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Subject: Selective Service Registration (NDAA)
The National Coalition For Men (NCFM.org-which I agree with) has again filed federally arguing that male only registration is a violation of the 5th Amendment to restrict females from registering for the draft. The previous suit had made it to the Supreme Court which deferred to Congress as the issue was then being debated. Congress having not acted on it the issue is once again being decided by the judicial branch and given restrictions on women in any position in the military, including combat, it is difficult to see how the suit will not be successful.
The question is, do we want this decided by the judiciary with no Congressional control?
The web site “There are no longer any private Ryan’s” found at https://nymensactionnetwork.org/2025/06/there-are-no-longer-any-private-ryans/) argues for ALL persons of an age bracket to have to sign up for selective service but the actual draft should allow hardship exemptions (mothers, pregnant women, single fathers). Further, the military should be allowed to draft according to those they think will be able to meet the job qualifications such as doctors or nurses with advanced medical training. Also each branch should be able to report the number of males versus females in direct ground combat positions and draft according to those needs. Certainly the combat positions will be overwhelmingly male and losses (especially in peer on peer conflicts) will be disproportionately male requiring draft of a higher percentage of men.
85% of positions in the military are non combat so I ask the question and expect an answer; how is it fair to draft a married black fathers from his family restaurant in MS so he can be a cook at Ft. Dix, NJ but we exempt a Single White Female with no children from culinary school in NYC?
Family demographics of today, which have changed from historical norms, are families of usually only one son and I make the argument that there are not enough men to fight overseas in a peer on peer conflict and protect the homeland from distant assaults (cyber, drone, missile) at the same time. Single women will simply need to step up and serve in these defensive support positions. The “I’m not going to let my daughter be drafted to be cannon fodder” firstly tells me you do not value your sons life and secondly is ludicrous in the fact that modern warfare is such that even third rate powers could attack the homeland making your daughter “cannon fodder” for a suicide drone.
Lastly, by exempting women with children and married women I expect the birth rate to increase with a decrease in abortions and formation of families with children. The 2.1 child per woman replacement rate would almost be met with no abortions as the rate absent them would be 1.9-2. Many women who were looking to put off children until later will certainly move up their timeline to avoid actually being drafted. Pregnancy was the most common reason for evacuating females from the Gulf War Theatre, although there are no definitive studies of increases in pregnancy and whether unintended or intentional. Each branch of service needs to look at pregnancy rates as they impact operational readiness (for example enlisted versus unlisted pregnancy rates are almost double of officers).
The argument for registration seems to be the 2 polar opposites, “no women made to serve as cannon fodder” and the opposing “women can do anything a man can do.” There is great overlap in the bell curve of physical and mental ability between men and women but the fact is that men are bigger and stronger on average and they will have to fill the bulk of combat positions. Secretary Hegseth is doing the right thing in requiring the same physical standards for combat positions regardless of sex. This needs to be done for every position, set the standards and work off of merit. Further, if females in forward units interferes with operational readiness upsetting unit cohesiveness or through fraternization and unintended pregnancies each branch should be able to direct personnel as needed without suffering complaints of discrimination based upon sex from females denied to serve in a specific position.
Societal impacts also need to be considered. The Men’s right to vote corresponded to his responsibility to serve the nation at time of need (military draft) but Women’s right to vote had no military service as their service to the nation was to have babies and nurture them (“Rights with Responsibilities: Voting and Selective Service, https://nymensactionnetwork.org/2018/11/rights-with-responsibilities-voting-and-selective-service/). I know few men who would not serve before their sister or wife but the fact we are demanding men alone suffer the draft while we exempt single females (especially if they serve the bulk of non combat and stateside positions) creates great animosity among men. By requiring ALL to register but exempting parent caregivers of children, etc. restores the balance between the sexes and allows men’s natural ingrained biological chivalry to protect women and children while requiring both sexes to serve “as needed” without placing women into a path in life not of their own choosing.
War is rapidly changing and many positions, lethal and defensive, no longer require strength. Women can certainly sit in the cockpit or container in Nevada and fly an aircraft. The “two big oceans” no longer protect us with drones, balloons, cyber, and missiles and any peer on peer conflict will result in attacks on the homeland. That said, what are we fighting for if not society, our way of life, and the next generation? We need to recognize, even with changing demographics and expectations of the sexes, that “those who birth children,” aka women, also serve. And we need to recognize that our right to vote requires the responsibility to serve “as needed” to our Republic held in common amongst all of us.