Draft Rumors Denied

Rumors that the government is secretly planning to bring back the draft have become so rampant that the Selective Service Administration has posted this notice on it's website:

Notwithstanding recent stories in the news media and on the Internet, Selective Service is not getting ready to conduct a draft for the U.S. Armed Forces -- either with a special skills or regular draft. Rather, the Agency remains prepared to manage a draft if and when the President and the Congress so direct. This responsibility has been ongoing since 1980 and is nothing new. Further, both the President and the Secretary of Defense have stated on more than one occasion that there is no need for a draft for the War on Terrorism or any likely contingency, such as Iraq. Additionally, the Congress has not acted on any proposed legislation to reinstate a draft. Therefore, Selective Service continues to refine its plans to be prepared as is required by law, and to register young men who are ages 18 through 25.

The Chicago Tribune reports that there is no truth to the rumors:

Lt. Col. Franklin Childress, spokesman for the Army's personnel branch, said he knew of no change in the Defense Department's policy of maintaining an all-volunteer military.

"We haven't done any preparations for a draft," he said.

Asked at a Pentagon town meeting with military personnel last month if there would be a draft after the election, Rumsfeld replied, "I don't think so.

"We don't need a draft," he added. "We're able to attract and retain all the people we need. . . . So I can't imagine that this country would go back to a draft."

[. . .]

A bill introduced in January 2003 by retiring Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) would require all men and women 18 through 25 to "perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security."

The measure was referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee, where it has yet to be acted upon.

Another bill introduced in the House in January 2003, would likewise require draft-age men and women to perform military or civilian national security service.

That bill was sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who said his bill would address the unfairness of having minorities shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of military service.

He said the bill was meant to demonstrate his opposition to the war in Iraq and to emphasize that "there should be a more equitable representation of all classes of Americans making the sacrifice for this great country."

That bill was sent to the House Armed Services Committee and never acted upon. Also dormant in that committee is a measure by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) that would abolish the Selective Service System.

Northwestern University professor Charles Moskos, a military authority and author of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for homosexuals in the military, said two issues would have to be dealt with before the draft could be restored.

One is women, who are exempt from Selective Service registration but constitute 15 percent of the U.S. military. Though excluded from ground infantry and a few other combat roles, they command combat-area military police companies; fly bombers, fighters and attack helicopters; and command warships.

[. . .]

The other issue is the relatively few people needed for the military compared with the large population of 18-to-25-year-olds that would be eligible for the draft. A random lottery would interrupt the lives and careers of a relative handful of young people without affecting the majority.

Moskos said those problems could be addressed by a universal service requirement for young people that would have three service categories. One group would do traditional military service, a second would join homeland security efforts at the nation's ports and borders and a third would participate in civilian service projects, such as the Peace Corps or Habitat for Humanity.

Reinstating the draft, Moskos said, would address the lack of middle- and upper-class representation in the military.

Snopes.com, the debunker of urban legends, says "probably not" to claim that the draft will be reinstated by Spring 2005. The concern generated by this rumor is demonstrated by the fact that the claim that "The U.S. military will be reinstituting the draft"is number seven on the Snopes top searches page.

Comments

[Daniel]

According to one of my affiliates who is a member of the u.s army, the talk around base is there is a strong possibility of a draft. They are being given the option to select friends and family members into their platoons to ensure safe keeping.