Certain Generals in the military think so. What do you think? My husband and I had a great conversation about this over breakfast. I'd love to hear what others have to say about it.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/02/02/generals-say-women-should-have-to-register-for-draft.html
93 votes
nectarine / 2148 posts
I say no way for several reasons. I think if someone was single, then yes, married and kids, no. But you can't tell single females they need to register and not married females.
Then as someone who is married with kids, I think it is unruly to draft both a mom and dad at the same time. What would happen with the kids? But as I type this I am asking myself what do families do where both mom and dad are enlisted. Or I think it is not right to possibly have mom and dad drafted back to back. I think for the sanity and safety of the family only one member should be drafted. I think moms, depending on the childs age, are more important to have in the household than fathers are.
On a final note though, I think the draft should not exist, but I can see why it is there.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
Um, no. What if both mom and dad get called? But really I don't think a draft should exist at all.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
It's complicated. I don't think we should have a draft. I much prefer an all-volunteer military with one standard and positions open to all.
There are so many reasons that drafted people were not accepted into military service and as long as we have legit reasons to defer deployment or deem someone not fit for service altogether let's make the draft equal opportunity too.
pear / 1503 posts
"Allowing women to compete for ground combat jobs, it concluded, would make the Marine Corps a less-efficient fighting machine." This is the same argument used to prevent blacks and gays from integrating/openly serving in the military. It was not true for them then, and it is not true for women now. Canada has many well-respected female officers/enlisted personnel in combat roles, including some of my friends. It has not interfered with their units' effectiveness whatsoever. I will state, though, that women are often required to train harder for physically demanding roles, but so do men who are slight/small-statured; it is simply a matter of meeting the standard required for the job.
The U.S. military is so antiquated in it's views, it is ridiculous. There is no need for a draft for either men or women; it's not cost-effective, and the branches have more issues that they need to deal with than how to "integrate" poor defenceless women - like cutting back the prevalence of gangs within their fighting forces just to mention one. .
grapefruit / 4400 posts
I say yes. If the rules require a male of a certain age to register for the draft, then the same should apply to women-- regardless of marital/parental status. Either all or nothing, IMO. Have all Americans register or get rid of it entirely.
pear / 1503 posts
@catomd00: @Eko: I am not 100% sure how the U.S. handles it, but other countries do not deploy spouses at the same time, and very rarely (if ever) back to back. In my 17 years of service, I have only heard of one service couple who deployed at the same time. They didn't have kids, and they requested to be deployed at the same time. The same rules applied to them, in that they were not allowed to fraternize during their deployment.
grapefruit / 4361 posts
I think the draft is unethical and contradictory in purpose (struggling for words here.) I think needing to draft people reveals a lack of true popular support for the war, which then in turn should prompt the govt to reconsider the war.
coconut / 8472 posts
I don't think there should be a draft for anyone. If the there's not enough people in the military to fight a war then we shouldn't be in it.
grapefruit / 4731 posts
Sorry am I missing something... Does the US currently have a draft for men? For some reason I didn't think we had a draft anymore.
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
I guess to be fair and to provide equal 'rights' (or opportunity) to everyone... yes.
I'm glad we don't have a draft anymore. Although, I guess not all positions have to be in combat. I think if I was drafted, I would prefer to be on the medical or computer side of things. If they gave me a gun, I don't think I could use it. I think with my background, being in combat would not be the best fit for me.
Also, I thought with any type of military, you have to be 'fit' enough to serve. They aren't going to require someone with a severe health problem to serve.
BTW: I do not come from a military family. Well, my dad and uncle were both in Vietnam war (fighting for the South). My dad has never pushed us into military. DH has many more family members in the military.
pear / 1672 posts
It's complicated. Last time I checked, the U.S. has an all-volunteer army (am I right?). I think people would fight tooth and nail before instituting the draft again.
admin / wonderful grape / 20724 posts
Yes of course! Equality goes both ways, I think it's an important step.
Some good points above about the risk of both parents being called, but you have to register for Selective Service starting at 18. So the risk of the potential draft is concentrated among people who for the most part haven't started families yet. Maybe they could setup a rule where if one person is drafted, the other person can ask for an exemption if called.
