First US citizens that would be drafted in war as president 'keeps his options on the table'
Topics: Donald Trump, Iran, Politics, US News, World News
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Iran, Politics, US News, World News
There’s a definite group of people that would be called up to fight in the US military if conscription ever became active again - and you may be one of them.
On Tuesday (April 7), Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the United States and Isreal, delivering a 10-point peace proposal requesting a permenant conflict conclusion with no time limit, among other demands.
It comes amid US President Donald Trump calling the ceasefire a ‘total and complete victory’ for the United States.
A statement from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council also called it a ‘great victory’ for its people.
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Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, has claimed that Iran may have to ‘suck up some compromises’, and that all their options are now ‘on the table’.
Despite the ceasefire, it is possible that conflict may resume following the two week period.
If so, and the United States calls a state of emergency, it is very possible that the military draft could re-activated.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that while the draft is currently not part of the Trump administration’s plans, the President has not ruled it out.
“It’s not part of the current plan right now, but the president again wisely keeps his options on the table,” she said, as per People Magazine.
The last military draft call in the United States occured in December 1972 and came to an end in January 1973.
Despite it being in-active for more than five decades, under federal law, almost all US citizens and male immigrants, regardless of their status, are required to register for Select Service within 30 days of turning age 18.
Failure to do so is considered a felony and could come with hefty penalties, inlcuding a $250,000 fine, five years imprisonment, and being classed as ineligable for various federal jobs and training courses, as per the Selective Service website.
Despite previous Congressional debates, women cannot be drafted or forced to register for the draft in the USA. However, women are eligible for all military roles.
If the United States ever wanted to reintate conscription, it would require Congress to amend the Military Selective Service Act ‘to authorize the President to induct personnel into the Armed Forces’.
Once the Selective Service System was activated, it’s likley that a national lottery based on birthdates would be use for military recruitment, as per Military.com.
This is a similar method that was used to gather army recruits amid the Vietnam War.
It’s understood that birthdays would be ‘randomly drawn to determine the order in which individuals are called’ for evaluation and potential induction.
However, there is an order of induction that officials would typically prioritize, as per the Valnet-owned website.
Men who turned 20 in the year of the lottery would be drafted first, followed by 21-year-olds.
If more personell were required, then the US system look to recruit 22 to 25-year-olds before calling up 19-year-olds, and finally 18.6 year-olds.
Inductees must be delivered to the military within 193 days from the draft authorization.
Anybody who is selected by the draft wouldn’t go straight to the front line.
They would have to report for medical, physical, and administrative screening to determine eligibility.
Once approved, a form of introduction into military service would commence.
Inductees must be delivered to the military within 193 days from the draft authorization, the website said.
According to the Department of Defense, only around 23 percent of Americans aged between 17 and 24 meet the basic eligibility standards for military service without needing waivers.
Some of the most qualifying factors include, but are not limited to:
If the country was to enter a state of emergency and trigger the draft, then there are a few people who would be exempt.
These include ministers, certain elected officials and veterans, as per the Selective Service website.
Immigrants and dual nationals may also be exempt from military service depending on their place of residence and country of citizenship.
Medical exemptions include various mental health conditions, cardiovascular issues, and respiratory conditions.
Anyone who belives they cannot or should not report for examination and induction may request a postponement or reclassification.
This can be done by filing a claim and sending it to a local Selective Service office.
Those eligible for postponent include: