About the Military Drafting of Women

Video Transcript

"I'd like to take a moment to talk to you about the military drafting of women. Many countries currently draft women into military service including China, Cuba, Egypt and Israel. In World Ward II, the United Kingdom and Russia drafted women. The US considered a nursing draft while they planned the invasion of Japan, but it never happened. Things are shifting these days and the military remains its stance of no women on the battlefield. But that doesn't mean that qualified women won't be drafted in time of need to perform other non-front line functions. Based on the numbers in the health care field, if you need to call up soldiers, you'll inevitably need to call up women. Women have increased their role tremendously within the military over the past 30 years. Back in 1988, congress directed the selective service which had only been focused on men in the past to put a backup structure in place for medical readiness. This would inevitably and necessarily include women or it'd be much less effective. But the select service and the military are also working on other ways that women can augment our readiness outside of health care. To underline the issue, an e-mail began circulating several years ago speaking to a reinstatement of the draft that would include women. The e-mail was a hoax but the possibility of a draft, it's not zero but it seems unlikely. With numbers in active and reserves of 2.5 million, our armed forces stand ready and the need for a draft that includes women would probably only occur during a time of extreme emergency. A draft of any kind seems highly unlikely but it is important that we have a plan in place should the need arise."