The Obama administration declared its support Thursday for requiring women to register for the military draft, a symbolic but significant shift that reflects the U.S. military’s evolution from a male-dominated force to one seeking to incorporate women at all levels.
President Barack Obama has been considering whether to adopt the position since last December, when Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the military to open all jobs to women, including the most arduous combat posts. Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, said Obama believes women have “proven their mettle,” including in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“As old barriers for military service are being removed, the administration supports — as a logical next step — women registering for the Selective Service,” Price said, using the formal name for the military draft.
The White House emphasized that the administration remains committed to an all-volunteer military — meaning women, like men, wouldn’t be forced to serve unless there were a national emergency like a major world war. Changing the policy would require an act of Congress, and there are no signs that lawmakers plan to move swiftly to alter the law.
Obama, who will leave office in less than two months, has less leverage over Congress and the broader Washington agenda than he did earlier in his presidency. Like his embrace of gay marriage in 2012, Obama’s announcement appeared aimed more at influencing the public debate about women in the military in the coming years than at forcing an immediate policy change.
The Defense Department echoed Obama’s position, first reported by USA Today. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said that Carter believes the inclusion of women throughout the military’s echelons has strengthened the military’s might.
“He thinks it makes sense for women to register for Selective Service, just as men must,” Cook said.
Late last year, the Pentagon ordered all military jobs opened to women, including about 220,000 jobs previously restricted to men, including in special operations forces. Carter and other military leaders insisted that the military wouldn’t lower the physical standards for those jobs to enable more women to qualify.
Integrating women has not been fast or easy. Earlier this year the top Army and Marine Corps generals told senators it would take up to three years to fully integrate women into all combat jobs. The military services have started recruiting women for those jobs and making necessary changes to bathrooms and other facilities. But some of the services, such as the Marine Corps, have predicted or experienced challenges identifying large numbers of candidates who want to serve in combat and meet the physical requirements.
Under current law, women can volunteer to serve in the military, but aren’t required to register for the draft. All adult men must register within 30 days of their 18th birthday, and risk losing eligibility for student aid, job training and government jobs if they fail to comply.
Signing up for the draft entails registering with the U.S. Selective Service, an independent agency aimed at ensuring a fair distribution of military duties if the president and Congress had to enact a draft. The U.S. hasn’t had a military draft since 1973, during the Vietnam War era.
The new posture from the Obama administration came at an unusual time, just two days after House and Senate negotiators agreed to strip a provision from the annual defense policy bill that would have required young women to register.
The measure had roiled social conservatives, who decried it as another step toward the blurring of gender lines akin to allowing transgender people to use public lavatories and locker rooms. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, spoke for a number of Republicans when he described the provision as “coercing America’s daughters” into draft registration.
But proponents of including women in the draft pool viewed the requirement as a sensible step toward gender equality. They pointed to the Pentagon’s decision last year to open all front-line combat jobs to women as removing any justification for gender restrictions on registration.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Obuma really has lost his mind! And Carter? He is an idiot! This is no disrespect to women, and how I love them but, I do not believe that they have place in combat. Military service is good, but combat? And Draft them? NO, and NO!
He won’t do it because he has two daughters and they would have to sign up.
Mike…, Who are those two daughters….? Since his half-Human (wife/Husband?) is he and not she….! Michelle is really a Man and how did this Barack Bamboo having to have two daughter when Michelle is a Man….?? I am sure Bamboo will not let her two ugly daughter to sign-up in draft nor Military…. Their whole F*ck’em family are so F*CKED-UP…..!!! Now that is at the worst F*cKED-UP President in the History of America ever face in Modern Time….. Only Real F*CKED-UP AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO VOTED THAT CLOWN…..!!!!!! NOW That is F*CKED-UP…..!!!!!!
This from a person that did not volunteer for any military service and I suspect the spouse didn’t either. Lead by example hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Let Obummer’s dope smoking oldest daughter enlist first.
There is a small minority of women physically and mentally capable of functioning in combat, I’m sure, but that DOES NOT mean they belong there! The very presence of women in male combat groups creates problems. DoD has done the research- mixed troops have lower fighting efficiency, higher rates of injuries, and take less ground than all male troops. Let’s not even get into what would happen if our women soldiers were taken prisoner by these Islamic animals.
Women in the military? Excellent idea. Women in combat? Not so much.
Youvygot a very good point the Islamic terrorists would take advayof female pows. This reason alone is good enough not to inforce women selective service. I also noticed the lack of detail concerning their age to register, except the 18 year old males, and how old they have to be to no longer be required to register.
That, I agree with. I am a female military veteran. I don’t believe that women should be in combat roles, even if they think they want to be. There is still the male sensibility/mindset that would try to ‘protect’ the female, even to the detriment of the whole company. For the most part, men aren’t comfortable with women in that role. The studies that have been done on the effectiveness, or lack thereof, is proof that it’s not a good idea for the safety of all soldiers. Then, there is another thing to look at. There would be so few females who would want to do that or who could make the grade, that it makes no sense at all to make the necessary changes to accommodate them.
