Mandatory Military Draft

The Selective Service Law, commonly known as the draft, requires all male United States citizens and non-citizens, including legal residents, undocumented immigrants, and refugees, through the ages eighteen and twenty-five to register for the draft through the Selective Service System. Those who do not register within thirty days of his eighteenth birthday will be penalized with a 250,000 dollar fine or a five year prison sentence. Those who fail to register will also lose federal benefits such as financial aid and federal government employment. The purpose of the draft is enable the military with more man power during times of war. The draft is currently in standby because the United States has an all-volunteer based military, however, the

Kheel reports that top generals of both the Marine Corps and Army have stated that they agree that every American who is eligible and physically qualified should register for the draft (Kheel). Men and women who are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five are eligible to register for the draft, and if they are physically able they will also be trained for combat if the draft were to be reinstated. With that being said, men and women will go through the same rigorous training. Kheel quotes Navy Secretary Mabus, “You cannot lower standards. This is not about quotas. It’s not about equality of outcome. It’s about equality of opportunity. And you’ve got to keep those standards. You’ve got to keep them job-related. You’ve got to keep them very rigorous, and you’ve got to evolve those standards as our threats and as our challenges evolve. But they’ve got to evolve for everybody” (Kheel). Keeping military standards equal for men and women and holding both genders up to the same standards will ensure military efficiency. In Smiley’s article, she points out that both men and women are needed at home and that not every man or woman wants to be in the military (Smiley). No one should be forcibly put into the military, however, if one sex must so should the other. Equal opportunity also comes with equal obligations. Smith writes, “You don’t get to pick and choose when equality applies to

Naval officer Anna Granville states, “According to the current law, conscientious objectors who are drafted will still be required to serve, but will be placed in noncombat roles serving in their local communities in jobs in conservation, caring for the young or old, education, and healthcare” (Granville). Granville further states that a new law could add additional categories to public service or add exemption to those who participate in other critical service programs such as Teach for America and the Peace Corps (Granville). Women could help defend the county alongside men, however, men and women who feel that combat is not right for his or herself could serve his or her country in a different way. In an interview with women from different backgrounds, Mulrine received similar answers from all of them. Dorothy White, a PhD student, told Mulrine that the military should utilize scientists and doctors during times of war (Mulrine). During a time of crisis in which the draft were to be reinstated, people from different occupational backgrounds will be needed. Scientists could be used to create weapons or discover a new scientific one. Doctors and nurses would be needed to heel the wounded, and even cooks will be needed at camps to feed soldiers. Kong states, “Rigorous entry standards for all opened positions would still remain in place. Men and women who