GOV/MIL Will Women in the U.S. Have to Register for the Draft in 2021?

[MinnesotaSmith]

Note that Biden has previously come out in favor of this. Everyone here okay with their 19-YO daughters who are mothers of toddlers being sent to be MPs in another Bosnia or Somalia?

Will Women Have To Register for the Draft in 2021? - LewRockwell

In January 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the armed services to lift the ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. The services were ordered to study the issue and develop an implementation plan by January 2016. In December 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter...

www.lewrockwell.com

Will Women Have to Register for the Draft in 2021?

By Laurence M. Vance
January 20, 2021

"In January 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the armed services to lift the ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. The services were ordered to study the issue and develop an implementation plan by January 2016. In December 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced that the military would be opening all “remaining occupations and positions to women,” with “no exceptions,” effective January 2016.

Yet, to this day, women are still not required to register for the draft. Could this change in 2021?

The draft ended in 1973, but in 1980, President Jimmy Carter reinstated the requirement that men must register with the Selective Service System.

According to the Selective Service System:


Selective Service registration is required by law as the first part of a fair and equitable system that, if authorized by the President and Congress, would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing for an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors. By registering, a young man remains eligible for jobs, Federal student aid, State-based student aid in 31 states, Federally-funded job training, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

The Selective Service System and the registration requirement for America’s young men provide our Nation with a structure and a system of guidelines which will provide the most prompt, efficient, and equitable draft possible, if the country should need it. America’s leaders agree that despite the success of the All-Volunteer Force, registration with Selective Service must continue as a key component of national security strategy.

Why should any young man register for the draft? Again, according to the Selective Service System:

• Registration is the law.
• By registering all eligible men, Selective Service ensures a fair and equitable draft, if ever required.
• The Selective Service System is a relatively low-cost insurance policy for our nation.
• It’s a civic duty of every young man to comply with the law.
• By registering, a young man stays eligible for jobs, college loans and grants, job training, driver’s license in most states, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.
• Men who fail to register with Selective Service may be ineligible for opportunities that may be important to their future.
• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes registration with Selective Service a condition for U.S. citizenship if the man first arrived in the U.S. before his 26th birthday.
• A man must be registered to be eligible for jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and the U.S. Postal Service.
• If required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment.

The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service (NCMNPS), in its final report, recommended Congress amend the Military Selective Service Act to require that young women, as well as young men, register for the draft when they reach 18 years of age, and inform the Selective Service System each time they change their address until their 26th birthday.

Joe Biden supports making women register for Selective Service. In answer to the question:

Relatively few Americans have served in the military, and many have no interaction with servicemembers, leading to what’s termed the military-civilian divide. What would you do to promote military service? What changes, if any, would you make to the Selective Service System?

He replied:

"The United States does not need a larger military, and we don’t need a draft at this time. The all-volunteer force has been a source of strength for decades. I would, however, ensure that women are also eligible to register for the Selective Service System so that men and women are treated equally in the event of future conflicts. We should explore targeted recruiting efforts to build a military that is more geographically and demographically representative of the nation as a whole and that has the skill sets needed for modern warfare."

But on the other hand, buried deep inside the $2.3 trillion, 5,593-page spending bill signed into law by President Trump late last year that no member of Congress had read, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” (H.R.133), which is a combination of twelve annual funding bills, COVID-19 relief, and assorted pork, the “Solomon Amendment” linking federal student aid to Selective Service registration was repealed:

Notwithstanding section 12(f) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3811(f)), an individual shall not be ineligible for assistance or a benefit provided under this title if the individual is required under section 3 of such Act (50 U.S.C. 3802) to present himself for and submit to registration under such section and fails to do so in accordance with any proclamation issued under such section, or in accordance with any rule or regulation issued under such section.

Is this the first step toward the elimination of draft registration for men or will women be required to register for the draft in 2021? The NCMNPS report and the repeal of the Solomon Amendment are sending mixed signals.

In the case of Rostker v. Goldberg (1981), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the government requiring men but not women to register for the draft, relying on the fact that women were then ineligible to serve in combat positions. That case is being challenged by the National Coalition for Men (NCFM), a men’s rights organization. After the DOD opened up combat roles to women, the NCFM sued in federal court, arguing that either men and women should be required to register for the draft or neither men nor women should be required to register. A federal district court in Houston in 2019 found that the current law requiring men to register for the draft but not women was unconstitutional.

However, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned that decision in 2020. A petition for a writ of certiorari was filed with the Supreme Court on January 8 of this year. The plaintiffs are asking the Court to overrule Rostker v. Goldberg because its “fundamental premise is not longer true,” and “hold that hold that the federal requirement that men but not women register for the Selective Service, authorized under 50 U.S.C. § 3802(a), violates the right to equal protection guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment.” The plaintiffs are not seeking the government to require that women register for the draft, only that the current registration requirement is unconstitutional.

But, as the plaintiffs’ petition acknowledges:

Should the Court declare the men-only registration requirement unconstitutional, Congress has consider-able latitude to decide how to respond. It could require everyone between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, regardless of sex, to register; it could rescind the registration requirement entirely; or it could adopt a new approach altogether, such as replacing the MSSA’s registration requirement with a more expansive national service requirement.

In a surprising twist, the plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU, which believes that “as long as the government requires young people to register for the draft, requiring men but not women to do so is sex discrimination.” Limiting registration to men:

• Sends a message that women are unqualified to serve in the military, regardless of individual capabilities and preferences.
• Reflects an outmoded view that, in the event of a draft, women’s primary duty would be to the home front — and, on the flip side, that men are unqualified to be caregivers.
• Devalues the contributions of women who serve in the military.

But if the draft is bad, as the ACLU believes, then the government requiring men to register for the draft and not women is better than the government requiring both men and women to register for the draft.

It seems to me that if the Supreme Court rules that male-only draft registration is unconstitutional, then we would be one step closer to Congress requiring that women register for Selective Service. At least now only men can be drafted. This attempt by the NCFM and the ACLU to get the Court to declare the draft unconstitutional could backfire. The Court can just declare that the male-only draft is government sex discrimination and is therefore unconstitutional. It is a stretch to think that the Court will also declare that the draft itself is unconstitutional.

If the Court declares that male-only draft registration is unconstitutional, then it will be up to Congress to act. I can’t see Congress eliminating the Selective Service registration requirement. I think it is more likely that Congress expands draft registration to women rather than eliminating draft registration altogether. If the Court doesn’t rule on the case, then things are just as they are now. And it is better that it continues this way rather than women being subject to draft registration."

 

[gunwish]

I disagree with selective service and the draft. I never understood why I had to register with the government just because I was man and turning 18.

If it is required then everyone should have to do it. Regardless of gender.

 

[Dennis Olson]

THERE IS NO DRAFT

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

THERE IS NO DRAFT

Selective Service is still set up as an agency and ready to go, the same day Congress decides they want it to.

Here is their website:

Selective Service System - It’s Your Country. Protect it.

When you register with the selective service, you’re helping ensure a secure future for your community and the United States of America.

www.sss.gov

Registration for Men 18-25
Selective Service registration is required by law as the first part of a fair and equitable system that, if authorized by the President and Congress, would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing for an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors. By registering, a young man remains eligible for jobs, Federal student aid, State-based student aid in 31 states, Federally-funded job training, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

• Why is Selective Service Important?
• Register Now

Verify Your Registration
Online verification provides a quick way to access your Selective Service registration number and date of registration. You also can print a copy of your registration card that can be used as proof of registration.

Men 26 and Older
If you are 26 or older, it's too late to register. If you failed to register by age 26 and are seeking benefits associated with Selective Service registration, click the link below to learn more about next steps.

Why is Selective Service Important?
The Selective Service System and the registration requirement for America’s young men provide our Nation with a structure and a system of guidelines which will provide the most prompt, efficient, and equitable draft possible, if the country should need it. America’s leaders agree that despite the success of the All-Volunteer Force, registration with Selective Service must continue as a key component of national security strategy.
While there is no draft at present, your registration is essential to our Nation’s security in the event that a national crisis ever occurred.

Reasons to Register
Registration is the Law
A man’s only duty right now under the Military Selective Service Act is to register at age 18 and then to let Selective Service know within 10 days of any changes in the information he provided on his registration form until he turns 26 years old.
Fairness and Equity
By registering all eligible men, Selective Service ensures a fair and equitable draft, if ever required. Exemptions and deferments apply only in the event of a draft.
Insurance for the Nation
By registering, a man’s participation helps provide a hedge against unforeseen threats. The Selective Service System is a relatively low-cost insurance policy for our nation.
Civic Duty
It’s your responsibility to ensure that young men 18 through 25 understand the law so they can make an informed decision about registration compliance. Currently, more than 90 percent of eligible young men are registered. It’s a civic duty of every young man to comply with the law.

Protect Eligibility for Future Benefits
By registering, a young man stays eligible for jobs, college loans and grants, job training, driver’s license in most states, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

Benefits and Repercussions Associated with Registration
Men who fail to register with Selective Service may be ineligible for opportunities that may be important to their future. View more information on the benefits linked to registration, as well as what the penalties are for failing to register with the Selective Service System.

Registration is the Goal
Selective Service wants young men to register. It does not want them to be prosecuted or denied benefits. If a draft is ever needed, it must be as fair as possible, and that fairness depends on having as many eligible men as possible registered. In the event of a draft, for every man who fails to register, another man would be required to take his place in service to his country.