The Military is quickly becoming more and more geek oriented. Lots of technology involved with the new weapons. Future soldiers/Marines will be just as likely to sit behind a computer monitor than to be in combat carrying a rifle or other weapon. Women can do these jobs just as well as men-maybe better.
Jeffrey I pretty much agree, but in this day of feminism and wanting to be treated equal, I say let them have a taste. Then watch how they back peddle and change their tune. See I agree with you because I was taught that women are the fairer sex, the Bible teaches us to watch after them, but not all women agree with our upbringing, to them I say give them the full dose. When the next war breaks out and they are sent to the front lines watch how fast the liberal left will cry foul and be up in arms.
Pinocchiobama in the service? Don’t think so. Everybody else, OK. This turd should NOT even be allowed into this country.
I must agree he is displaying mental handicaps. He should go under Psychiatric evaluation. His delusional narcissistic personality is fast becoming a problem.
Requiring women to sign up for selective service will never be a “sensible step” because there will never be “gender equality”.
Anyone who believes otherwise is a fool.
The Obama Administration will be out before he can do anything. The new Trump administration will be making decisions if any concerning the draft .
Women who have children and are pregnant should not be forced into service.
Karen, No woman should not be forced to join the military, whether married, pregnant or not. Leave that to the third world countries to treat their women like cattle. War is no place for women.
Just another way for obama to creat problems for our new President DONALD TRUMP. obama has had almost 8 years to mess up America and for me I tell obama to shut up and get out. Never have I seen a president so rapped up in trying to undermined the new President. Good riddens, hosta la vista or what ever you want to tell him but get out….
Only thing I agree on–registration with Selective Service, but with limits. No actual physical combat for women engaging males…except in ‘Super Special-Force’ and ‘covert’ conditions requiring ‘estrogen’. What worked in WWII allowed limited activity, but not on the line. Air forces and sea duty on a very limited basis, but fraught with conditions of compatibility. Technical, human services and select management/leadership positions are best, among others too numerous to list. Everyone should have the privilege to “ask not what their country can do for them, but what they can do for their country”…eh? Federal Employment is a caveat for SS registration.
In Nature, few animals share nearly identical leadership & “load-carrying” capabilities, humans (mainly muscle-mass, social and child-bearing issues) not being one of them–Horses, oxen (not cows), elephants, cats, wolves, dogs, birds, primates,…etc.
HE IS TALKING WITH NO REASON BECAUSE HE IS OUT IN ONE MONTH. TRYING TO MAKE TROUBLE FOR OUR NEW PRESIDENT HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WOULD HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR THE DRAFT. THIS MAN IS STILL ANGRY THAT THE DISHONEST HILLARY DID NOT WIN, EVIL COMES IN MANY FORMS AND THE CLINTONS ARE EVIL PEOPLE. THE LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM. THE CLINTON LOVES ARE IGNORANT PEOPLE .
President Obama keeps trying to make this country a third world country! Importing tens of thousands of Syrian and Somali “refugees” without any attempt to vet them, turning convicted criminals loose, protecting inner-city thugs, encouraging sanctuary cities and turning every agency of government into weapons that only a third world banana republic dictator would want. Now he wants women to be reduced to animals, create a military draft for them, where they would be on the front lines in combat? HOW was this guy ever elected twice! Because the left wing media didn’t do their job. Boycott the left wing media like the Washington Post [boycott Amazon too – owned by the same joker] and the New York Times.
When they draft someone, it’s the fictional corporate trust “Straw Person” with a name spelled all in capital letters that only exists on paper. The flesh & blood human being is tricked into representing the legal fictional character.
Young girls have know business in the draft , if they want to enlist that’s one thing but my granddaughters would not survive the military, they aren’t cut out for that kinda of service . I had 5 brothers in the military and I know they would agree . They said it was tough and one was killed . Obama wants his girls in , I doubt it , they would probably get out of it some way. He doesn’t care about women or he would want to protect them, it’s just asking for all kinds of abuse.
As a U.S. Marine and a Vietnam veteran, I believe that I’m more qualified to comment on this matter than both the current president and his secretary of defense (lower case titles intended). Very few women have the physical strength and endurance that men possess, with the exception of the current president and secretary of defense, of course.
Obummer is a Mulsum–do you think he cares about his daughter–and why do think he staying in DC area, the shit hole is not as deep then in Chicago
Obama, did you sign YOUR daughters up?? Oh, it doesn’t apply to them, huh? How about your ‘fitness’ wife. She wouldn’t even need a gun. She could just run out of the foxhole and SCARE THE ENEMY AWAY!!
SURE “CLUELESS” OBAMA……..START WITH “YOUR” DAUGHTERS!