Keep women out of the draft

Bravo for the GOP’s stance against women registering for the draft. (July 11). A quote in article states, “You’re not t talking about whether or not women can serve....” which is exactly the point if they are required to fulfill combat roles which they would. The fact is, as draftees, forced into combat, they can’t fight on an equal basis with the men.

I believe too many people are under the impression that war time draftees (men and women) will get the rear echelon jobs, the support jobs and in fact any job which keeps them out of combat roles. The fact is, most of those jobs will go to the enlistees while those drafted, (men and women) will go specifically into the Army and will be ordered and trained to fight on the ground. That means carrying a rifle, possibly a radio and several pounds of weaponry and field gear. All of this on their backs, often under enemy fire and in the worst conditions imaginable. In some cases, their loads would equal half their body weight.

Don’t get me wrong about women serving in the armed forces because I have no problem with women “enlisting,” into any branch of the service.but if “equal participation” in ground combat roles is required by a draft, then we have already lost the war. In other words, our air, naval and ground forces have failed and the Army has ran out men to fill those vicious, life and death combat roles.

This story was originally published August 12, 2017 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Keep women out of the draft."