1970 - The President's Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force

On February 20, 1970, the Gates Commission submitted its final report to President Nixon about the feasibility of ending the draft and transitioning to an all-volunteer force. The Commission agreed that a volunteer force in a revamped military would logically be made up of the same kinds of people who would otherwise be drafted, "will not jeopardize national security, and...will have a beneficial effect on the military as well as the rest of our society." 

"The elimination of conscription admittedly is a major social change, but it will notproduce a major changein the personnel of our armed forces. The majority of men serving today are volunteers. And many who are now conscripted would volunteer once improvements were made in pay and other conditions of service. Therefore, the difference between an all-volunteer force and a mixed force of conscripts and volunteers is limited to that minority who would not serve unless conscripted and who would not volunteer in the absenceof conscription. An all-volunteer force will attract men who are not now conscripted and who do not now volunteer but who will do so when military serviceimposes lessof a financial penalty than it currently does."