Posted on Nov 10, 2013
Should women of military age now be required to register for the Selective Service Program (Draft)?
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With the fight for equality in the military and the recent decision by the Army to open combat arms MOS's to women in the Army, being so much in the news and discussion, do you think that women of the required Selective Service age group should be made to register as their male counterparts are?
Posted in these groups: 
Military service
Women in the Military
Military service Women in the Military
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 87
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If we are going to change the law we should change it so no one is required to register. If we can't get people to join freely to fight a war than it is not worth fighting. If we do not own our own lives and fates than we aren't free at all.
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SFC (Join to see)
I agree with you and the SGM Sir. Get rid of it, it is useless. My question was more of an equal treatment question than a draft question. I am just curious what the general consensus is on the topic. I'd still love to get a female service member's opinion.
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SFC Day, Yes I think if Congress were to chance the law requiring them to that would be fine. I mean if a guy fails to register they can't get college loans or grants where women can and don't have to register. As someone else posted it is not really conducive to the AVF and it should be all or none if they want to keep Selective Service going. Hey wait maybe that is a way we can save money cut Selective services out of the government??
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SrA Derek Neuts
Do you think it's better to require Selective Service for federal benefits, such as college loans, or require people to stay in for the default time of 3 years for most other benefits? It's my understanding that some foreign militaries don't grant benefits until much longer terms of service.
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I would say 'Yes'...BUT, it's the 'law' that women do not register.<br><br><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Selective Service law as it's written now refers specifically to "male persons" in stating who must register and who would be drafted. For women to be required to register with Selective Service, Congress would have to amend the law.<br><br>This is key to how the law can NOW be amended: "</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Because women are excluded by policy from front line combat positions, excluding them from the draft process remains justifiable in DoD's view."</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br><br>Read the Selective Service System (SSS) site:<br></span><a href="http://www.sss.gov/fswomen.htm">http://www.sss.gov/fswomen.htm</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br></span>
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MAJ Gregory Youngblood
Well... even on that page it says: "DoD recognized that policies regarding women need to be reviewed periodically because the role of women in the military continues to expand. The Selective Service System, if given the mission and additional funding, is capable of registering and drafting women with its existing infrastructure." Now that combat arms, and therefore front line combat positions are open to women, the DoD's original argument is invalidated. By their own reasoning, I think women should be included.
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When men start bearing children, then yes, women should be required to register.
Until then, we owe it to future generations to guarantee that our children can have a stable home life with at least one non-deployable parent, if the parents so choose. I made the choice to start a family rather than enlist at age 18, and I feel that I was able to be a better mother without having to worry about field missions, deployments, etc.
I also think that the SSR should be suspended or eliminated altogether, but that wasn't the question posed here.
Until then, we owe it to future generations to guarantee that our children can have a stable home life with at least one non-deployable parent, if the parents so choose. I made the choice to start a family rather than enlist at age 18, and I feel that I was able to be a better mother without having to worry about field missions, deployments, etc.
I also think that the SSR should be suspended or eliminated altogether, but that wasn't the question posed here.
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SGT (Join to see)
I believe that mothers should not have to put off child-bearing or forego nursing and bonding with their babies in order to go to war, unless she does so voluntarily. It's also my belief that most women are designed to be the primary nurturers in the family, with few exceptions. If a woman chooses to serve before her children are grown, then so be it, but it's not the choice I made. I don't put down mothers who chose to serve while their children were still young, so I don't see why others can't be tolerant of my belief in traditional family values.
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1SG (Join to see)
I'm a single father and have a "Family Care Plan" which enables me to serve and deploy. Women are not the only care takers and my children support me in my service. Like it has been said this has not been used in 40 years but it is a tool in our arsenal and women have now entered the realm of combat which entitles them to Selective Service.
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SGT (Join to see)
You wrote: "Since previously women were barred from direct combat roles, they have been exempted from registering."
Cpl Kenneth Darby, what is your source for stating that the only reason females were exempt for registering for SS is that we were barred from direct combat roles?
Cpl Kenneth Darby, what is your source for stating that the only reason females were exempt for registering for SS is that we were barred from direct combat roles?
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SFC James Young
I literally must have missed someting. When men can bear children, then yes? Makes no sense.
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<p>Easiest thing to do is just do away with the SSR to begin with, being that the military is an all-volunteer force and has been for almost 4 decades, it is antiquated an un-useful at this juncture.</p><p><br></p><p>If there is no need to add women who are now being allowed to serve in combat MOSs and Congress is unwilling to amend the law that makes it mandatory for males then the system needs to be completely removed altogether. </p>
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Suspended Profile
I'm a little disappointed that no other female Soldiers or NCOs have commented on this but me. I can't be the only one who cares about this.
Lt Col (Join to see)
SGT Johnson - sorry for the delay on a response...this is the first time I've seen this thread. Even so, you've represented women in the military very well in this discussion!
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PO1 Kerry French
yep. I just saw this too. Sorry.... I've been getting things ready to take a group to my capitol tomorrow to lobby for a Female Genital Mutilation bill... been busy.
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This is an EQUAL OPPRITUNITY Military and if women want to serve in Combat Rolls now why not, but I also think that every male should have to join the military for at least two years after turning 18. Who am I to say what the DOD should do!!
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SSG (Join to see)
I agree that it is an EO Military, but why just the males? It isn't fair and that in itself is hypocritical.
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SSG(P) Chris T.
I disagree about the two year requirement. Have you been to Korea? They have a requirement for their males to join. These Soldiers (not all) don't care about what the military stands for. They don't care about the honors and lineage and espri de corps that goes along with serving.
Like I mentioned in another post... this is an all volunteer force and look at some of the products we have now. Imagine if they were made to join....
Like I mentioned in another post... this is an all volunteer force and look at some of the products we have now. Imagine if they were made to join....
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SSG (Join to see)
yes, i have been to korea, germany as well. Look at their society as a whole, and how screwed up ours is.. what is it do you think that makes the difference.
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SSG Laureano Pabon
This is a very interesting point put here. I wonder if its only males whom don't care what happens. Because I never heard of males or females SM that don't care. So when it comes to SM whom don't care are these SM Males or Females?
However SGT Jarrett I tend to lean more in your direction when it comes to registration. I kind of figured that the reason for that was to see how many males will be available in the event of a full scale WAR (or WWIII). Politicians never give the reasons for why they act the way they do. In my time It was volunteer, no draft, no registration. That tells me someone is scared and someone is hiding something from our view to make sure actions as they are now.
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Absolutely. I'd love to see a response from a woman though. And I'd enjoy reading an argument against it regardless of gender. There's no such thing as a right without a responsibility.
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CH (CPT) Heather Davis
SFC Day:
Respectfully, I had the honor to work with the Israeli Military when I was an SGT. I came in when I was 17, as an E-1 and I think that all should serve. This is regardless if you meet the requirements.
I would take everyone right out of high school. This would be a mandatory two year program and provide those without a high school diploma a chance to get their GED.
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CH (CPT) Heather Davis
SFC Day:
The Military has always been the best surrogate parent for those that did not get the proper nurturing and home training from home. I would not be who I am today if it wasn't for the caliber of NCOs and Officers who poured their heart and soul into me. There is no greater honor than to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
This instills honor, and self-discipline that ate needed to govern oneself, in order to be productive in society.
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If we want to be a 'totally' free society and promote equality among our people then both men and women should be made to sign up for the selective service by changing the law - or get rid of the selective service altogether and go back to a draft for both sexes if and only if we ever got to that desperate need again in our future.
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