Sex:
MaleFemale

(Note: Current law does not permit females to register)
First & Middle Name:

Last Name:
(No dashes or hyphens, use a space)

Suffix:
I II III IV V VI VII JR SR

Street or PO Box or RFD:

City:

Select State Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces The Americas California Canal Zone Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Federated States Of Microne Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Zip Code:

Social Security Number:
(No dashes or spaces)

Date of Birth:
(mmddyyyy)

Email:

Phone Number:
(No dashes or spaces)

How did you first learn about registration?:

Parent/Relative Friend Classroom Guidance Counselor Financial Aid Office TV/Radio Posters News Direct Mail Post Office Internet Selective Service Rep High School Registrar Workforce Invest Act Farmers Opportunity Pgm Other Military Rep USCIS Drivers Licensing State Prison Staff Federal Prison Staff Booth/Exhibit Display Banner Ad Facebook Ad (Make one selection)



SSS FORM 1, OMB APPROVAL 3240-0002

We estimate the public reporting burden for this collection will vary from two minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering data, and completing and reviewing the information. Send comments regarding the burden statement or any other aspects of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Selective Service System, SSS Forms Officer (3240-0002), Arlington, VA 22209-2425. The OMB control number 3240-0002, is currently valid. Persons are not required to respond to this collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Selective Service is still set up as an agency and ready to go, the same day Congress decides they want it to.

Rubbish. Being “ready to go” on paper is entirely different than actually getting going.

But if you want to promulgate bullshit, go ahead and try.

 

[Yogizorch]

Don't worry about Bosnia or Somalia, it's coming here.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

Rubbish. Being “ready to go” on paper is entirely different than actually getting going.

But if you want to promulgate bullshit, go ahead and try.

Apparently the local draft boards are already named.

VERIFY: Are there local draft boards in place in case of war?

We are not at war and there is no active draft in place, but how does our country prepare for it?

www.13wmaz.com

VERIFY: Are there local draft boards in place?
We are not at war and there is no active draft in place, but how does our country prepare for such an event?


by Chelsea Beimfohr
January 8, 2020

"MACON, Ga. — As tensions rise between the U.S. and Iran, there have been a lot of social media rumors and questions swirling about a draft.

So many people turned to the Selective Service website for answers that parts of it crashed over the weekend.

Earlier this week, we verified that there currently is no active draft and there hasn't been since the Vietnam War.

RELATED: VERIFY: How the draft actually works and why people keep bringing up FAFSA

But if Congress and the President ever reinstated one, how would it work, and are there still local boards that would oversee?
The U.S. Selective Service is a civilian agency of the Executive Branch.
"Our mission is to be ready. That's what the law says. We have to have an active, standby organization," says Craig Brown, Associate Director of Operations with the U.S. Selective Service.

Roughly 120 employees and thousands of volunteers help register young men for the Selective Service when they turn 18, which is required by federal law.
"What would happen if there were a draft, what Selective Service does, is we determine the availability of a young man to serve. Then, you push them to Department of Defense and Department of Defense determines acceptability," says Brown.

They do this with the help of local boards, a small group of people that live in a community, and listen to "administrative" or "judgmental" claims from drafted men looking for an exemption.

"Is it something that's enduring? Something that didn't just pop up yesterday when you got your draft notice? Is it something you sincerely believe, and is it consistent? Does it go through all parts of your life," says Brown.
According to Brown, most boards are organized by county and are occasionally consolidated or expanded into larger or smaller groups based on population.

The roughly 11,000 active board members across the United States are nominated by their state's governor, and then appointed by the National Selective Service Director.
"Registration has nothing to do with the potential of serving in the military. It's just raising your hand and saying you acknowledge that you have some sort of obligation that, should your nation need you, that you're there," says Brown.

Again, we are not at war and a draft would require an act of Congress and the signature of the President, but if it ever happens, we're prepared."

View: https://youtu.be/itxY9rrbUNI


2:32 RT. From a broadcast TV show.

 

[Bps1691]

Note that Biden has previously come out in favor of this. Everyone here okay with their 19-YO daughters who are mothers of toddlers being sent to be MPs in another Bosnia or Somalia?

Will Women Have To Register for the Draft in 2021? - LewRockwell

In January 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the armed services to lift the ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. The services were ordered to study the issue and develop an implementation plan by January 2016. In December 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter...

www.lewrockwell.com

Will Women Have to Register for the Draft in 2021?

By Laurence M. Vance
January 20, 2021

"In January 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the armed services to lift the ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. The services were ordered to study the issue and develop an implementation plan by January 2016. In December 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced that the military would be opening all “remaining occupations and positions to women,” with “no exceptions,” effective January 2016.

Yet, to this day, women are still not required to register for the draft. Could this change in 2021?

The draft ended in 1973, but in 1980, President Jimmy Carter reinstated the requirement that men must register with the Selective Service System.

According to the Selective Service System:


Selective Service registration is required by law as the first part of a fair and equitable system that, if authorized by the President and Congress, would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing for an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors. By registering, a young man remains eligible for jobs, Federal student aid, State-based student aid in 31 states, Federally-funded job training, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

The Selective Service System and the registration requirement for America’s young men provide our Nation with a structure and a system of guidelines which will provide the most prompt, efficient, and equitable draft possible, if the country should need it. America’s leaders agree that despite the success of the All-Volunteer Force, registration with Selective Service must continue as a key component of national security strategy.

