With the U.S. involved in several conflicts abroad, many online rumors have speculated about military conscription, or “the draft.” According to Google Trends, terms like “military draft” and”selective service” spiked in Google searches the week of March 7-14, and the term “military draft” reached its highest search rate in the past five years the week of April 4-11, when the Iran conflict was first flaring.
But what is the truth about the draft? Is it really something worth worrying about?
Americans have historically been suspicious of the draft. From hippies to rioters in New York City, young people have felt anger toward a government that forces them to sacrifice their youth for service.
There has not been a draft in the United States since the Vietnam War, and many Americans feel very proud that this nation’s military is entirely made up of volunteers.
AP Government teacher Ms. Erika Lewis said that is not something to be taken for granted. “I think sometimes we give lip service, you know: ‘Thank a veteran,’ ‘Thank you for your service, men and women,’” Lewis said, “but we really need to consider that the rest of us have the luxury of not having to serve in the military because we have an all-volunteer force right now and it’s because of the less than 1% of the nation who choose to serve.” With worldwide tensions rising and Google Trends showing that searches like “is there going to be a draft?” are seeing an over 3,000% increase in search interest over the past year, it is clear that many people, especially young men, are wondering if the luxury of an all-volunteer military might be in danger. But how quickly would a decision to reinstate the draft take?
Lewis explained: “It would be up to Congress, and then, of course, as you know how legislation works, it would have to pass both houses of Congress, then the president would have to sign it, etc. So it would be a process. And if you understand the Legislative, nothing tends to happen quickly or cleanly,” she said.
While fears about foreign conflicts can be justified, worrying about a draft springing up out of nowhere is typically fuelled by inaccurate and sensationalized news. Despite tensions rising around the world and U.S. involvement in foreign nations, rumors about the draft being reinstated are almost always misinformation.
“As a young person, it’s important to stay aware of what is happening in the world and happening in your country and what legislation is being proposed, so you are able to understand how these affect you,” Lewis said, providing a vital reminder that awareness is the antidote to fear. For a generation often overwhelmed by fear of the future, focusing on objective facts makes a great difference.
