerable. - **Veteran Community:** Described as a critical subset of the populace requiring support. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Military Recruitment Pathway (Emanuel's experience):** Started with 70 people in his shop; 34 volunteered; process narrowed down to him and a friend, Adam White, who then competed in a "scissors and paper" contest for the deployment slot. - **Witnessing Sacrifice (Iraq):** Observing the respectful procession of American casualties in medical Humvees, where service members rendered mutual salutes as the bodies passed. - **Training Response (Iraq):** Reacting instantly to mortar fire during a jovial departure, demonstrating unit cohesion by quickly taking cover in a designated bunker. - **Leadership Inspiration:** Belief that leadership comes from believing, dreaming, hoping, and inspiring. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Early 80s:** Father's immigration from Haiti. - **July 2007:** Emanuel Bernard joins the US Navy boot camp. - **October 2008:** Deployment preparation; the contest between Emanuel and Adam White determines deployment to Iraq. - **April 29, 2009:** Touchdown in Iraq; initial assignment near Camp Bucca. - **September 11, 2009:** Event witnessing the American casualties procession on the Brown Mile. - **January 10, 2010:** Witnessing mortar fire during the departure/social gathering. - **2011–2012:** Volunteered for deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan; provided logistics support convoying supplies. - **29 Years:** Time elapsed since birth in May 2019? (Born May 20th, 1987; spoke in 2016? Context suggests speaking around 2016 if he was 29, but the script says "yesterday I turned 29"). *Assumption: The speech was given shortly after his 29th birthday.* ## Named Entities - **Emanuel Bernard:** Speaker, born May 20th, 1987. - **Adam White:** Friend who participated in the deployment draw with Emanuel. - **Haiti:** Country of Emanuel's father's origin. - **United States Navy:** Service branch Emanuel joined. - **Iraq:** Location of service, initial deployment in April 2009. - **Afghanistan:** Second location of service; provided logistics support. - **Camp Bucca:** Location where Emanuel was stationed in Iraq. - **Brown Mile:** A mile-long stretch of sand separating the detainees' housing from the service members' residence at Camp Bucca. - **Isis (Detainees):** The group held at Camp Bucca; called "extremists" at the time. ## Numbers & Data - Emanuel's age when speaking: **29**. - Emanuel's birth date: **May 20th, 1987**. - Service unit size at boot camp: **70** individuals. - Individuals who volunteered for deployment (out of 70): At least **34**. - US military personnel population percentage: Less than **1%** of the populace. - US military serving population percentage: **3.5%** of the populace. - US unemployment rate: **5%**. - Veteran loss rate: **22** veterans a day to suicide. - Duration of care at Camp Bucca: Over **1 year**. - Age of daughter: **8** years old. ## Examples & Cases - **Boot Camp:** An "undaunting time" involving 79 other individuals, teaching discipline, attention to detail, and vigilance. - **Deployment Selection:** Emanuel and Adam White used a contest (Emanuel/Scissors, Adam/Paper) to secure deployment to Iraq. - **Casualty Witnessing:** Seeing two medical Humvees carrying bodies of Americans who sacrificed their lives for a country that didn't know their names. - **Combat Drill:** Being in a bunker with 80 people, where race and ethnicity "doesn't matter." - **Post-Service Struggle:** Contrast between the honor of service and the reality of unemployment or healthcare lines. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Humvees (2):** Medical vehicles used to transport deceased service members. - **Blackhawks (2):** Helicopters used to retrieve coffins/services. - **Service Dog:** Emanuel's companion dog, described as his "service dog." ## References Cited - **The Draft:** Referenced as a historical mechanism that now exists due to failure to address modern veteran needs. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **Volunteerism vs. Drafting:** The implicit trade-off; voluntary service is failing due to negative post-service realities. - **Service Commitment:** Giving 4 to 6 years of life defending the country versus the potential outcome (unemployment/suicide) after discharge. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The current system relies on a voluntary framework that is breaking down due to inadequate support structures. - The challenge to the audience: "who in their right mind today would want to volunteer in the military knowing that when you come out there's nothing set up for you to help you succeed." ## Methodology - **Anecdotal Reflection:** Drawing conclusions from personal life history and wartime experiences. - **Statistical Juxtaposition:** Comparing military sacrifice metrics (1% serving, 3.5% veterans) against social failure metrics (5% unemployment, 22 suicides/day). - **Narrative Structure:** Building from personal journey (Haiti $\rightarrow$ Navy $\rightarrow$ Iraq) to broad societal critique. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - The foundation of American freedom built on military sacrifice is jeopardized by systemic failures to support returning veterans. - A call for fixing the negative statistics surrounding veterans to prevent a return to conscription (the draft). - Inspiration for leadership found in family: Father's immigration, the opportunity given to Emanuel, and the future inspiration drawn from his daughter. ## Implications & Consequences - If the systemic support for veterans is not fixed, the US risks losing its voluntary military manpower base, necessitating a return to a draft system. - The future stability of the nation depends on its ability to care for those who uphold its freedoms. ## Verbatim Moments - *"what culture will they come home to?"* - *"we are an unconquerable country because of our United States military"* - *"I'm going to share with you the conclusions that I've derived to for my hour or so of reflection history teaches us a lot"* - *"the moment that changed his life"* (Describing the realization after seeing the service procession). - *"in this bunker no one's like there's not enough room for you in here things like race and ethnicity and color doesn't matter"* - *"what culture will they come home to"*