Why should any young man register for the draft? Again, according to the Selective Service System:

• Registration is the law.
• By registering all eligible men, Selective Service ensures a fair and equitable draft, if ever required.
• The Selective Service System is a relatively low-cost insurance policy for our nation.
• It’s a civic duty of every young man to comply with the law.
• By registering, a young man stays eligible for jobs, college loans and grants, job training, driver’s license in most states, and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.
• Men who fail to register with Selective Service may be ineligible for opportunities that may be important to their future.
• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes registration with Selective Service a condition for U.S. citizenship if the man first arrived in the U.S. before his 26th birthday.
• A man must be registered to be eligible for jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and the U.S. Postal Service.
• If required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment.

The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service (NCMNPS), in its final report, recommended Congress amend the Military Selective Service Act to require that young women, as well as young men, register for the draft when they reach 18 years of age, and inform the Selective Service System each time they change their address until their 26th birthday.

Joe Biden supports making women register for Selective Service. In answer to the question:

Relatively few Americans have served in the military, and many have no interaction with servicemembers, leading to what’s termed the military-civilian divide. What would you do to promote military service? What changes, if any, would you make to the Selective Service System?

He replied:

"The United States does not need a larger military, and we don’t need a draft at this time. The all-volunteer force has been a source of strength for decades. I would, however, ensure that women are also eligible to register for the Selective Service System so that men and women are treated equally in the event of future conflicts. We should explore targeted recruiting efforts to build a military that is more geographically and demographically representative of the nation as a whole and that has the skill sets needed for modern warfare."

But on the other hand, buried deep inside the $2.3 trillion, 5,593-page spending bill signed into law by President Trump late last year that no member of Congress had read, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” (H.R.133), which is a combination of twelve annual funding bills, COVID-19 relief, and assorted pork, the “Solomon Amendment” linking federal student aid to Selective Service registration was repealed:

Notwithstanding section 12(f) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 3811(f)), an individual shall not be ineligible for assistance or a benefit provided under this title if the individual is required under section 3 of such Act (50 U.S.C. 3802) to present himself for and submit to registration under such section and fails to do so in accordance with any proclamation issued under such section, or in accordance with any rule or regulation issued under such section.

Is this the first step toward the elimination of draft registration for men or will women be required to register for the draft in 2021? The NCMNPS report and the repeal of the Solomon Amendment are sending mixed signals.

In the case of Rostker v. Goldberg (1981), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the government requiring men but not women to register for the draft, relying on the fact that women were then ineligible to serve in combat positions. That case is being challenged by the National Coalition for Men (NCFM), a men’s rights organization. After the DOD opened up combat roles to women, the NCFM sued in federal court, arguing that either men and women should be required to register for the draft or neither men nor women should be required to register. A federal district court in Houston in 2019 found that the current law requiring men to register for the draft but not women was unconstitutional.

However, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned that decision in 2020. A petition for a writ of certiorari was filed with the Supreme Court on January 8 of this year. The plaintiffs are asking the Court to overrule Rostker v. Goldberg because its “fundamental premise is not longer true,” and “hold that hold that the federal requirement that men but not women register for the Selective Service, authorized under 50 U.S.C. § 3802(a), violates the right to equal protection guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment.” The plaintiffs are not seeking the government to require that women register for the draft, only that the current registration requirement is unconstitutional.

But, as the plaintiffs’ petition acknowledges:

Should the Court declare the men-only registration requirement unconstitutional, Congress has consider-able latitude to decide how to respond. It could require everyone between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, regardless of sex, to register; it could rescind the registration requirement entirely; or it could adopt a new approach altogether, such as replacing the MSSA’s registration requirement with a more expansive national service requirement.

In a surprising twist, the plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU, which believes that “as long as the government requires young people to register for the draft, requiring men but not women to do so is sex discrimination.” Limiting registration to men:

• Sends a message that women are unqualified to serve in the military, regardless of individual capabilities and preferences.
• Reflects an outmoded view that, in the event of a draft, women’s primary duty would be to the home front — and, on the flip side, that men are unqualified to be caregivers.
• Devalues the contributions of women who serve in the military.

But if the draft is bad, as the ACLU believes, then the government requiring men to register for the draft and not women is better than the government requiring both men and women to register for the draft.

It seems to me that if the Supreme Court rules that male-only draft registration is unconstitutional, then we would be one step closer to Congress requiring that women register for Selective Service. At least now only men can be drafted. This attempt by the NCFM and the ACLU to get the Court to declare the draft unconstitutional could backfire. The Court can just declare that the male-only draft is government sex discrimination and is therefore unconstitutional. It is a stretch to think that the Court will also declare that the draft itself is unconstitutional.

If the Court declares that male-only draft registration is unconstitutional, then it will be up to Congress to act. I can’t see Congress eliminating the Selective Service registration requirement. I think it is more likely that Congress expands draft registration to women rather than eliminating draft registration altogether. If the Court doesn’t rule on the case, then things are just as they are now. And it is better that it continues this way rather than women being subject to draft registration."

"Democrats are more likely to support drafting women than Republicans, according to the poll of 1,000 registered voters.

Eighty percent of registered Democrats support drafting women compared to 53 percent of registered Republicans.

Overall, 59 percent of those polled said women should be drafted." - 59 percent want women drafted

 

[Housecarl]

Selective Service also had a role with FEMA. In a national recovery plan after a calamity they can organize the supply of labor akin to the UK during the Second World War.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Named? Sure. Ready? No.

