Pentagon Advocates For Drafting Women In New Report

The topics of the draft and selective service enrollment, as well as military service in general, have become hot button issues. As military intervention abroad has escalated in recent decades and shows no sign of slowing down, there has been a debate about who should be able to serve. Should women be given more military roles? Should transgenders be allowed in the military at all?

In terms of women and the draft, a new report believes that there should be equality in enrolling in the selective service. The report comes as part of a greater study into how to increase military enrollment. The Pentagon put forth the recommendation that not only should the draft registration continue, but women should be allowed to register as well. Should we as a society continue down the path of equality?

There’s nothing wrong with equality, but what about with military inscription?

At the formation of the United States, things were very unequal. But in the time since, we’ve made strides by giving freedom to blacks, allowing women to vote, and giving both a more equal place in society. This isn’t wrong, and it’s a trend that should be continued.

Again, equality is good. But equal eligibility to be forced into military service? How about equal ineligibility for military service?

The problem with the draft is it subscribes to the belief that people should be forced into service against their will. This is absolutely not to say that there is anything dishonorable about serving one’s nation. Those who give their lives and make the sacrifice honorably are heroes, but these people volunteer their lives.

What is freedom if we are not free to chose our career path?

The commission’s chairman, Joseph Heck, told the Washington Times that there was a need to assess why people were not interested in military service. The report also cites the selective service as an opportunity for young men to seriously consider military service.

But is being forced into a database the right thing to do? Should young citizens be forced to potentially sign their lives away?

For what it’s worth, the commission report has stated that they currently see no need for conscription, attempting to calm fears about a potential draft. The Department of Defense has maintained its ability to recruit and sustain a strong volunteer force, even with all the conflicts occurring abroad. With that said, it’s not to say a draft couldn’t come down the road.

Should women be forced to sign up for the selective service, potentially opening them up for a future draft? Equality is important, and women have seen a greater role in the military. But a military draft, like any other forced service, is not compatible with freedom and thus contrary to the liberty our soldiers seek to protect. If we ever experience a military problem, it likely won’t be a numbers shortage. It will be because our brave men and women in uniform are stretched far too thin across the globe.