I read through Tammy Voss’ Dec. 3 letter, “Why aren’t women on Selective Service?” and it made me think about her question.

Recalling the last time we had a draft, during the Vietnam War, it brought hundreds of thousands of our soldiers into combat. About 3 million Americans served in the Vietnam War, and two-thirds of these were drafted. This by itself was about 1 to 2 percent of the U.S. population, and that’s a lot.

I think there are a few reasons why the United States has done a male-only draft. The first reason that came to my head was the loss of life. I think most would agree that the loss of a woman’s life, though not more or less important, has a different and negative affect on the American population compared to a male’s. If women were out there dying and getting wounded in droves, would society not freak out?

Women could be drafted for non-frontline jobs in a war, but their presence there would mean that even fewer people would be left in the country. We need people to stay at home. During all the wars we have fought as a nation, women especially have stayed home to help build and support our troops. This was a huge job.

Now, some women might not want to do this, so they join the military and proceed in their careers. But to draft men and women brings more people to the battlefield and cuts down on the people at home, because with more soldiers to pick from, more will probably be called.

Women do serve well in the military and contribute a lot, and that is not to be disputed. But there are also some other points to consider.

It is a proven fact that most women are not as strong in the upper body as men are. This is a big deal, particularly because many of the jobs in the military call for a strong upper body like the infantry, artillery and special operations.

As a Christian, I also believe men and women were made for different reasons. Both were made so together they would make up the character of God, but I believe they have some different purposes and emotions.

All of this together is why I think our country, founded on Christian values, doesn’t require women to be drafted. This is my opinion — the government may give you a different answer.

Ethan Tews

Sophomore

Exercise & Sport Science