And we all know how fast liberal youth would line up to be “drafted.” Right? Ditto for conservative youth, who in no way got shafted by the recent elections.

MS, I hear that China Connection needs a “doommate.” Maybe you should reach out to him...

 

[ShadowMan]

If you want equal RIGHTS for everyone.....then you have to accept equal RESPONSIBILITY for everyone!! No excuses. No IF's, And's, or but's about it.

However.......just looking around I'd be surprised that even 25% of draft eligible young men and women could pass a military induction physical they are in such piss poor physical shape and I'd be amazed if 10% of those could graduate from boot camp.

 

[hiwall]

If women are equal then they should be equal. That would obviously include registering for the draft.

But having women in the military can only lead to many problems.

 

[Dennis Olson]

There was a recent thread posted on a story detailing a military readiness report. It stated that probably 10% of service-age men would be able to serve, due to physical condition, criminal background, or drug use.

 

[Melodi]

Of course "he" (or his handlers) are in favor of this - first they know the best way to have "unity" is to have a great big war...second they also can read that 70 percent of young men are already considered not medically (or legally) fit to serve.

So if they extend the registration (and potential draft) to young women, they figure they get at least 30 percent more warm bodies to slot into positions.

They probably will have to make some accommodations for child care and pregnancy (it is an open secret that some young women who join voluntarily manage to get off of Navy ships and some other deployments by "pleading their bellies.")

Look for this to be followed with a huge national "Presidental" push to improve the health of elementary and high school students - that isn't even new, they had it when I was in elementary school.

Back then it was almost a joke, this time they really do have their work cut out for them if they really think they can reverse the tides of childhood obesity and ill health unless they are willing to take on the entire food-industrial-complex that has some of the biggest pools of cash in the Washington DC Swamp, at least in terms of the American lobbyists.

 

[Housecarl]

Named? Sure. Ready? No.

And we all know how fast liberal youth would line up to be “drafted.” Right? Ditto for conservative youth, who in no way got shafted by the recent elections.

MS, I hear that China Connection needs a “doommate.” Maybe you should reach out to him...

They just link student loans to registration. IIRC it was early on when registration was restarted.

 

[Housecarl]

Of course "he" (or his handlers) are in favor of this - first they know the best way to have "unity" is to have a great big war...second they also can read that 70 percent of young men are already considered not medically (or legally) fit to serve.

So if they extend the registration (and potential draft) to young women, they figure they get at least 30 percent more warm bodies to slot into positions.

They probably will have to make some accommodations for child care and pregnancy (it is an open secret that some young women who join voluntarily manage to get off of Navy ships and some other deployments by "pleading their bellies.")

Look for this to be followed with a huge national "Presidental" push to improve the health of elementary and high school students - that isn't even new, they had it when I was in elementary school.

Back then it was almost a joke, this time they really do have their work cut out for them if they really think they can reverse the tides of childhood obesity and ill health unless they are willing to take on the entire food-industrial-complex that has some of the biggest pools of cash in the Washington DC Swamp, at least in terms of the American lobbyists.

That youth health improvement would likely go hand in hand with whatever new woke indoctration plan they'll role out.

 

[Melodi]

That youth health improvement would likely go hand in hand with whatever new woke indoctration plan they'll role out.

Yeah, I was thinking of the Obama era dumped lunches that were so "healthy" children would not eat them will be making a come back.

To really change things though, the kids won't be able to wait until 3:30 to have lunch at the local fast-food joint and/or be fed ultra-processed food for all the rest of their meals.

And the food industry giants won't like that one bit, for nearly 50 years now they have marched towards highly industrialized, processed food-like products made from sugar, starch, salt, and fat with various flavorings.

Turning that around, isn't impossible but it won't be easy either - it is not the only problem but look for the food companies to insist it is "all about exercise," and "healthy choices." What they mean is "don't say a bad word about our garbage, blame everything on kids sitting in front of computers all day."

When in reality, both are contributing to the problem.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

The drug use, criminal background, and being obese are fairly simple to fix.

1) Put people where they can't GET any more drugs. Presto, not drug-users any more.

2) Ignore criminal background; being a thief doesn't keep someone from clearing mines with shovels under heavy fire, digging ditches, filling sandbags, or just being a bullet sponge when needed.

3) Obese? Lock them up, give them 1000 calories a day of a high-protein/low-carb diet (doesn't have to be the good stuff; jack mackeral, generic canned tuna, low-grade chicken, potted meat, etc., will do), make them walk and swim. Wait 3+ months, boom, done.

 

[The Snack Artist]

It's a brave new world. Hell yes, make the women sign up for selective service. Under penalty of law.

 

[Melodi]

Sadly, especially with the health issues, it isn't that simple - I mean sure I've thought for some time there would be "pre-boot camp, camps" but as the military is already discovering, you can make people thin by force but you can't strengthen bones that are brittle and weak from bad nutrition and lack of exercise.

