Women in the Military Draft

In recent news, the question of women being drafted into the armed forces has been a big topic. How can we expect our sisters and daughters to be forced to fight? Something about this topic just doesn’t seem right. Since this nation was founded, the fight for equality has been constant and has yet to end. Through slavery, women’s suffrage, LGBT, and immigrant concerns, America as a whole has never stopped debating over what rights belonged to whom. As a nation founded on the principle of equality, laws have had to change to follow that guideline. Today, everyone fights to have the same rights, but now the question is whom we can force into the military.

Men have been required to register with the selective service for years, and upon the foundation of equality, women should have been as well. Today, the only obvious difference between a man and a woman are the anatomical structures. Statistically, men, on average, outperform women in many physical challenges; the military does not even have the same requirements for women. Frankly, some women make better warriors than some men do. It is a wonder that the United States is even using terms as ‘man’ and ‘woman’ any more in order to comply with political correctness. Women have fought, and continue to fight, so hard to have the same opportunities as men and to be seen as equals rather than inferior to them. Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley believe that women should no longer be exempt now that the military is all-inclusive.

The argument of the physical facts is completely valid. To be drafted by the military would not necessarily force these women into front line combat but could fill support positions which are vital to the success of the military. In World War II, women were often in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Services). These women acted as doctors, attorneys, and engineers, aviation mechanics, parachute riggers, and radiomen, most of them, however, worked in the secretarial and clerical fields. By having women fill these roles, military leaders could push the men into the combat roles for the duration of any war.

This draft proposition does not come unopposed; Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz believes that the idea behind women being drafted is nuts and would not want his own daughters being forced to fight. To that, how would he feel if he had sons? His thinking can be translated to say “send my sons to war but not my daughters.” The idea that Americans feel that it is better to send their son before they send their daughter is interesting. As a male, I would not want to be forced to fight any more than Ted Cruz wants his daughters to fight; however, the fact is that without equality in this aspect, America will never be the greatest nation; it will always be filled with some resentment. Governor Chris Christie said it best at the GOP debate concerning his own daughters and their abilities and obligations that are equal to a male’s. Christie described the need for this draft as ‘a matter of fairness, equal access and opportunity for women.’

In conclusion, to create an equal draft including men and women alike would be a stepping-stone to a better nation. There is no ‘perfect’ way to approach this scenario; however, to achieve the best outcome, we must assume that we are still working towards an equal nation and that anything less would be stepping back so far that resentment for the government is even more inevitable than it already is.