Military Draft May Be Reinstated

There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) to reinstate the draft.

• Bill S 89 was introduced by Sen. Fritz Hollings and Bill HR 163 was introduced by Michigan’s Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.). This plan, among other things, eliminates higher education as a shelter and includes women as eligible to be drafted.
  
  
• Sen. Hollings introduced The National Service Act of 2003, “which provides for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18-26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.”
  
  
• The Pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld’s prediction of a “long, hard slog” in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on “terrorism”] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.
  
  
• Dodging the draft will be more difficult than in the Vietnam era. College and Canada will not be options. In December 2001, Canada and the U.S. signed a “smart border declaration,” which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Reforms aimed at making the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their current semester. Seniors would have until the end of the academic year.
  
  
• $28 million has been added to the 2004 selective service system (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. The Selective Service must report to the President on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, that it is ready for activation. (For further reading visit http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html)
  
  
• Bill S 89 has been sent to the armed services committee. It isn’t likely to be acted upon before the election. Concern mounts that if President Bush is re-elected, the bill could be quickly resurrected and passed as the budget is already in place for it.

To make your voice heard on this issue, contact your Representatives and Senators.