Stephanie Patrick

Alan Wood

POS 428

1 March 2022

Essay 2:

National Service

After the Vietnam War, the United States disbanded the draft, no longer requiring its

citizens to sign up to serve in the military. Today, there are countries that require their young

adults, if not just men, to serve even when there isn’t an active war their country is participating

in. In America, the selective service was for young men and it was during both peacetime and

wartime, requiring them to serve at least one year. Since the discontinuation of the draft, some

have asked if it will ever be reinstated and if women will also be included in the draft. The

decision to risk your life for your country is one not to be taken lightly and the mandatory service

is one that goes against the principles of democracy.

Until 1973, the United States didn’t know what it was like to have a completely voluntary

military. In his book, Hudson explains:

“All American wars up to and including the Vietnam War had been fought by

citizen-soldiers who either volunteered for the duration of conflict or were drafted for the

purpose. Because of the controversy the draft created during that unpopular war,

Congress, at the urging of the Defense Department, agreed thereafter to end the draft and

to increase military pay and benefits so that the armed forces could attract professional

soldiers” (2017).
The national service requirement caused a lot of heartache during the Vietnam War. Many didn’t

believe in the reasons their country was fighting and didn’t want to fight for something they

didn’t believe in–or get punished for not wishing to die for those beliefs. The draftees went

through a hasty training session and arrived on the battlefield with almost no prior experience,

both on and off the battlefield. In forcing individuals to make the decision to fight for something

they do not believe in, the government was facing many acts of treason, all done in the name of

freedom and liberty, not in the name of malice.

Today, there are continued issues facing the draft. If a man–since women are still not

required to register–does not register, he may face serious legal consequences, as is a criminal

offense. Since 1986, however, no one has been charged (Absher, 2022). He will almost certainly

be denied any government benefits you apply for after the age of 26 since that is the last anyone

can register. There is no financial aid, no government employment, and so on.

The military needed a new way to recruit individuals for the service, especially during

wartime. “Military benefits” is a phrase that is frequently heard and is often envied by those who

aren’t in the armed services. Besides getting benefits outside of the military, like discounts, the

military itself added incentives like good pay, health insurance and dental insurance. The military

also added similar health benefits for family members all to entice those into service.

The selective service was something that many people protested, and many still do to this

day. Others are concerned that it will be reinstated due to global conflicts, despite the United

States’s large active military. The draft is something that forces an individual to fight and

sometimes that can be against his own beliefs, forcing him to give up his right to protest. With

another war possible on the horizon, this is a topic fresh on people’s minds, however there

doesn’t seem to be a draft anytime soon.

 References

Absher, J. (2022, February 26). Everything You Need to Know About the Military Draft.

Retrieved from

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/everything-you-need-know-about-military-sel

ective-service-system.html

Hudson, W. E. (2017). American democracy in peril eight challenges to America's future. CQ

Press, An Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc.