I don't belive females should have to serve in the military. As a veteran of "Desert Storm" I feel I definitely am "entitled" to answer this question. Young men should serve I feel it makes them better Americans and better people overall. Whereas in the case of females it is diferent. In other cultures females will be looked on as a weakness for attack and bargining and they serve as distractions for the mission. I belive in womens rights but this is one for young men.

Hi mzgator, what a great question! I think every American, without exception for class or gender or religious disposition, should have to serve one year in the military, (President Bush's daughters included!), with safeguards to check for favoritism in service placement among the social elite.

I think there would be far fewer wars. Different social classes would meet each other. Everyone would be exposed to the power of the military industrial complex and understand why many foreigners (and citizens) are leery of the United States. We would all be much more aware of what our government is doing because everyone would be part of the military. I think this is one of the only strategies that could effectively change US foreign and domestic policies.

I am 100% opposed to drafting soldiers to fight, men or women!

@Helena I totally respect your answer though different from mine I agree with some part of your answer because it is based on equallity....and I love equallity for all......by the way I have to give you a great answer there!

I am the child of a Vietnam War Veteran. He was drafted. He left the day I was born and did not return until I could walk to meet him at our local airport! ( a little over one year later) My dad missed such a crucial part of my life. He knows it and I know it too. We are very close now, but it is evident how much we missed after seeing him with my brothers. He was there from the beginning with them. I am 38 years old and recently came across some pictures from Vietnam. On my Dad's helmet he had written, "I love Dana"...that's me....and I was blown away. As a mother I would hate to have to see females serve in the army. I guess because of the whole mother being without her child thing. I know many women are serving all over the world in all of the branches of the military. That was there choice to serve. I know that I would never have chosen to serve in the military being a mother. I would not have wanted to be without my child. I also know that I would never want to see my daughter or step daughters have to serve if they did not want to. It it was their choice.....then I would support them, love them and pray for them.

Regardless of whether we will place women in combat roles, if men are required to sign up, women should be required to sign up. If the people who are experts in such things decide women should not be placed in combat, then they can fill support roles that free up others for combat.

And perhaps if we ever invoke the draft again, all federal legislators and executive branch officers above a certain level (higher management) should be restricted to income of, say, 200% of the national median for their household size and all remaining income, including any trusts in which they are a trustee or beneficiary, should be used to fund the war effort, as a special "war tax." Just to spread the impact into some appropriate places.

I hate the idea of a draft, but I like the idea of having all the young people trained in how to be alert and observant, how to be prepared and to survive, and how to work together with others regardless of what your personal feelings for them may be. So I guess I agree with Helena on this. Serious boot camp and training, but followed by a Peace-Corps/AmeriCorps type of mission.

100% support on the 'no favorites' rule, too! Each citizen, with certain medical exceptions, would spend a year after High School graduation serving their country in a humanitarian effort here or abroad. Not only would they be stripped of any signs of material 'status', but they'd be placed in a situation to learn about completely different cultures and climates, too. It would help our population handle times of crisis much more effectively, as well as teaching people to appreciate what they have, as well as respect for self and others.

Yes, I think women should have to sign up for selective service.

If they are excluded from front-line combat duty, they can still perform all the support duties, freeing up men to serve on the front lines.

I don’t think anyone should have to sign up. My immense gratitude goes out to any veterans who might read this.

My dad was raped of his psychological humanity and we have all suffered because. I highly recommend reading “the psychology of killing in war and society”

Also… If we are for equality then, I guess, I would have to say women should also sign up for selective services.

Oh, I’m entirely in favor of an all-volunteer military, and even more in favor of diplomacy and isolationism. But equal rights and being treated as equals means equal responsibility; thus, as long as men are required to sign up for selective service, women should be as well.