The Importance Of Selecting The Military Draft

''The mandatory enlistment in a country’s armed forces, and is sometimes referred to as “the draft.” The origins of military conscription date back thousands of years to ancient Mesopotamia, but the first modern draft occurred during the French Revolution in the 1790s. The United States instituted conscription during the Civil War, which led to a series of bloody draft riots. Resistance to the draft, as managed by the Selective Service in the United States, reached a historic peak during the Vietnam War'' (A&E Television Networks).

The United States should reinstitute the military draft because there are three major problems found already by not reinstituting it: Increased health issues, increased broken family units and decreased national security. The advantages to reinstituting the military draft are: decreased health issues, decreased broken family units and increased national security.

President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 which established the Selective Service System as an independent Federal agency within the Department of Defense (Smith, par. 3). Young men were only drafted in America's greatest conflicts- the Civil War, Vietnam War, World War I, and the lead-up to World War II (Bandow, par. 3). Nearly 2.2 million men were drafted during 1961 to 1973 (South, par. 25). This practice continued during the Cold War as the U.S. sought to protect friendly war-ravaged states (Bandow, par. 3). From 1948 until 1973, young men were drafted to fill open spots in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means (Smith, par. 4). The registration requirement was suspended in 1975 but it was resumed again in 1980, registration continues today as a hedge against underestimating the number of servicemen needed in a future crisis (Smith, par. 10). In 1973, the United States military went to full volunteer service that marked the end of the draft. Since the all-volunteer military has been active, there have been 144 executed operations compared to 19 operations prior to 1973 (South, par. 56). Currently, there have been talks of reinstating

In today’s time and age a person volunteers to join any branch in the United States military. Draft is still around but ever since the Vietnam times no branch has had to draft any man or woman. Even back in the draft days they became available for drafting once they turned 18. Because they are fresh out of high school at this age is a key factor in the decision, meaning they are ready to face the next chapter in their lives that life threw at them.

Conscription, or more boldly the draft, has not been in place for some thirty years. While some people cringe at the thought of reinstating the draft, others have different views. This short paper will speak of those different views and the reasons why conscription of military service may not be such a bad idea after all.

The Military Draft has been a major part in United States history. The draft has been used in four different conflicts in the United States of America. It was used in Both world wars, the Civil war, and the Cold war. It might have been effective during these times, but it also causes great corruption and sacrifice. It caused families to lose their sons and friends. Many people lied about their age to join the war, and they were too young and didn’t understand the consequences of war. War is never a good thing to be in, in any circumstance. It this paper I will give you reasons why we don’t need a United States draft. As Americans we have to be thankful that we have a strong and productive Military, so we can have our freedom and safety in times of need.

Starting with the First World War and ending with the Korean War, there were 16,307,243 American’s inducted into wars by the Selective Service (Induction Statistics). These men were inducted into the wars by the draft method. A draft is an imperative recruitment for the military services. Drafts were very helpful with gathering men for the wars that America fought in. Many people did not want to be apart of the drafts, but there were many ways to get out of one as well. Drafts were a necessary action in order to get the men of the United States to fight for their country, and protect the freedoms of others.

On July 1, 1973, Congress chose to end the draft in favor of an All Volunteer Army. According to "The Professional Bulletin of Army History, No. 27," the last man was drafted in December 1972 and reported for training in June 1973. Now, not only might the renewed military draft come back but also the age of compulsory service in the meat grinder might be extended from its former limit of 26 years up to 42 years of age.

The draft is a taboo subject in America, but regardless of its controversy it is a subject that must be examined. The daft, however rash, is essential for America in case of a national emergency. Many people in this age of America lack patriotism for their country. Of course, many citizens ignore the fact that they are living in one of the only countries that offer you freedom and the choice to succeed as far as you want. However, “Of those to whom much is given, much is required” (Mackenzie) and all that is asked of you in America is to give yourself to her when asked. Many people would not risk their lives for America. That is when the government should put a call to action and reinstate the draft to insure the

and 7 p.m . Even the sick where expected to register before or after June 5th. Also in President Woodrow Wilson’s document it is sad that it will take the whole nation to complete the war and even the men who remain at home are still apart of the nation’s army . One of President Wilson’s main objectives was too see that every man in this nation is register to serve our country for the common good.

Over forty years has passed since the United States inducted the last draftee through the Selective Service System. The Selective Service System is an independent agency of the United States, which gives the President the right or power to conscript men for military service. There have been different Acts passed by congress since 1917 that require men of various ages to register for service. Although, the name of each Act and the age requirements of the registries changed, the Acts were all similar in nature. They all gave the President the right to call men to war when he deemed necessary. In January 1973, Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird announced the creation of the all-volunteer service, retracting

The United States Selective Service System, or the “draft” as it is more commonly known, is a deeply flawed institution. While there are many components with which I take issue, the one I chose to contend with in my creative project is its exclusion of women. Though women have recently gained the right to serve in all combat positions in the United States military, we are still not expected to register with the draft as all men in America must do when they turn eighteen. This system may be flawed, but if it is going to exist it must be equitable. The existence of the draft as a male-only institution sends a message about how our society views men and women as innately different, a belief which limits and hurt us all. Until we raise our voices in opposition to such essentialist beliefs and start changing the status quo, the draft will continue to exemplify all the things we continue to get wrong about gender differences and systems of oppression in society.

When a crisis occurs which requires more troops than the volunteer military can supply, Congress passes and the President signs legislation which starts a draft. It should be noted that the President cannot initiate a draft on his own. Congress would first have to pass legislation (both the House and Senate), and the President would have to sign the bill into law. A lottery based on birthdays determines the order in which registered men are called up by Selective Service. The first to be called, in a sequence determined by the lottery, will be men whose 20th birthday falls during that year, followed, if needed, by those aged 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. The Agency activates and orders its State Directors and Reserve Forces Officers to report for duty. Registrants with low lottery numbers are ordered to report for a physical, mental, and moral evaluation at a Military Entrance Processing Station to determine whether they are

Conscription was first used in the United States during the American Civil War. The Union sought troops by offering cash rewards to enlistees. Support for conscription was not widespread in the North, and public resistance culminated in the Draft Riot of 1863. Afterward the draft was suspended with the end of the war in 1865, and it would not return until the beginning of world war I. The restitution of the draft was the result of U.S. entry into World War I in April 1917. The Selective Service Act, signed by President Woodrow Wilson on May 18, 1917, created the Selective Service System. In the beginning it targeting male citizens age 21 to 30, the draft was eventually expanded to include all able-bodied men age 18 to 45. After the armistice

Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May of 1917, and eventually 2.8 million men were drafted—about 72 percent of the entire Army. No women were drafted, but 13,000 joined the military, serving in clerical capacities in the Navy and Marines.