With recent talk of a possible war and proposals to reinstate the draft, young people in Lisa Sanders' Austin High School social studies classes have been asking questions.

To help them find answers, or at least discuss their concerns, Sanders invited a recruiter from the Minnesota Army National Guard to speak to high school social studies classes Friday in Knowlton Auditorium.

Sgt. 1st Class Todd Bergland, a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard for 25 years and a recruiter in Austin for 10 years, detailed why a draft would ever need to be reinstated and what that would mean for men ages 18 to 26.

Bergland spoke to classes in periods two through seven and allowed time for questions about the draft, war and other military topics.

The draft was discontinued in 1973. Bergland told the students that a draft would be needed if the military did not have enough voluntary personnel in a crisis situation, such as war. Bergland said he only foresees that happening if a disaster or attack killed millions of people in the United States, such a biological warfare wiping out the population of New York City.

"I don't see it happening in the near future," Bergland said, adding that the army alone has 480,000 voluntary members.

To reinstate the draft, Congress first would need to approve it.

From there, a lottery system based on birth date determines who is called up. The first year a draft takes effect, those who are 20 years old would go first. After that 21 year olds are drafted, then 22 year olds and so on until age 26.

Eighteen- and 19-year-olds would probably not be drafted, he said.

After being drafted, an individual would be interviewed and analyzed physically, mentally and morally. The draftee would have 10 days to ask for exemption or postponement. An appeals board decides whether the appeal will be accepted.

Once the draftee is inducted into the military, he must be delivered within 193 days. He then has another nine or more weeks of training, Bergland said.

All men in the United States, including most temporary residents, have to register with the selective service by the time they are 18 years old, Bergland said.

Those who do not face criminal charges, which may result in up to $250,000 in fines and/or five years in prison, he said.

Those who do not register also become ineligible for federal student loans and federal jobs, such as postal workers, he said.

To draft women, the draft laws would need to be changed, Bergland said.

A student asked Bergland what was happening in Iraq. Bergland said a special forces unit is there and gathering information. He said the United States also has satellites observing activity in Iraq.

Another student asked if Iraq had nuclear weapons.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I do not think that they have nuclear capabilities," Bergland said, adding that Iraq has chemical and biological weapon capabilities.

"How soon could we start a war with Iraq?" asked a student.

Bergland said if there were proof of weapons of mass destruction and permission was given to attack, beginning a war would require a three-second phone call. But he said the military prefers to attack at night.

One students asked him if he had ever been in a war or had to kill anyone. Bergland said he hadn't.

"I thank God for that everyday," he said.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at :mailto:cari.quam@austindailyherald.com