quirement in 1975. Because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the suspension was short-lived and Preside nt Carter reinstated the registration requirement in 1980 amid much controversy. The system has been in place ever since and has so far survived several attempts to dismantle it. However, Selective Service is not without its supporte rs. Former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry recommended to Congress in August 1995 that the Selective Service be funded adequate ly. "This small, but important agen cy,~ he wrote, "should be maintained in its current State of readiness, and its peacetime registration program involving America's young men should be preserved to help ensure that any future draft, if needed, would be fair and equitable." roponents of the Selective Service point out that regardless of the nature of recent co nflicts, the sys tem offers protection against an unforeseen cri sis. Even with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States still has to be prepa red to defend its global commitments in potentially explosive regions such as Asia . By maintaining the system in peacetime, it has been estimated that the country will save 810 days in the process for drafting and training troops in the event of an emergency where additional manpower is necessary. Being able to reinforce battle-weary troops a week earlier could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
The agency has also developed a series of reforms to correct problems with the system since the Vietnam War to ensure fairness. Like the C ivil War, Vietnam was seen as a rich man's war where those who had the money could buy their way out and the poor were left to do the fIghting. College students could avoid service if they remained in school and were making progress tOwards a degree. No more. If drafted, a college student would have to report for service at the end of the semeste r and a college senior would have until the end of the academic year. Special effort has also been put into forming draft boards to bette r represent the communities in which they serve. The exemption of women will be less of an issue if the Health Care Personnel Delivery System is implemented. Proposed in 1989, the plan calls for medical specialists to be registered and available for a draft in the event of an emergency mobilization. Since the
The draft has never really been popular. Early attempts at conscription during the Civil War resulted in four days of rioting because the draft laws allowed men to avoid service by paying $300, an amount most working men could not afford.
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medical speciali sts wou ld not be servi ng in a combat role, women would be expected to serve. Although nOt perfect, Selective Service does perhaps offer the country an affordable safety net. The S25 million budget is a relatively cheap insurance policy when considering that it is less than the cost ofa single F-16 fighter. When it comes to defending the coun try, what would make Americans feel more secure - having an extra fighter patrolling the skies, or having a sys tem in place that has rhe ability to call upon the 13.5 million men that are currently draft eligible? The majority of Americans would probably feel safer with the latter. SCO/
Christenson iJ the iditol' olne Ripoll rort/m Ripon forum ' Wintn lool