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The draft -- also known as mandatory military service -- was ended in the United States after the Vietnam War, but American men have been required to register for it at the age of 18 since the late 1970’s.

Many military and civilian leaders since Vietnam have opposed the use of a military draft, citing inequities in how deferments are established (see Donald Trump’s “bone spurs,” for example), poor morale among soldiers, and the incompatibility of forced conscription in a free country.

In a democracy, if a war does not have enough popular support to be fought without conscription, then perhaps it ought not to be fought.

However, should he be elected in November, Trump’s likely choice for Secretary of Defense, Christopher Miller, has gone on the record as a big fan of forced conscription. He told the Washington Post that the draft is a “rite of passage” that creates a “shared sacrifice” for young people. He says, “Why wouldn’t we give that a try?”

Reinstating the draft also raises the question of whether women would be forcibly conscripted as well. These arguments cut across ideologies, as some Republicans in Congress such as Senator Josh Hawley consider such an idea too “woke,” while others, including Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins support the idea. Collins said it “seems logical.”

Resist Christopher Miller’s proposal for forced military conscription. Let Congress know you oppose mandatory military service now.

Miller, who served as acting defense secretary toward the end of Trump’s previous term, has elaborated on his ideas further in his contribution to Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s thousand-page manifesto for a second Trump administration.

Miller believes all American high school students should complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This test is how the Department of Defense matches up new military recruits to existing military jobs. Miller says requiring every American high school student to take the test would “improve military recruiters’ access to secondary schools.”

High school vocational testing, however, should not be limited to discovering interests and aptitude for jobs in the military. A wide variety of civilian jobs are equally important to the functioning and quality of life in our society, and young people need to be thinking of their futures in broader terms.

But the growth and development of teens and young adults is not Miller’s concern. With the pre-eminent goal being to “prepare for a great-power competition,” he prioritizes giving the government a “baseline understanding of the pool of potential military service members and their specific aptitudes prior.”

Tell Congress: Mandatory military service infringes on the basic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reject the military draft now.

Thank you for opposing mandatory military enlistment for America’s young people.

- DFA AF Team