Women and the Draft

Could women not work within the relative safety of the combat support branches?  Would not the combat support branches be benefited by the variety of insights and experience that these women would bring?  I believe that nothing but improvement would result from the valuable input of women within the military.

There are many concerns that arise in the minds of people with all manner of political and social philosophy when it comes to the draft for women.

Traditionalists--whether motivated by a deep and profound respect for, or by a burning feeling of superiority over females--feel that combat is no place for women.  Many women feminists find themselves in a philosophical dilemma between their calls for egalitarian treatment and their unwillingness to pick up a rifle and put their life on the line.  And Americans of all philosophical backgrounds have expressed concern that their is a higher likelihood of female Prisoners-of-War being sexually abused by the enemy.  In addition, what about women who are mothers?  Drafting them seems unreasonable to many.

Before one can discuss, or form an educated opinion, on women's place in the Selective Service System, one must have a basic understanding of the structure of the United States Armed Forces.

One important thing to realize is that not every career within the military involves combat.  Within the Army**, the force structure is grouped into three general categories: combat, combat support (CS), and combat service support (CSS). (FM 3-90)

"Combat arms are units and soldiers who close with and destroy enemy forces or provide firepower and destructive capabilities on the battlefield" (FM 3-90 A-2).

"Combat support encompasses critical combat functions provided by units and soldiers, in conjunction with combat arms units and soldiers, to secure victory" (FM 3-90 A-27).

In regards to combat service support: "The primary role of Army tactical CSS units is to sustain Army forces. The CSS effort is successful only when it concentrates and supports forces by focusing on the sustainment and reconstitution of tactical units. Warfare consumes massive amounts of resources. The CSS system must provide resources in a way that minimizes constraints on the commander"

(FM 3-90 A-38).

In a nutshell:

  - Combat arms are those involved in actual fighting.

  - Combat support provide operational assistance to combat arms to include combat missions if necessary.

  - Combat service support provide logistical and administrative support to the Army; personnel normally not directly involved in combat operations.

Below is a graphic of each category of force structure, and its respective branches.

Notice that a few branches appear under multiple categories.  This due to that fact that there are careers in these branches that fall under each of these categories.

Certain careers in CS and CSS branches are not eligible for deployment, and the careers that are deployed are generally much safer than those in the combat arms.  Many CS and CSS jobs on deployment rarely leave fortified bases of relative safety.

Could women not work within the relative safety of the combat support branches?  Would not the combat support branches be benefited by the variety of insights and experience that these women would bring?  I believe that nothing but improvement would result from the valuable input of women within the military.

If women were drafted into CS and CSS branches only, and mothers were ineligible for deployment, the concerns of traditionalists, feminists, and all Americans alike become non-issues.

Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and of tyrants."

President Ronald Reagan added, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

I have long felt that anyone who benefits from the freedoms of this great nation should also be willing to sacrifice to protect those freedoms.  Men show this willingness by registering for the Selective Service.  It is time that women also be held to the same standard.  If women benefit from the freedoms of America, then why is it unreasonable to ask that they sacrifice for it?

The tree of liberty need not be watered with the blood of patriots alone, but with their time, energy, sweat and tears as well.  Women need not give their blood, but let us ask of them their sweat.

It is time for the women of America to contribute to the refreshing of the tree of liberty.

Further Reading:

Women in the Army

Women Veterans Everyone Should Know

**The Navy, Air Force and Marines have similar structure.  I chose to focus on the Army (1) for simplicity's sake, and (2) because that is my personal area of expertise.

Sources:
U.S. Army. Offense and Defense. Department of the Army. FM 3-90. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2013.

Military.com, "US Armed Forces Overview".  April 2015.
http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/us-military-overview.html

Kobi Vider, "CMMI and Quality Practices to Support Military Operational Readiness".  February 2013.
https://www.slideshare.net/kobivp/cmmi-and-quality-practices-to-support-military-operational-readiness

The included graphic is of my own design.  All rights reserved.