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View Full Version : WHAT IF.... U.S. Military Service Draft



theGinsue
01-27-2024, 10:42
BushMasterBoy's post in the 2024 Ammunition Shortage thread (see below) and current U.S. and world events got me thinking about what if the U.S. activated a Selective Service Military Service Draft.


All I'm reading is news of the conflict between Ukraine and the Rus. This will cause consumers to stock up on NATO type ammo. UK is talking about a conscription system for all males under 60. Putin has threatened London with nuclear weapons in the past. If it goes hot, 9mm/5.56 will be unobtainable.



As a military retiree for the past 18.5 years with a significant VA disability rating, I'm certain I'd never be considered for recall to active service (I definitely fall outside of the official eligibility to be recalled).

But, I wondered, what are the possible exemptions for others from a draft? From the U.S. .gov official "Return To The Draft" website, here's what's listed for the various "Classifications" and the list of possible "Exemptions" (note: I'm not looking at the postponements or deferments, just exemptions):





Classifications

Men are not classified now. Classification is the process of determining who is available for military service and who is deferred or exempted. Classifications are based on each individual registrant's circumstances and beliefs. A classification program would go into effect when Congress and the President decide to resume a draft. At that time, men who are qualified for induction would have the opportunity to file a claim for exemptions, deferments, and postponements from military service.
The following is a list of the more commonly used Selective Service classifications from 1948 - 1976. Roman numerals I, II, III, IV, V were sometimes used:
1-A - Available for military service.
1-AM - Medical specialist available for military service.
1-A-O - Conscientious Objector (https://www.sss.gov/conscientious-objectors/) - Conscientiously opposed to training and military service requiring the use of arms - fulfills his service obligation in a noncombatant position within the military. Those classified 1-A-O are conscientious objectors available for noncombatant military service.
1-A-OM - Medical specialist conscientious objector available for noncombatant military service.
1-C - Member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, or the Public Health Service. (Enl) - enlisted; (Ind) - inducted; (Dis) - discharged
1-D - Member of a Reserve component or student taking military training.
1-H - Registrant not currently subject to processing for induction or alternative service.
Note: Within the cessation of registrant processing in 1976, all registrants (except for a few alleged violators of the Military Selective Service Act) were classified 1-H regardless of any previous classification.
1-O - Conscientious objector (https://www.sss.gov/conscientious-objectors/) available for civilian work contributing to the national health, safety or interest.
1-OM - Medical specialist conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the national health, safety or interest.
1-S - Student deferred by status - (H) high school; (C) college.
1-W - Conscientious objector (https://www.sss.gov/conscientious-objectors/) performing civilian work in the national health, safety or interest. (Rel) - Released.
1-Y - Registrant qualified for service only in time of war or national emergency.
Note: The 1-Y classification was abolished December 10, 1971. Local boards were subsequently instructed to reclassify all 1-Y registrants by administrative action.
2-A - Registrant deferred because of civilian occupation (except agriculture).
2-AM - Medical specialist deferred because of critical community need involving patient care.
2-C - Registrant deferred because of agricultural occupation.
2-D - Ministerial Students - Deferred from military service.
2-M - Registrant deferred for medical study.
2-S - Registrant deferred because of activity in study.
3-A - Hardship Deferment - Deferred from military service because service would cause hardship upon his family.
4-A - Registrant who has completed service; or sole surviving son.
4-B - Official deferred by law.
4-C - Alien or Dual National - Sometimes exempt from military service.
4-D - Ministers of Religion - Exempted from military service.
4-E - Conscientious objector (https://www.sss.gov/conscientious-objectors/) opposed to both combatant and noncombatant training and service.
4-F - Registrant not qualified for military service.
4-FM - Medical specialist not qualified for military service.
4-G - Sole surviving son - son or brothers in a family where the parent or sibling died as a result of US military service, or is in a captured or M.I.A. status, are exempt from service in peacetime.
4-W - Conscientious objector (https://www.sss.gov/conscientious-objectors/) who has completed civilian alternate service.
5-A - Registrant over the age of liability for military service.
Student Postponements - A college student may have his induction postponed until he finishes the current semester or, if a senior, the end of the academic year. A high school student may have his induction postponed until he graduates or until he reaches age 20.
Appealing a Classification - A man may appeal his classification to a Selective Service Appeal Board







Exemptions

The following instances are eligible for exemptions in the event of a military draft:


Ministers
Certain elected officials, exempt so long as they continue to hold office.
Veterans, generally exempt from service in peacetime draft.
Immigrants and dual nationals in some cases may be exempt from U.S. military service depending upon their place of residence and country of citizenship. Learn more here. (https://www.sss.gov/register/immigrants/)






I find it particularly interesting how "Immigrants and dual nationals"..."may be exempt from U.S. military service"

With the HUGE influx of illegal immigrants flowing into our country (estimated by some at over 22 million), and no real tracking of these individuals, what would happen if you drafted "fighting age" men and took them out of their communities to serve, but didn't do the same for the millions of illegal immigrants scattered in communities throughout our nation?

