HEIGH -HO NOW THE WOMEN NEXT TO GO

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY

WOMEN WILL SOON BE REQUIRED TO REGISTER FOR THE DRAFT

DO EQUAL RIGHTS ALWAYS REQUIRE EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY?

In testimony this week, Marine Corps Commander Gen. Robert Neller and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley agreed that the current policy, which requires only males to register for the Selective Service System, should be changed after restrictions that barred women from combat jobs were lifted last year.

"Every American who's physically qualified should register for the draft," declared both Neller and Milley at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

The Supreme Court ruling in 1981 upholding Congress's restriction on requiring women to register for the draft was on the basis that women were restricted from combat therefore they would not be needed in the event of a draft. "The existence of combat restrictions clearly indicates the basis for Congress' decision to exempt women from registration,"  declared Justice William Rehnquist.

The above restrictions no longer apply. Although it is supposedly up to Congress to make this decision, it will be decided by the courts, who will now have no choice but to declare that the current policies are discriminatory and unconstitutional.

The military, while currently meeting their enrollment quotas, has been complaining that the quality of many new recruits is below the standards needed in a modern military. Adding women to the mix would double the number of available candidates.

The active military and the reserves have been subjected to 12 years of almost constant deployment. This will no doubt eventually have an effect on their ability to recruit qualified people at some point in the future. In the last draft era there were college and other deferments, these also will definitely be struck down in the future by the courts.

If this policy is consummated, and I believe it will be, it will result in the largest increase in the birth rate since post WW2.