Sophie Echternach | Writer
February 7, 2022
Just last year, thousands of American troops were reunited with their families after the United States withdrew from the Middle East. Now, as Russia and Ukraine escalate their fight over their respective borders, many Americans fear another draft will take place as the world prepares for war.
Beginning in 2014, Ukraine and Russia have been at odds. Then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych decided to reject greater economic integration across with the European Union and, in the years following, neither Russia nor Ukraine made any significant advances. However, at the end of 2021 Russia set in motion its plan to advance into Ukraine and expand its land.
Ukraine falls under NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and is allies with the United States and other major European countries. As a result, NATO is pressuring the U.S. to aid the conflict either through funds, soldiers, or both.
Last week, Biden pledged $200 million to help Ukraine however as tensions increase the possibility of a draft looms and considerations of women being a part of the draft become prominent.
San Clemente High School junior Tessa Campbell commented, “Females are in their era of gaining more education on a variety of topics and really progressing society. Right now there would be concerns of what would happen to families [with the potential of both mothers and fathers drafted] and how the business world would change. This is such a controversial topic because of gender equality but I’m not saying never, just right now it is not a good idea to add women to the draft.”
Since 1940, men and young boys have been called to enlist at the age of 18 and as society progresses many men, and women, are demanding to know how equal rights are achieved without both men and women in the draft.
Senior Fernando Llanos responded by saying, “I don’t think women should be put into drafts, it should just be voluntary. I think someone who volunteers is more help than someone who is forced to be there.”
When asked to describe his feeling towards having to enlist for the draft Llanos explained, “I would try to enlist and work somewhere different. It is scary being on the front lines not knowing what would happen to me or to my family if I got hurt. I would rather use my skills to help other people in the army.”
After years of silence, the U.S. draft and its near possibility is becoming more important than ever. The actions of Russia and Ukraine over the next few days and weeks may drastically impact the lives of thousands of Americans if called for the draft.
This is pure, unadulterated fake news.
There were never any plans for a draft. The United States’ military comprises 1.4 million active personnel and 800,000 in the reserves (that’s counting national guard and such). ie, there is no need for a draft, especially considering the US policy from day one has been that there will never be US personnel fighting in Russia (not in an official capacity, that is; the foreign legion is open to US citizens).
Hi Levan,
I appreciate your factual response to my article. It provided good information and you made a good point, no there probably is not going to be a wide-scale draft that would greatly impact the United States. However, I would like to explain that at the time this was written, the war was just beginning and the entire world was on edge. We have not experienced a conflict to this degree in decades and it was not confirmed whether or not the United States was going to send over an abundance of troops yet. They did however send over 200 troops to Ukraine with for humanitarian relief and just 4 days after this article was written 3,000 more American troops were sent over. As the war continues to escalate, Ukrainian men have been forced to stay behind to fight. Therefore, with all of the unknowns of the war, a potential draft is still a possibility not only for the United States but also other countries and it may be the only way to stop Russia in its pursuit of Ukraine.