Book Review: Rostker, B. (2006). I Want You! The Evolution of the All-Volunteer Force. Santa Monica, CA: RAND

Abstract

Bernard Rostker, takes its main title and cover art from the famous Army recruiting poster by James Montgomery Flagg. Interestingly, at the time of the book's publication in 2006, Army recruiting arguably was facing its toughest challenge since the draft ended in 1973. Although the Army met its numerical recruiting goals, the proportion of new recruits with a high school diploma was at its lowest point in twenty-six years. Perhaps the most revealing evidence of distress occurred in June 2006, when the Army raised its maximum age for enlistment to forty-two. Meanwhile, the Pentagon was accused of operating a "backdoor draft" through stop-loss policies to involuntarily retain personnel and by recalling inactive reservists to service. The U.S. military was reportedly "stretched to its limits," heavily relying on the Ready Reserve and contractors to fill gaps. Not surprisingly, a nationwide poll by the Associated Press/AOL News found that over one-third of U.S. adults expected to see military conscription reinstated in 2007. 1 What better time to publish a book that seeks "to create a comprehensive record of the more than 30 years of policy and economic analysis that was responsible for today's all-volunteer force" (p. iii)?I Want You! describes in considerable detail one the boldest government experiments of our time, creating and maintaining a "superpower" military force without resorting to conscription. America's all-volunteer force (AVF) was established in the immediate aftermath of an unpopular war. More than once, this new venture seemed on the verge of collapse. Yet it has succeeded, despite the worst odds, constant challenges, and continuing predictions of its ultimate collapse.This book is a tome at over 830 pages (including 31 pages of front material), with abundant references, over sixty figures and tables, and extensive footnotes that include sources as well as additional, explanatory comments and personal anecdotes. The book's content is organized unconventionally, as it presents separate chapters, by period, on the history of America's AVF and on the research used during the period to inform decision makers. In addition, the book contains three chapters (one on research centers, another on selective service, and a third on the role of women) that examine special topics. According to the author, the history and research need to be presented in separate chapters to properly tell the AVF's story, and by alternating chapters, general readers can skip the more technical material while still following the history (p. 12).