I was talking to a female Air Force veteran and the issue of females being allowed into both Army and Marine infantrycame up. I gave my dissenting opinion about why this is a bad idea. She called the issue settled, as the ladies passed the required test. Perhaps that is true.
However, if equality is the goal, when will 18 year old women be forced to register with Selective Service Administration? Since the privilege of serving in the infantry and other combat arms has been extended, when will the responsibility that comes with that come to bear?

Personally I am not in favor of anyone being required to register for the draft, much less be compelled to serve. I believe this because if our country cannot summon enough Patriots in a time of need without threat of imprisonment, it is time for the country to be invaded and a hardier race come to be.

However, this issue of unequal burden seems to bug me for some reason. Until the selective service requirement is done away with, all citizens should be compelled to register, as they are all equal in the potential ability to fight.

I'm good with the way things are right now. As long as brave young men and women volunteer to potentially put themselves in harms way, I see no need in changing. After all, not all has or will have the courage to serve. That's way I'm proud to be part of the less then 10% percentile who has.
When it comes down to having enough to serve when needed, just look as to what happen after 911. Folks who would not have done so otherwise went and signed up. The likes of Chris Kyle and many others.
There are many ways to fight a war, equipment and weapons need to be built. Susie the riveter comes to mind during WW2 and I knew a lady who worked 30 years making combat boots for soldiers(nickname was boots). War can and will be fought on many fronts. Sarge

I don't believe anyone is required to sign up for selective service. If you get a federal student loan you have to sign up which is why I am.

According to selective service website the penalty for purposly avoiding registering is a federal crime. The potential sentence is 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 dollar fine.

A young guy has 5 years but 250k, that's dumb.

I say draft ALL snowflakes. Teach em to wake up before noon!

I missed the selective service requirement by a couple months,I also missed Vietnam service by 5 years.I have no problem with selective service requirements,but my opinion is that women should be excempt from selective service requirements,period.
Everything hasn't a simple solution,everything is not fair,or equal,nor should be.

I would agree with you flyinfinn but I don't wish to enlarge your ego. Pretty soon you'll think you were right twice!

Incorrect. From the Selective Service website:

Who Must Register - Almost all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service.

NON-CITIZENS - With very few exceptions, all males between ages 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service System (SSS) within 30 days of arriving in the United States. This includes U.S. born and naturalized citizens, parolees, undocumented immigrants, legal permanent residents, asylum seekers, refugees, and all males with visas of any kind which expired more than 30 days ago. The few individuals who are exempt from this requirement are those on current non-immigrant visas.

you would be wrong.

I say if women feel so "oppressed" and want to be on equal terms with men, then it's a two way street. You want to be treated exactly like a man then man up or shut up. I'm not the one that started all of this drivel. Besides, plenty of armies all over the world have women that must serve just like men. Not a bad thing in my opinion and I would fight beside a woman. They can pull a trigger as good as a man.

You must have survived the invasion during the 1960s if not willing to serve was the issue. I am glad those at home held them off while many of us were 10,000 miles away under GI orders to fight. Thank you for your service.

Bryce

This idea of selective service age requirement, in light of recent state laws disallowing Constitutional protections of those 18 to 20 year olds, needs to be looked at again. An 18-20 year old of EITHER sex cannot purchase a firearm in two of our 50 states. They cannot drink or possess alcohol in any state, they cannot even buy a pack of cigarettes in some states and an increasing number of lower jurisdictions. How can WE expect them to give their lives, involuntarily, for US when we cannot entrust them with these simple things?
I believe it is in our national interest to settle these disparities now, in a time of relative peace, rather than in a national emergency. It would be a shame to have a big fine war all planned out and nobody bothered to show up for it.

Don't worry. The 10% will protect the 90%. Sarge

I think military service for all young men should be mandatory, with the exception of those not qualified. I do not want to see women in combat, but in supportive roles. I strongly feel that those having college deferments be required to serve 2 years after graduation. I have no use for draft dodgers!

I used to be amenable to the idea that compulsory service would be a net positive. I then realized that compulsory military service is nothing more than the collective telling the individual they do not own their own body. Therefore, whether the service would be good for the collective or bad, it is immoral and should not be condoned.

Neither do I!

Jim

I am retired Army and remember the draft years. I am 90% against the draft but a small part of me wonders. Since our Armed Forces are all volunteer has military force become an extension of diplomacy? It used to be a last resort. If you were born on 9/11 you are almost old enough to serve in the same war. Food for thought.

That is food for thought. When war is no longer meant to be won, but to be continuous; it is more politically comfortable to have a military consisting of volunteers than subject a more broad cross section of the country to the political whims of war.

I worked with quite a few liberal feminist who always argue about the “wage gap” and the lower number or women in power roles. They will not listen to my argument (with proof) that the wage gap doesn’t exist to the extent that they want you to believe. I do think women should be paid equal salary for equal work. However, so many times do I hear them complaining about less pay yet they don’t want to do the tough jobs. It’s funny this was brought up on here because my usual response to gender equality arguments is that if they want 100% equal treatment, then the roles need to be 100% equal. My typical argument ended is that if we’re going to be 100% equal, then women should be required to register for the draft. You should hear the scoffs I get. “Well who would take care of the kids?” My response, I’m equally qualified to take care of kids.