Women should be required to enlist

LETTERS LETTERS@USATODAY.COM

As an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, and father of a wonderful daughter and son, I believe all men and women — who are otherwise eligible, given health, mental suitability, criminal record and other minimum requirements — should be required to register for Selective Service upon reaching their 18th birthday.

If a draft was to ever be implemented again in our country — which is highly unlikely short of a global war — those inducted would serve in all military occupational specialties.

The United States military has opened up nearly all military specialties (officer and enlisted) to women, which was the right thing to do. Yet, we still only require men to register for selective service. This inconsistency no longer makes sense, and it sends the wrong signal to the young people of our nation.

Mike Galloucis

Jacksonville, Fla.

FACEBOOK USA TODAY OPINION

If women are equal to men, and want to receive the same pay and opportunities, then they need to register for Selective Service, just like men do. We’re either completely equal or we’re not.

Gerardo Trevino

When women get full rights to their own bodies (and everything inside them), and it becomes custom for women to keep their last name and have it passed on to their children, then we’ll talk! Until then, we can’t say women are truly treated as equals.

Brenda Wyatt

I think there should be a mandatory two years of military service after high school graduation for both sexes. It would eliminate a lot of problems in this country.

Marsha Travis Blackburn

I don’t agree with the draft in general, but as long as it exists, women should be treated equally and be required to register. Tammy Logan

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