Dodgy On The Draft

This article was written by CBSNews.com intern Nick Ehrenberg.

In the past year, the government has tried to alleviate any worries that the draft would return. Last November, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected a bill to reinstate conscription for the War in Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on the House floor in June that "there isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back." President Bush himself denied any draft plans during last year's election, saying "we're not going to have a draft so long as I'm the president."

For some students, that just isn't enough.

"The Bush administration will swear up and down that a draft won't happen, but the reality is that our military is in trouble," said University of California-Santa Clara senior Celina Holmes. "There aren't enough boots on the ground or enough men and women enlisting."

"If the United States decides to attack Syria or Iran, it will need as much manpower as it can get," said Texas Lutheran senior Bobby Luyties. "We may be forced to reinstate the draft if that happens."

Holmes and Luyties echo the position shared by many blogs and online interest groups that chronicle congressional actions influencing reinstatement of the draft. The group StopTheDraft.com offers resources to draft-weary young adults and encourages them to confront their representatives. Mothers Against The Draft offers advice for parents of draft-age children regarding the conscientious objector status. Another group, NoDraftNoWay.org, organizes protests by military recruiting stations.

Draft registration remains mandatory for all men turning 18 years of age. If a man does not register with Selective Service, he may be denied several government-sponsored benefits such as financial aid, federal employment and federal job training.

The draft itself is widely unpopular among Americans of all ages. A recent AP/Ipsos poll found that seven in 10 Americans are against draft reinstatement. A majority of those polled would even discourage their children from enlisting voluntarily.

Because of low recruitment, the Army reduced the physical and mental requirements for enlistment, allowing for more recruits without high school diplomas. Also, the Army intends to boost its recruitment benefits from $20,000 to $40,000. But even after revising requirements and raising benefits, the Army cannot meet goals. In the 2005 fiscal year, it fell an estimated 6,600 short of its recruiting goal, according to the Department of Defense.

"The U.S. will face more armed conflict in the next ten years; the Army is shifting its focus and structure," said Holmes, who represents her university's ROTC branch. "Never has there been more of a demand for officers. I've spoken to many decorated men who deliver the bottom line about the troubles the Army and other branches are facing. The Army is accepting anyone who enlists irregardless of drug tests or IQ standards."

In an effort to reverse the low recruitment trend, some military recruiters are targeting high school students. The No Child Left Behind act gives recruiters the same access to students as college and career counselors. Many anti-recruitment protestors denounce military presence in schools, arguing that the recruiters act more like salesman than soldiers.

Most of the fear of reinstating a draft comes from assumptions that it will be organized much like the Vietnam-era draft, where college students and children of privilege often deferred. The Selective Service System explains that a modern draft would be distinctly different. College deferrals would only last until the end of an academic semester or the end of the year for seniors. A lottery system would determine who is drafted, beginning with men who turn 20 in the year of the draft. Selective Service also claims that local draft boards now have better representation of their respective communities, helping to eliminate arguments about racial and economic bias.

Since 1973, America has operated with a volunteer army. However, some argue that reinstating compulsory service may be beneficial to the country's defenses. Paul Glastris and Philip Carter of the Washington Monthly made the case for a modern draft last March.

"A modernized draft would demand that the privileged participate. It would give all who serve a choice over how they serve. And it would provide the military, on a 'just in time' basis, large numbers of deployable ground troops, particularly the peacekeepers we'll need to meet the security challenges of the 21st century."

Carter and Glastris believed that a draft today would allow draftees to choose which branch to serve in, whether it is the PeaceCorps, non-combat, or military. They believed that most would chose the first two, but those who braved the military would receive better benefits. Regardless of which sector draftees choose, the American military would receive a much-needed boost in manpower.

Compulsory service has long been controversial in American history. But several other countries — most notably Germany, Switzerland, and Israel — implement a mandatory service requirement for all male citizens.

"When a man turns 18 in Germany, he goes through a few months of service," said Thomas Reutin, a German student currently studying in Washington. "Basic training lasts the first two months, and then he is either assigned to an office or shipped abroad for peacekeeping duty. It's not that big of a deal. Americans fear that they will be sent to fight in Iraq, but Germans really don't have that fear."

While most Americans denounce forced conscription, young men like Luyties are warming up to the European style of compulsory service as a replacement.

"I would approve of a system where an 18-year-old man must serve at least six months, whether it is with the PeaceCorps or military," said Luyties. "The idea is that you should earn your rights as an American, and not have them given to you."

For now, the draft remains on permanent hiatus. But the debate over whether it should be unearthed rages on, as do the fears of many young adults across the country.

By Nick Ehrenberg