Friends in the military have told me that the major reason they are having to overhaul basic training even for those qualified to join up is that way too many young people were being medically discharged for bone fractures that occurred during normal training.

That sort of bone weakness doesn't happen overnight and it is medically and physically impossible to fix it overnight - you can diet people all you like and even force them to get in better shape, but if they can't do basic military marches or maneuvers without cracking the bones in the feet, legs, and arms; well they are not a lot use other than perhaps for sitting at a desk after being exempted from boot camp.

It will take at least 16 to 18 years of proper food, exercise, and lifestyle changes to raise a new generation that is even up to the specs most people had in the 1960s when they were drafted (or even the Gulf War generation of 30 years ago, when this was just getting started).

There is no quick way to solve this problem other than to seriously encourage that 30 percent of the younger population that IS fit to serve, possibly with a new GI Bill, higher salaries, and benefits AFTER they complete their service.

Carrots are going to work a lot better than sticks, because using sticks on people who break easily just gets the broken, even when they are volunteers.

In the short term, I suspect if there are a big war and a draft - there will be a separation between serving soldiers and the greater number who can only do desk jobs.

 

[Housecarl]

The drug use, criminal background, and being obese are fairly simple to fix.

1) Put people where they can't GET any more drugs. Presto, not drug-users any more.

2) Ignore criminal background; being a thief doesn't keep someone from clearing mines with shovels under heavy fire, digging ditches, filling sandbags, or just being a bullet sponge when needed.

3) Obese? Lock them up, give them 1000 calories a day of a high-protein/low-carb diet (doesn't have to be the good stuff; jack mackeral, generic canned tuna, low-grade chicken, potted meat, etc., will do), make them walk and swim. Wait 3+ months, boom, done.

That takes care of the weight but not the skeletal structure and ligaments or cardio vascular system.

As for #2, Mcnamara's Morons comes immediately to mind.

 

[The Snack Artist]

Sadly, especially with the health issues, it isn't that simple - I mean sure I've thought for some time there would be "pre-boot camp, camps" but as the military is already discovering, you can make people thin by force but you can't strengthen bones that are brittle and weak from bad nutrition and lack of exercise.

Friends in the military have told me that the major reason they are having to overhaul basic training even for those qualified to join up is that way too many young people were being medically discharged for bone fractures that occurred during normal training.

That sort of bone weakness doesn't happen overnight and it is medically and physically impossible to fix it overnight - you can diet people all you like and even force them to get in better shape, but if they can't do basic military marches or maneuvers without cracking the bones in the feet, legs, and arms; well they are not a lot use other than perhaps for sitting at a desk after being exempted from boot camp.

It will take at least 16 to 18 years of proper food, exercise, and lifestyle changes to raise a new generation that is even up to the specs most people had in the 1960s when they were drafted (or even the Gulf War generation of 30 years ago, when this was just getting started).

There is no quick way to solve this problem other than to seriously encourage that 30 percent of the younger population that IS fit to serve, possibly with a new GI Bill, higher salaries, and benefits AFTER they complete their service.

Carrots are going to work a lot better than sticks, because using sticks on people who break easily just gets the broken, even when they are volunteers.

In the short term, I suspect if there are a big war and a draft - there will be a separation between serving soldiers and the greater number who can only do desk jobs.

Too bad. Break their damned bones then.

 

[Melodi]

Too bad. Break their damned bones then.

Uh doesn't work, the military CAN NOT USE THEM, or at least that is what folks I know in the military have told me.

I don't make those decisions, the military does and they know a lot better than I do, what their requirements are.

 

[Housecarl]

Sadly, especially with the health issues, it isn't that simple - I mean sure I've thought for some time there would be "pre-boot camp, camps" but as the military is already discovering, you can make people thin by force but you can't strengthen bones that are brittle and weak from bad nutrition and lack of exercise.

Friends in the military have told me that the major reason they are having to overhaul basic training even for those qualified to join up is that way too many young people were being medically discharged for bone fractures that occurred during normal training.

That sort of bone weakness doesn't happen overnight and it is medically and physically impossible to fix it overnight - you can diet people all you like and even force them to get in better shape, but if they can't do basic military marches or maneuvers without cracking the bones in the feet, legs, and arms; well they are not a lot use other than perhaps for sitting at a desk after being exempted from boot camp.

It will take at least 16 to 18 years of proper food, exercise, and lifestyle changes to raise a new generation that is even up to the specs most people had in the 1960s when they were drafted (or even the Gulf War generation of 30 years ago, when this was just getting started).

There is no quick way to solve this problem other than to seriously encourage that 30 percent of the younger population that IS fit to serve, possibly with a new GI Bill, higher salaries, and benefits AFTER they complete their service.

Carrots are going to work a lot better than sticks, because using sticks on people who break easily just gets the broken, even when they are volunteers.

In the short term, I suspect if there are a big war and a draft - there will be a separation between serving soldiers and the greater number who can only do desk jobs.

Hyundai/Boston Dynamics are likely to have legionary robots up and fielded faster than that.

 

[The Snack Artist]

Uh doesn't work, the military CAN NOT USE THEM, or at least that is what folks I know in the military have told me.

