Debate to address U.S. military

Is a military draft fair? Is a voluntary military fair? Should universities and colleges have ROTC programs? Is military reserve duty justified in what it requires of reservists?

A panel of Cal State University Northridge faculty will examine these and other questions during a special discussion, "The Draft vs. a Voluntary Military and Other Moral Issues Regarding Military Service," from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wed., March 10 in the Presentation Room of the Oviatt Library on campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"While the Iraq war may be over, its aftermath is not, and the prospect of U.S. military involvement in other parts of the world continues to face us," said philosophy professor James Kellenberger, one of the event’s organizers. "The chances that military service will affect many American families in the future makes very relevant a number of moral issues about military service. This panel will address a number of these issues, ranging from the fairness of a military draft and the fairness of a voluntary military to questions about university ROTC programs."

The evening’s panelists include retired Navy Capt. Michael Simpson, formerly commanding officer of the NROTC unit at the University of San Diego and San Diego State University and a professor of naval science; emeritus Northridge history professor Ronald Schaffer; and David Rodriguez, associate chair of Chicano studies at Northridge and a Vietnam War veteran. Kellenberger will moderate the discussion.

For more information, call (818) 677-4854.