What type of activity or impact might we expect to see if this occurred?

Just my random thought but I'm curious what impact others think might occur.

Oscar77
01-27-2024, 10:50
TLDR:
I'm skeptical of all that...............
The US Mil is struggling to get recruits, partially because, IIRC, 60-70% of eligible SM's are physically not fit to serve.
Otherwise the only way draft would be instituted is if we were in a real-no joke WW3 situation................ because we successfully fought in Iraq/Afghanistan despite the poor recruit pool.

So we have a large bunch of good old US boys/girls/its that wont be able to be drafted anyways.
So yes they will hang out and protest and be losers........................ while the illegals will be working.

Just saying.......................

XJ
01-27-2024, 11:56
Karen will have her boy file the sex-change paperwork and thus be non-draftable.

Scanker19
01-27-2024, 12:30
I’ll dodge the draft at my neighbors house that has the “no human is illegal” sign.

Eric P
01-27-2024, 18:29
The last draft was not justified. Send off a generation to fight for what? Foreign governments and ?

It was not to defend the USA.

The past few decades in the sandbox was a waste of time, money and blood, all for oil.

Why would anyone willingly go fight in a war when the US mainland is not under threat?

Fight for Isreal? Nope.
Fight for Ukraine? Nope.
Fight for a little Chinese island? Nope.
Fight for Europe? Nope. We no longer have strong generational ties. Most are 5+ generations removed from the motherland and are mutts.

And with the wealth of information out there vs previous wars, more will see that many conflicts are pointless and will resist conscription.

Jail is better than a battlefield.

50% of this country would not even consider compliance and reject the current leadership. Biden calls for a draft, would conservatives comply? Likely not.

Everyone forgets that government exist at the consent of the governed. Enact a draft, civil war ensues as the consent of government to exist is withdrawn. We are not pawns for government elites to play with. They are all easily eliminated and replaced.

TEAMRICO
01-27-2024, 21:13
I’ll dodge the draft at my neighbors house that has the “no human is illegal” sign.

I want a sign that says “No Gun Is Illegal”.

Great-Kazoo
01-27-2024, 23:58
I want a sign that says “No Gun Is Illegal”.

You're not being all inclusive.

Ninguna arma es ilegal

rondog
01-28-2024, 01:01
As a gimpy 68 year old geezer, I'm not worried. But I can forsee a sudden surge in transgender proclamations if draft is reinstated. Not to mention hipsters shitting themselves en masse. But illegal immigrants DAMN sure better be included!

earplug
01-28-2024, 09:18
Agreed

Clint45
01-28-2024, 11:15
Biden gonna draft kids to fight Texas now?

"Texas is clearly racist and committing genocide against innocent people of color by refusing to let us cut razor wire for humanitarian reasons... so we need to kill everyone in Texas. You can maintain whatever grooming standards you use, smoke MMJ, and get a Funko Pop in every MRE if you agree to smash Capitalism... I mean, fight Nazis, yeah."

BushMasterBoy
01-28-2024, 13:09
I will volunteer for Astronaut (13A). I need a vacation from this planet.

Clint45
01-28-2024, 19:56
Simply follow the example of our esteemed Statesman Ted Nugent and drop 5 hits of acid before your physical examination, then literally defecate your britches in front of the doctor. Guaranteed 4F.

clodhopper
01-29-2024, 09:52
Not worried about me. Too old to tote a rifle, but my profession and skills may still make "essential". However, I would likely be a bigger "problem" for them than an asset.

What aggravates me more is my sons are draft age. While it is ultimately their decision on the matter, I will be a strong advocate of an extended vacation out of the country rather than fight a war for the current government. While I dont really know how far I would go to protect them, I suspect it is likely much further than I can currently conceive.

Martinjmpr
01-29-2024, 11:01
A draft will never be implemented again for several reasons:

1. The cost of trying to enforce the law would be astronomical. The legal challenges alone would cost billions of dollars and waste years of time.

And that's just in the courtroom, the prospect of actually trying to physically round up people and then put them into a non-voluntary military would be even worse. It would the the left-wing equivalent of the kind of resistance you'd see if they outlawed guns and tried going door-to-door to take them. It simply would not work, half of the police would refuse to enforce such laws, armed resistance would be common, it would result in a complete breakdown of society if anyone tried it (which is why they won't.)