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
I voted it's complicated because I don't think we should have selective service at all. It's outdated and needs to be eliminated.
clementine / 756 posts
Yes. I think that if men are subject to the draft, women should be as well. There should be rules in place to ensure that if there are children, both parents are not drafted at the the same time.
nectarine / 2210 posts
@Raindrop: @bluestriped bee: I'm pretty sure all males still have to register at 18. Although they haven't actually drafted anyone for decades.
pomelo / 5228 posts
Absolutely, it should be equal. I think there should be exceptions for ANY parent, regardless of gender. However, I also don't think a draft should exist.
pomelo / 5129 posts
Ethically, I think it just gets sticky.
So, people want women to be subject so that it's fair and equal, but they also want protections so that both partners aren't drafted at the same time.
But doesn't that sort of negate the purpose of having women sign up? Unless they're single. Then they can be drafted (and how is it fair that only single women get drafted?).
If another Vietnam came around and the draft was activated, the new generation of draft dodgers wouldn't go to college or Canada, they'd get married and get pregnant. That's forcing people who don't wish to serve into an awkward situation.
ETA: And what about single parents of either gender?
ETAA: But I think we're actually debating two different things.
Who has to register for the draft when they turn 18 (which I could see applying to ALL citizens no matter what), VS who actually gets called to service should a draft be needed
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
@Miss Ariel: yes in fact, DH just shared that some employment applications request the "select service" number. I had no clue!
apricot / 287 posts
I think that in the name of equality it only make sense that women register too. But I pray we will never need to use it again. I also highly doubt that, if the draft were to be used for some reason, women would be thrown into the difficult, direct combat positions. And I'm sure they would create some rules about parents both being drafted.
pear / 1503 posts
@SleepyBear: It was announced in December that all combat roles would be opening up to women (timeframe TBD). So if they draft women in the future, I don't see that it should be any different than drafting a man WRT who gets what trade.
@MaryM: Actually, it's probably 3 different things: the two you mentioned, plus who actually gets deployed. There are many functions required Stateside in order to support operations. I can see one parent requesting such a role.
@MaySprout: Thanks for confirming. I thought I remember an American serviceman telling me that. In Canada, before you deploy, you have to undergo screening, part of which is to determine whether the deployment will place any undue hardship on your family. The second parent is always excused, as are single parents with the other parent unavailable, and anyone with a sick/disabled dependent.
I know there are several American serving and ex service members on the boards. What do they think? And @MediaGirl: What were the points you and your husband discussed, if you'd like to share?
nectarine / 2243 posts
@Astro Bee: yes this. I've been around the military all of my life and have many friends who are military. Rarely have both spouses been deployed at the same time and if they have it was only because it requested by the childless couple (but even then was rarely granted).
We do have a draft but it hasn't actually been utilized since the Vietnam war. Males 18/25
We can't have it both ways. We want equal pay, equal opportunity, equal treatment. Women are now allowed to go into combat, women are now army Rangers.
I guess you could argue that you think the entire draft (for men and women) is unethical but I don't know if someone could argue that women shouldn't be subject to a draft on the basis of ethics.
apricot / 287 posts
@Astro Bee: the women allowed in combat role is kind of why I think it only makes sense for the draft to include both-everyone is pushing so hard for total equality, so that makes it equal (that being said, my personal view is that it doesn't make much sense but it's fair). I suppose you are right that excluding women from being drafted in to combat roles would still be a double standard.
I also finally got a chance to talk to my husband about this for a few minutes (he is in the military) and he pointed out that with the draft the volunteers would get to choose jobs and the draftees would basically be given what's left behind - so that would probably be a lot of infantry jobs. He totally disagrees with women being drafted (he was also against women in combat roles) - basically because there is too much of a risk of women not being able to support the team well enough, especially in the instance of a draft where it would be women who haven't been doing some hardcore training are thrown into very difficult situations.
So I suppose that there is a difference between what makes logical sense and what is fair to the demand for equality.
grapefruit / 4731 posts
@Miss Ariel: You are right! Wow I had no idea
"This may be a nation with an all-volunteer military, one that ended conscription more than 40 years ago, but federal law still requires men ages 18 to 25 to register for a draft that does not exist."
nectarine / 2973 posts
Yes. If women want equality in others ways they should accept being part of the draft also. You can't just pick and choose..
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
I think military service should be voluntary, so no. But I also don't think men should be required to register for the draft.
grapefruit / 4056 posts
I think it should be all or nothing. If men are required to register for the draft, women should have to as well. FWIW though, I was in the Canadian Army Reserve for 7 years, so that probably colours my perception of the issue.
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