2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Attacking Bernie for seeking Conscientious Objector status may be the most laughable smear yet [View all]sarge43
(28,954 posts)There isn't a mumbling word in the draft laws that specifically precludes women. In fact toward the end of WWII congress came within an ace of drafting nurses. Until mid 50's only women could serve in the Nurse Corps. A couple of court cases ruled that DOD didn't have to draft women.
During the draft era it was pointless to draft women for the following reasons.
1. Only 2% of the active duty force could be female.
2. Due to the combat restriction very few jobs allowed women, especially in the Army and Marine Corps. When I enlisted in '62 only five Air Force jobs were open to women.
3. Except for a very short period during WWII there has always been more women volunteering than there were slots available. My recruiter told me that for every ten women volunteering only one was accepted.
You might focus your anger at the male legislators, C-in-Cs and jurists who imposed these restrictions.