I don't make those decisions, the military does and they know a lot better than I do, what their requirements are.

Break them anyway. They have it coming. This is a new amerika.

 

[ShadowMan]

And regarding that 30% of potentially draftable females......half of that or more would get pregnant to avoid the draft. I saw that back in my days in the navy when women didn't want to deploy. Heck one ship, a tender/repair ship (if I recall correctly) in the Persian Gulf with a majority of women as crew on board....had half of them get pregnant and had to return to port and cancel the deployment. Hmmmmm accident?

So you can forget that "warm body" resource. Not to mention how many of those eligible draftee's simply wouldn't show up (and mom and dad would support that). We'd have to build a wall between the US and Canada just to stop the surge of young folks running north. Also, the military would have to allow marijuana use (like they do alcohol) or you can forget accepting any draftees from:

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington

Convince me I'm wrong.

 

[The Snack Artist]

And regarding that 30% of potentially draftable females......half of that or more would get pregnant to avoid the draft. I saw that back in my days in the navy when women didn't want to deploy. Heck one ship, a tender/repair ship (if I recall correctly) in the Persian Gulf with a majority of women as crew on board....had half of them get pregnant and had to return to port and cancel the deployment. Hmmmmm accident?

So you can forget that "warm body" resource. Not to mention how many of those eligible draftee's simply wouldn't show up (and mom and dad would support that). We'd have to build a wall between the US and Canada just to stop the surge of young folks running north. Also, the military would have to allow marijuana use (like they do alcohol) or you can forget accepting any draftees from:

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington

Convince me I'm wrong.

You are dead on. Take them anyway and use them for cannon fodder. They are good for something after all.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

Hyundai/Boston Dynamics are likely to have legionary robots up and fielded faster than that.

Average to slightly below-average IQ people you don't much care if you lose are way cheaper than any robot beyond drones you can buy at Wal-Mart in the kid's toy aisle.

Re the broken bones, do note that women get stress fractures and the like at about 5x the frequency men do, just in basic training.

Re women conveniently getting PG: we have Norplant and such now, and meanwhile probably 1/4 of the 20-YOs are sterile from STDs and don't even know it.

 

[Troke]

Just what kind of war could we expect to get into that would require a large amount of 'manpower'?

 

[Melodi]

Of course, more young women get stress fractures because women's bones tend (on average) to be smaller and they suffer more if their diets are low in essential nutrients even more than young men do.

And I totally agree and I already said, some young women will avoid the draft and/or serving by "pleading their belly" that may help increase the population overnight but it won't help the military very much.

As for "just break them and use them" what part of "they are not fit for purpose" is not understandable? I guess you could plan to lose a war because your soldiers are falling down from broken legs and can't carry their guns, much less their packs - but I think that would be kind of foolish.

In the short-term, some out of the box thinking may be needed.

As for "drug use" there would/will have to be changed to the current "if you have ever done this and been convicted you can't serve" because again, friends in the military tell me that is a huge problem. People who want to volunteer discover they can't because they got busted for something they did several years before.

In legal states that would mean simply not asking people if they have used MJ or ignore it, even if there is a "rule" that you can't use it while serving.

US Troops stationed in the UK are forbidden to use fully legal over the counter drugs here (and in the UK) that contain codeine, I had one guy try to tell me "as a US Citizen you can't take that" and I said, "No, as a serving US military person under oath you can't take it, I can because I'm just a citizen. I know this because I used to work security clearances."

I had a woman in 1989 pass her security clearance because she had legally used MJ in a foreign country where it was legal as a civilian.

The military could choose to make both alcohol and MJ illegal for serving military though getting the first to stick would be nearly impossible (in my opinion) at least off-duty.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Starship Troopers. Want to be a citizen? You have to serve. Your choice.

 

[ShadowMan]

Sadly, especially with the health issues, it isn't that simple - I mean sure I've thought for some time there would be "pre-boot camp, camps" but as the military is already discovering, you can make people thin by force but you can't strengthen bones that are brittle and weak from bad nutrition and lack of exercise.

Friends in the military have told me that the major reason they are having to overhaul basic training even for those qualified to join up is that way too many young people were being medically discharged for bone fractures that occurred during normal training.

That sort of bone weakness doesn't happen overnight and it is medically and physically impossible to fix it overnight - you can diet people all you like and even force them to get in better shape, but if they can't do basic military marches or maneuvers without cracking the bones in the feet, legs, and arms; well they are not a lot use other than perhaps for sitting at a desk after being exempted from boot camp.

It will take at least 16 to 18 years of proper food, exercise, and lifestyle changes to raise a new generation that is even up to the specs most people had in the 1960s when they were drafted (or even the Gulf War generation of 30 years ago, when this was just getting started).

There is no quick way to solve this problem other than to seriously encourage that 30 percent of the younger population that IS fit to serve, possibly with a new GI Bill, higher salaries, and benefits AFTER they complete their service.

Carrots are going to work a lot better than sticks, because using sticks on people who break easily just gets the broken, even when they are volunteers.

In the short term, I suspect if there are a big war and a draft - there will be a separation between serving soldiers and the greater number who can only do desk jobs.

