With recent developments in Iraq, some politicians are calling for a reinstatement of the military draft.
The Universal National Service Act, currently in both houses of Congress, would force all 18-to 26-year-olds into some form of national service.
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. It requires a two-year period of mandatory military or civilian service for both men and women.
If everyone were eligible for the draft
then we might see more careful decisions made by our policy makers said Rangel's spokesman Emile Milne.
Milne said many units currently serving in Iraq are being held over past their one-year deployment deadlines and many of the troops in Iraq are reservists in the National Guard.
Capt. Nicole Gabriel, spokeswoman for Ohio National Guard, said as of yesterday, the guard had deployed 2,695 of its approximately 15,000 total soldiers and airmen. She said about half of those were involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
James Sims, spokesman for the Ohio National Guard, said an exact number of troops would not be released, both for security purposes and because that number is constantly changing.
The bill was referred to the House Armed Services Committee, where Milne said it is likely to remain until the administration takes action.
That might take more serious losses in Iraq and dramatic decreases in re-enlistments and enlistments he said.
As of May 12 -according to the Department of Defense -775 soldiers have died during Operation Iraqi Freedom and 635 of those soldiers have died since May 1, 2003, when President Bush declared major combat operations over.
I think it's desirable and good for younger people to give two years of their lives to serve the country
said U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lisbon. But I'm not yet convinced that making such a two-year commitment should be mandatory.
Strickland said if U.S. foreign policy does not change soon, the country might need to re-institute the draft.
If Bush gets a second term we'll have to institute a military draft to meet our armed service needs
he said. The draft is something the people don't want and I don't want
but it will be necessary if we continue our policies.
Eric Winters is a senior airman with the Ohio Air National Guard and served in Oman shortly after the Sept. 11 attack. He said the military already has enough people and resources to do its job.
I don't think the military is for everybody
said Winters, an Ohio University senior from Dayton. If they had people that didn't necessarily want to be there it wouldn't be a good thing.
Currently, men aged 18-to 25-years-old must register with the Selective Service System. Their names are kept on file in case a draft would ever be necessary, said Lee Holton, spokeswoman for the Selective Service. Not registering is a felony punishable by up to five years in jail and fines up to $250,000.
There are currently 612,836 total registrants with the Selective Service in Ohio. The Selective Service would draft men into the Army, not the National Guard.
At Ohio University -and other universities in the state -if a man fails to register, he becomes ineligible for state-based financial aid and will be charged out-of-state tuition, said Bob Delong, acting OU registrar.
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Chuck Bowen
