America should remove the Selective Service
For young men, registering for the Selective Service may seem like a rite of passage into adulthood. With recent action allowing women into military combat and higher positions, the proposal of requiring women to also apply for draft has come to light.
Military officials of both genders are urging action to include all eligible U.S. citizens in the Selective Service system. While the intentions of embracing gender equality are reasonable, the idea of the draft itself is becoming outdated and unnecessary. Nobody should have to register for a military draft.
The mentality stemming from the Selective Service is one of unrealistic security. From a time of paranoia, more specifically the Cold War, the draft eased the minds of the country knowing that a large army could be ready for combat at any time. This peace of mind, however, disregards the registration, training and support of new recruits, many of which start completely from scratch if lacking in military experience.
The last time America implemented a draft was in the Vietnam War in 1973. Having conscription in place made sense with the disinterest in the conflict. President Johnson, however, quickly misused the system, needlessly increasing the size of America’s ground forces in Vietnam and leading to more than 58,000 deaths and years of protest.
Looking at today’s society, we’re still hesitant about the conscription system. Often, the only incentive of applying for the Selective Service is its requirement for obtaining a driver’s license in some states, or avoiding penalties when it comes to federal student loans.
America is punishing those overlooking the old-fashioned ways of the draft, leading to a mutual mistrust. The military should have faith that both men and women, in case of a situation where a larger army is needed, will volunteer themselves and call to action. The expansion of combat roles to women speaks for itself in the desire to volunteer to defend our country. When the military is strictly composed of volunteers, it’s more effective and motivated.
Having more people actually makes military actions more difficult. Instead, as seen in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military officials have relied on smaller groups of highly qualified individuals, proving that these specialized strategies are valuable in today’s style of combat. Quality over quantity.
Furthermore, removing the Selective Service system would save about $23 million per year, helping alleviate our national debt. It would also avoid spending the $465 million needed to perform a future draft. To improve all aspects of our government, we should be considering all possibilities to pull ourselves out of debt. Removing an ineffective system is a smart move to make.
When thinking of recent conflicts involving Islam extremists, some people are reconsidering the draft as a good idea. When examining our involvement in the Middle East and potential future violence, having a draft system in place will be pointless. The Selective Service system won’t be the reason we win or lose a war.
The military should consist of targeted people who’ll remain dedicated to the armed forces for years to come, and shouldn’t force every American into a system against his, or her, will.