2. There's no political will to do it. Nobody with a lick of electability is going to support compulsory military service for the reasons stated above, it would destroy civil society.

3. The MILITARY doesn't want it. We no longer fight wars by sending masses of troops charging across No Man's Land, which is the only kind of war a conscript Army can fight in. Look at the problems we had in the Middle East with volunteer soldiers - we still had soldiers murdering, assaulting. and abusing civilians, how much worse do you think that would be if it was a pissed-off 20-something who was forced at gunpoint to go into the military? You think that's going to make him a BETTER soldier? No way in hell.

As a retired senior NCO, I would rather go to war with a platoon of soldiers who WANT to serve than a brigade of soldiers who were forced into military service and don't want to be there.

Great-Kazoo
01-29-2024, 21:47
Simply follow the example of our esteemed Statesman Ted Nugent and drop 5 hits of acid before your physical examination, then literally defecate your britches in front of the doctor. Guaranteed 4F.

Considering they're now researching for and inquiring the use of altering substances for PTSD. I doubt that would pass muster.

https://news.va.gov/press-room/to-improve-care-for-veterans-va-to-fund-studies-on-new-therapies-for-treating-mental-health-conditions/

Clint45
01-29-2024, 23:17
Considering they're now researching for and inquiring the use of altering substances for PTSD. I doubt that would pass muster.

https://news.va.gov/press-room/to-improve-care-for-veterans-va-to-fund-studies-on-new-therapies-for-treating-mental-health-conditions/

From what I've read, MDMA actually has a solid track record of positive results when administered in a clinical setting with a good therapist. Originally it was used for couples therapy, then they saw it worked well for PTSD. I don't think I would ever want to ingest a substance that makes you "love everyone" though... "Y'know, maybe Commies aren't all bad," lol.

clodhopper
01-30-2024, 17:39
A draft will never be implemented again for several reasons:

1. The cost of trying to enforce the law would be astronomical. The legal challenges alone would cost billions of dollars and waste years of time.

And that's just in the courtroom, the prospect of actually trying to physically round up people and then put them into a non-voluntary military would be even worse. It would the the left-wing equivalent of the kind of resistance you'd see if they outlawed guns and tried going door-to-door to take them. It simply would not work, half of the police would refuse to enforce such laws, armed resistance would be common, it would result in a complete breakdown of society if anyone tried it (which is why they won't.)

2. There's no political will to do it. Nobody with a lick of electability is going to support compulsory military service for the reasons stated above, it would destroy civil society.

3. The MILITARY doesn't want it. We no longer fight wars by sending masses of troops charging across No Man's Land, which is the only kind of war a conscript Army can fight in. Look at the problems we had in the Middle East with volunteer soldiers - we still had soldiers murdering, assaulting. and abusing civilians, how much worse do you think that would be if it was a pissed-off 20-something who was forced at gunpoint to go into the military? You think that's going to make him a BETTER soldier? No way in hell.

As a retired senior NCO, I would rather go to war with a platoon of soldiers who WANT to serve than a brigade of soldiers who were forced into military service and don't want to be there.

I would agree with you on all the points that are preference. IE prefer to go to war with a volunteer army. The legal defense costs and political will are all based generally on current readiness requirements. Under current needs and considering recent history, there is no justification for a draft. What you are neglecting to consider is the unforeseen. We could not have fought WW2 without a draft, 50 million registered and 10 million inducted. After 9/11, only about 180k enlisted, that worked for one theater, but would not for multiple. Wars have been basically one theater at a time for the last ~70 years but there is no guarantee it will be that way in the future. Mankind is violent and childish, and we are likely overdue for a large conflict. No one wants a draft, until that time comes that there is no other choice. If Iran, Russia and China all decide to join hands (along with a bunch of other supporting Brics types) and come after us, we probably wouldnt have an option. While we dont typically fight battles with human waves, all three of those opponents still do. Even if we prefer a more targeted battle method employing high technology, our opponent knows they can get around that and drag us into ground hammering. We may like to claim some sort of victory in Afghanistan, but just like every other conquerer in history that tried to take those lands, we got our ass handed to us and had to leave. A time may come when we need substantially more bodies on the line than we can muster currently. The percentage of willing volunteers is finite, and I contend is currently dropping due to the crap our current leaders are doing. When Biden finally kicks the wrong hornet nest, do you think young men will flock to the enlistment lines? I dont.

XJ
01-30-2024, 18:28
Simple online form sent to Denver and I am an undraftable “female”


Also, way too old