Starting December 2026, the automatic registration for the US Military will affect all American men between the ages 18-25. This will leave men who do not want to enlist with no legal option. The last time this happened was in 1955, 71 years ago, for the Vietnam War.
71 years ago, the Vietnam War drafted over 2.2 million men for the country’s military efforts. Many soldiers drafted did support the war, while others saw the draft as a death sentence
Antiwar activists viewed the draft as immoral and that it was the only means for the government to keep their war going, while others felt that the draft was a great way to serve your country and that people should take pride in it.
A veteran, who chooses to remain anonymous, experienced being drafted and served in the Vietnam War. He states that “I got stuck there for 14 months instead of 12 months. And of course, I wanted to get the hell out of there.” He describes how many of the people drafted were eager to leave. The draftees and enlisted soldiers were drastically different and that “people in the regular army didn’t like the draftees.”
This drastic difference can be attributed to that fact the draftees had to go in against their will while the others didn’t. The anonymous veteran expresses how “you go in and get stuck somewhere where they’re fighting; it’s not a fun experience.” The effects of going into war are taxing and completely change someone’s life. He says, “a lot of guys have girlfriends, and stuff, and it just stops civilian life. It’s just like, once you get drafted, some of your life is gone.”
Yet, the veteran describes how he still values the service he did for the country aside from how the experience may have been. Many people feel that the draft should happen either way because Americans should be proud to serve their country.
On the other hand, sometimes the fear and discontent can outweigh that. Len Burkowitz, someone who was able to dodge the draft, describes how “there was no doubt I wasn’t going to be involved in it. None of us wanted to go. None of us were in the mindset of being part of the military.”
Even though it wasn’t in their plan, they got drafted against their will. Len Berkowitz “had already made plans that if I had passed the physical, I was going to be leaving the country and going to Canada.” The extreme lengths people had to go to avoid something that was against their will was illogical.
According to the National Defense Authorization Act, starting in December 2026 there will be nationwide measures for automatic registration meaning that eligible men won’t have to go out of their way to register. Many Americans see this new measure as a benefit since it will erase the men who are penalized for failing to register unknowingly.
This new automatic registration could look different in many ways. Some states may automatically register men when they apply for driver’s licenses or they might register someone on their 18th birthday.
While the United States has not announced a draft, many Americans are anxious of the possibility because of the current conflict the US is in with Iran. The act was passed months before the current conflict but the Trump Administration’s uncertainty of putting US troops on the ground scares many Americans.