YOU ARE SOOOOO RIGHT!!

I saw that first hand when supervising the Edson Range Medical Clinic on Camp Pendleton back in the early 90's. That was the second phase of Marine Corps boot camp on the West Coast. I would imagine it's worse today. Never saw so many shin splints, micro fractures, stress fractures and worse.

The worst one I remember was a young boot on a hump (field hike) carrying only a 25 pound ruck (pack). Infantry Marines routinely carry anything from 50 pounds to over a hundred and hump miles and miles in a day. He was just walking along and suddenly his femur shattered.....and I do mean SHATTERED!! The damn bone simply blew up....as in spiral transverse compound fracture of the mid shaft of the femur. They managed to save his leg. Ran a rod down through the center of the bone and pinned all the fragments together, but his military career ended right then and there. He's lucky it didn't kill him. Had a bone fragment nicked the femoral artery he wouldn't have made it out of the field.

Had another kid that we recycled four times for bilateral Tib/Fib stress fractures. We'd pull him out of training, put him in physical rehab for 4-6 weeks, get him healed up, built back up and put him back into training only to have to do it all over again week or two later. It wasn't abuse....it was simply that his body just could not take the pounding of normal Marine training. We eventually had to medically discharged him. There is no way to make up for lack of lack of REAL physical training and poor nutrition when growing up.

 

[Melodi]

Starship Troopers. Want to be a citizen? You have to serve. Your choice.

I would only be in favor of this if there was a non-military service option (it could even be for a longer period than the military one).

That's because I, and many other people would NEVER have qualified for anyone's military except maybe as the last-ditch protection on the homestead shooting from the window near the roof.

The other choice would be a "civilian" or "desk duty" option inside the military (as I already suggested for part of the current situation if a war broke out).

I could have been a clerk or something with no problems, but I could never have made it to boot camp, I might not even have been able to reach the light switch in the barracks (my university professor use to have to sharpen my pencils before exams if they broke, it was over a foot over my head).

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

Just what kind of war could we expect to get into that would require a large amount of 'manpower'?

Land war in Asia (Korea, say) or mid-size power in Mideast in rough terrain (trying to conquer Iran, say) would take way more bodies than we have in uniform now. Just REALLY sealing the U.S./Mex border (against illegals carrying Ebola/a new Black Plague/smallpox, say) would take a bunch.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

I would only be in favor of this if there was a non-military service option (it could even be for a longer period than the military one).

That's because I, and many other people would NEVER have qualified for anyone's military except maybe as the last-ditch protection on the homestead shooting from the window near the roof.

The other choice would be a "civilian" or "desk duty" option inside the military (as I already suggested for part of the current situation if a war broke out).

I could have been a clerk or something with no problems, but I could never have made it to boot camp, I might not even have been able to reach the light switch in the barracks (my university professor use to have to sharpen my pencils before exams if they broke, it was over a foot over my head).

That's arguably not genuinely being in the military, and thus shouldn't count for earning the franchise. Do any one of invade at Iwo Jima or Omaha Beach, charge at the Battle of Franklin, spend a few months under siege at Khe Sanh, hold the Pusan Perimeter/break out from encirclement at Chosin, etc., and we're good.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I would only be in favor of this if there was a non-military service option (it could even be for a longer period than the military one).

The vast majority of military jobs are non-combat. Further, boot camp isn’t just physical training. It teaches military subjects such as chain-of-command, the UCMJ, military protocols, etc. Even if a person couldn’t complete the physical activity, the classroom activity is vital

 

[Troke]

Land war in Asia (Korea, say) or mid-size power in Mideast in rough terrain (trying to conquer Iran, say) would take way more bodies than we have in uniform now. Just REALLY sealing the U.S./Mex border (against illegals carrying Ebola/a new Black Plague/smallpox, say) would take a bunch.

Invade? Iran a problem? Drone it into oblivion. Ditto Korea. As for the borders, federalize the NG and you have enough.

 

[MinnesotaSmith]

Invade? Iran a problem? Drone it into oblivion. Ditto Korea. As for the borders, federalize the NG and you have enough.

I said CONQUER Iran, not bomb it a bunch. Likewise, keep the NG active duty long enough, and you start not having any NG. That's not what they're for.

 

[db cooper]

As for #2, Mcnamara's Morons comes immediately to mind.

If you are talking about those persons with exceptionally low IQ's that were drafted for Vietnam, then I can relate to that. I was around a few of them as next door neighbors at Nha Trang. Their ability to learn, remember, think for themselves, to be creative and take orders were severely limited. Many of them worked out great in menial tasks such as cargo handlers at supply dumps. They were not competent enough for everyday jobs like driving a truck, cooking or being a mechanic. They could not be trusted with a gun. I'm not trying to be mean, but to look at them, their facial expressions, how they walked and talked was almost comical as they trully appeared to be stupid. (sadly, what I've described fits most democrat voters)

On the other hand those prone to criminal activity were best for combat duty as they had a lesser fear of death and were excellent risk takers.

 

[hiwall]

Most anyone can be used in Operation Human Shield