I was reading an article today about whether in light of the US's killing Soleimani might the US have to re-start the draft. Ahh, nothing like the press trying to instill fear in the citizens, but then I realized a lot of teens were probably reading the article as it brought back memories of when I was in HS and the Gulf War was going on and some guy started a rumor that we'd be all get drafted. As I was reminiscing, a quick thought appeared in my head "Wait a minute. A lot has changed in society and the military in 25 years? Do women sign up for the draft now? I know they can serve in combat." I honestly did not know. I assumed it hadn't been changed but with people pushing for changes in virtually all aspects of society wasn't sure. A little googling reveals the answer is no women aren't eligible for SSS but it has been debated in Congress apparently and some men have sued saying the SSS is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the US constitiution.
Wikipedia wrote:
On 27 April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee voted to add an amendment[33] to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017[34] to extend the authority for draft registration to women. On 12 May 2016, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to add a similar provision to its version of the bill.[35] If the bill including this provision had been enacted into law, it would have authorized (but not require) the President to order young women as well as young men to register with the Selective Service System.[36]
The House-Senate conference committee for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 removed the provision of the House version of the bill that would have authorized the President to order women as well as men to register with the Selective Service System, but added a new section to create a "National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service" (NCMNPS). This provision was enacted into law on 23 December 2016 as Subtitle F of Public Law 114-328.[37] The Commission is to study and make recommendations by March 2020 on the draft, draft registration, registration of women, and "the feasibility and advisability of modifying the military selective service process in order to obtain for military, national, and public service individuals with skills (such as medical, dental, and nursing skills, language skills, cyber skills, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills) for which the Nation has a critical need, without regard to age or sex." During 2018 and 2019, the Commission held both public and closed-door meetings with members of the public and invited experts and other witnesses.[38]
In February 2019, a challenge to the Military Selective Service Act, which provides for the male-only draft, by the National Coalition for Men, was deemed unconstitutional by Judge Gray H. Miller in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Miller's opinion was based on the Supreme Court's past argument in Rostker v. Goldberg (1981) which had found the male-only draft constitutional because the military then did not allow women to serve. As the Department of Defense has since lifted most restrictions on women in the military, Miller ruled that the justifications no longer apply, and thus the act requiring only men to register would now be considered unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.[39] The government has appealed this decision to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.[40]
Thoughts? Should equality extend to the draft. I know only like 1% of combat troops are women but what perecnet of troops are actually in combat in this day and age?