Is Drafting Women Next? Then What?

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, September 16, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Today, I have some serious questions: Do you want the military draft reinstated? Do you want women to register for the draft? Do you want your sons OR your daughters to be drafted into the military? Do you think women should serve in front-line ground combat?

These are serious questions, because Congress is facing this issue right now, and whatever they decide will affect U.S. families. All America is affected by whatever happens in the military, whether it’s made stronger or weaker, by whatever it does or does not do. Right now, Congress is focusing on women in the military and possible reinstatement of the draft.

Three and a-half years ago, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the end of the direct ground combat exclusion rule that kept females out of ground combat in the military. So, since January 24, 2013 all military branches have been removing any barrier that blocked women from any part of military service, including battle zones.

Subsequently, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced December 3, 2015 that the Department of Defense would lift all gender-based restrictions on military service beginning January 1, 2016. If Mr. Carter had said all “female-based” restrictions would be lifted, we would know the change authorized women to serve on the frontline. But, the term, “gender-based,” shifted the focus to alternate lifestyles and clouded the issue. Was removal of “gender-based” restrictions the basis for the implementation of transgender regulations in the military? How will DOD’s lifting of gender-based restrictions further affect the military and, therefore, all America?Since the draft was last used in 1973 during the Vietnam War and the voluntary military seems to be working well, should the draft be reinstated at all? If so, should it continue as is or should it include all 18-year-olds? Current draft law requires 18-year-old males to register, but, in this politically correct culture, pressure is building to require 18-year old females to register, as well.

Before you say, “Surely, it’s unconstitutional to draft men and NOT draft women,” the fact is, the constitutional issue was settled in 1981 when the Supreme Court ruled that registering men only does NOT violate the due process clause of the Constitution.

So, this is what’s happening. In Congress, both House and Senate passed different versions of the National Defense Authorization bill. The drafting women provision was stripped out of the bill before it passed the House, but the Senate version still includes the draft-women language.

Please call 1 877 762-8762 and ask Senator Isakson and Senator Perdue to demand removal of the draft-women language in the National Defense Authorization bill and kill the entire bill if that language is not removed. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.