Without becoming involved in a battle of the sexes children need both parents but above all young need their mothers. A draft would open possibilities of a mother being called up who might have a newborn, a toddler or other young children in the home.  What about single or any mothers with very young children and no family or other caretaker for young children.

I'm ok with everyone having to register when they turn 18, but I would grant deferments to pregnant women and mothers with young children, as flowergirl mentioned above.

The draft wasn't fairly administrated when it was last in effect (spoken as one of the last people to receive his draft notice prior to the lottery system being imposed, which hastened his joining the Navy). There were too many deferments and ways to avoid the draft (with the right connections). Just check out the service records of the majority of our elected officials and candidates that laud our patriotic veterans while under their breath thank god that they themselves didn't have to interrupt their lives and serve. Look, as long as there is only 1% of the population actively serving in the most expensive combined armed forces on the face of the Earth, regardless of the patriotic red, white, and blue, flag waving, chicken hawk, politicians, businessmen, commentators, and regular 'mericans out there, the men and women that truly fulfilled their duty in the armed forces still don't get what is due to them. Just look at the VA (excuse me . . . That's now the Department of Veterans Affairs). The fact is, the average American who never had the experience of serving in harm's way, pays little more than lip service to the armed forces or veterans.

I would be in favor of a minimum of two years of public service being mandatory for anybody, male or female, that is physically and mentally able to serve. That could be in the armed forces, Peace Corps, Americorps, or some other approved organization that truly provides service that benefits the citizens of the U.S. No excuses. No daddy paid my way to keep me out of it. No ghost position--like working on somebody's political campaign (are your ears burning G.W.?).

Goose wrote:

It's a curious discussion given the fact that the military really does not want to abandon the all volunteer force.

Could this perhaps be a way that the generals can protest the recent decision to open up more areas to women ?

If this is not a protest, then it is a way of pointing out the logical consequence of opening up more roles classified as "combat" to both sexes.

Also, let it be noted that Selective Service registration is pretty much passe....a merge of driver license, student loan, and electronic benefits (welfare) databases would snare just about all 18 year olds except the Amish, and they'd be C.O. anyway.