Amy J. Rutenberg – författare

Rough Draft draws the curtain on the race and class inequities of the Selective Service during the Vietnam War. Amy J. Rutenberg argues that policy makers' idealized conceptions of Cold War middle-class masculinity directly affected whom they targeted for conscription and also for deferment. Federal officials believed that college educated men could protect the nation from the threat of communism more effectively as civilians than as soldiers. The availability of deferments for this group mushroomed between 1945 and 1965, making it less and less likely that middle-class white men would serve in the Cold War army. Meanwhile, officials used the War on Poverty to target poorer and racialized men for conscription in the hopes that military service would offer them skills they could use in civilian life.As Rutenberg shows, manpower policies between World War II and the Vietnam War had unintended consequences. While some men resisted military service in Vietnam for reasons of political conscience, most did so because manpower polices made it possible. By shielding middle-class breadwinners in the name of national security, policymakers militarized certain civilian roles—a move that, ironically, separated military service from the obligations of masculine citizenship and, ultimately, helped kill the draft in the United States.

Rough Draft draws the curtain on the race and class inequities of the Selective Service during the Vietnam War. Amy J. Rutenberg argues that policy makers' idealized conceptions of Cold War middle-class masculinity directly affected whom they targeted for conscription and also for deferment. Federal officials believed that college educated men could protect the nation from the threat of communism more effectively as civilians than as soldiers. The availability of deferments for this group mushroomed between 1945 and 1965, making it less and less likely that middle-class white men would serve in the Cold War army. Meanwhile, officials used the War on Poverty to target poorer and racialized men for conscription in the hopes that military service would offer them skills they could use in civilian life.As Rutenberg shows, manpower policies between World War II and the Vietnam War had unintended consequences. While some men resisted military service in Vietnam for reasons of political conscience, most did so because manpower polices made it possible. By shielding middle-class breadwinners in the name of national security, policymakers militarized certain civilian roles—a move that, ironically, separated military service from the obligations of masculine citizenship and, ultimately, helped kill the draft in the United States.

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of the military welfare history ‘perspective,’ a vital yet often overlooked aspect of welfare studies. It centres and defines military welfare history as an important sub-discipline, and in doing so, makes a significant contribution to scholarly debates, publications and teaching. It also delves into the intricate web of welfare, care, and medical provisions designed exclusively for armed forces personnel and their families, across different eras and regions. Comprising fifteen unique essays, this volume illuminates the diverse and evolving landscape of military welfare from the mid-eighteenth to late-twentieth centuries, spanning geographical contexts from Britain and the USA, to Zimbabwe and Russia.Key concepts such as social justice, citizenship, and the intersection of military and civilian welfare are critically examined. The chapters explore how military welfare was connected to broader societal themes like disability, gender, and state policy, offering fresh insights into the historical and contemporary dynamics of welfare provision. This book is a must-read for scholars and practitioners alike, providing a comprehensive understanding of the military's unique welfare needs and contributions to social policy. Ideal for historians, social scientists, and policy-makers, this volume serves as an essential resource for anyone interested in the complex interplay between military service and welfare systems.