For women and men to stand on equal ground in the military, Army Secretary John McHugh said women must register for the draft.
“If your objective is true and pure equality then you have to look at all aspects,” McHugh said. Registration for the draft “will be one of those things that will have to be considered.”
Under current policy, American men between the ages of 18-25 must be registered in the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. There are currently 17 million American men registered for conscription, though the draft has not been invoked since 1973.
McHugh told the press that the ultimate decision to compel women to sign up for the draft didn’t fall on his shoulders, but on that of Congress and the Department of Defense. However, McHugh said the military can’t avoid including women in the Selective Service if it is truly committed to gender equality.
A teenage girl made headlines this summer when she decided to sue the Selective Service for discrimination. If McHugh is right and the draft is opened to women alongside all other military combat positions, perhaps she will be first in line to sign up.