If you have only one living son can he be drafted?

[in_cog_ni_to]

A friend asked me this yesterday and I told her I think they will draft anything that breathes, walks and talks, but need to verify that. Do you know? A friend of hers had 2 sons. One died of Leukemia last year and she has a 17 year old and is concerned he will be drafted.

[demnan]

1. It's hard to say

they haven't reinstituted the draft yet. When they do I'm sure your friend can find out. If I were her, I'd send my son to school overseas or something. Just get him out out of the country.

[hlthe2b]

9. and send me along too!

Sorry, but escapist fantasies overwhelm me recently, given the destruction of this administration!

[Joe_VB]

2. I don't think their is a sole surviving son clause anymore.

But I'll research this.

[aintitfunny]

3. Yes, I have only one son

and I have friends who do as well. They mistakenly believed if you have only one son he will not be drafted or at least sent to fight the war. I looked it up. It was not even true during WWII. There was an exception if a brother or sister had been killed in action, but that was it.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. That's what I thought. Thank you.

:hi:

[SmokingJacket]

31. Or a parent.

My father was the only surviving son of a WW2 soldier who was killed in action, and he had as a consequence a very low (or high? whatever made you a last resort) draft number in Vietnam.

But that was a rare situation. I've never heard of anyone else getting that treatment.

[ET Awful]

5. Yes he can. The myth that an only living son can't be drafted is exactly

that, a myth.

[Ernesto]

28. Eh, not quite a myth during the Vietnam thing........

"Sole surviving son" status was reserved for the "only living son" whose father's death occurred when the father was on active military duty. I know because I was a USMC confirmed "sole surviving son".
It was necessary for me to sign a waiver before I could be deployed to Vietnam... (being young & dumb, I signed).
On the other hand, I don't think my status would have prevented me from being drafted.

[ET Awful]

33. But we aren't discussing exact circumstances of the only living son of

a father who died while on active duty. We are discussing "only living son" in general.

[Ernesto]

34. Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me!

[mmonk]

6. Don't know what the rules will be in the new draft,

just that not one of my sons is going until a government that follows our constitution as well as international law and treaties concerning war is instituted.

[SheilaT]

7. As others have said,

having only one son, or only one living son as in the original message, won't exempt a young man from the draft. If nothing else, families are so much smaller now, that there are so many more only sons that to exempt them would not leave enough draftable ones.

Same for daughters, if they decide to draft both men and women.

I have an 18 year old and a 22 year old. The older one is mildly autistic, and would probably get out quite easily, but the younger one is exactly the kind of male who makes a good soldier (physically tough, sense of invulnerability, willingness to engage in risky behavior) and I cannot get through to him that he could be drafted.

[mmonk]

13. Same here somewhat,

one son with mild autism (20 year old) and a 14 year old.

[triguy46]

8. Oh no, remember...

they are compassionate.

[notadmblnd]

10. yes, he can be drafted

I didn't think so either and a co-worker took me to the site and showed me the laws regarding the draft. I was quite surprised, my son has asthma so hopefully that will keep him home with me.

[TreasonousBastard]

16. Asthma will keep him out...

if there's a draft.

The list of ailments that can keep you out is quite large, and is rarely mentioned in induction physicals, draft registation forms, or recruiting literature. If you don't have something really obvious, they tend not to look too deeply.

Recruiters have been known to counsel kids not to mention certain things, and have even filled out the medical questionnaire themselves.

I have at least one case of a kid looking for an EL separation for medical reasons, and he's between a rock and a hard place for actually being physically unfit, but lying on the medical form.

[notadmblnd]

17. Yes, but I've heard that if Rangles bill gets passed

both males and females will be drafted andn there is a provision for people with disabilities to serve in some capicity too. I should get our passports in order just in case.

[TreasonousBastard]

21. Don't worry about Rangle's bill...

that was just a ploy.

At this point, the draft is set in law with few options and any changes would require major legislation. All they have to do to reinstate the draft is a quick vote. Drafting women is pretty much out of the question at this point, since none are registered.

If a draft is reinstated, that's the time when classifications will be made, and the medical conditions brought up for consideration.

[Walt Starr]

20. They've been waivering asthma for years now

Asthma is too common in today's youths to allow it to stand in the way of recruitment. It's been being waivered for a long time. I suspect it will no longer be enough to keep you from being drafted should the draft be reinstated.

[TreasonousBastard]

26. That's kind of up in the air...

since a draft would give a much larger pool of potentials and they could go for the more perfect specimens.

There are a lot of things that they allow volunteers now, since recruiting is tough enough as it is, and many aren't "waived" but ignored. Asthma has various forms, and I can't imagine a serious case not being a problem for soldiers in the kind of environments they're in. Just in basic, the gashouse and firing range would seem to trigger attacks. Could the gashouse be fatal? An asthmatic in battle is a scary thing, and to a draft board I would make a case, as with any medical case, with vast amounts of prior medical records.

[ihaveaquestion]

11. From the Horse's Mouth

"Contrary to popular belief, "only sons," "the last son to carry the family name," and "sole surviving sons" must register and they can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to a peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family."

ref: SURVIVING SONS from the Selective Service System website.

LOTS of good information on this site.

[Maddy McCall]

12. Yes. Go look at the selective service website.

[CarefullyLiberal]

14. News alert! There is no draft.

If there ever is another draft in this country it would be unlikely that only men will be drafted, look for women to be included too.

Historically, every draft has had different rules. For example the maximum age for drafted men in World War II was higher than the maximum age during the Vietnam era.

I think it is very unlikely that there will be a draft in near future unless there is an unfortunate escalation, i.e. another terrorist attack on the scale of 9-11.

-Fergus

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. I know there's no draft, BUT

it's coming. Prepare yourself if you are draft age or have children who are 18 or older.

[Lerkfish]

23. News alert! there WILL be a draft.

there's no way there can't be. We are losing massive troops to attrition..not just the dead, but wounded who can no longer fight. Recruitment efforts are dropping precipitiously, and we're getting set for war on three more additional fronts: Iran, Syria, and Venezuela.

(coincidentally, all OPEC nations, but I digress)

you can't get blood from a turnip, but you also can't kill our kids on the front line if you run out of kids.

Oh, yes indeedy there will be a draft.

[paula777]

29. What do you think the response from people will be if there is a draft?

I don't think people will go along with it like they did in wars past. Americans have a different mentality now - and I just don't see a draft (in mass) working like it has in years past. I know if I was drafted (even though I think I'm too old) I would refuse to go and I think there are hundreds of thousands that would also refuse. ps, don't get me wrong, if our nation was fighting a legitimate war, or if we were actually 'invaded' or something of that nature believe me I would defend our country. I just wouldn't agree to be drafted for this fake war.

[babylonsister]

30. I would RELISH tens of thousands of draft-age folks

sitting on their asses and refusing to go because of this nonsensical war.

[Lerkfish]

24. dupe

sorry, weird error message caused me to post the same thing twice.

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Yes, and I can find the regulation if needed...

the "sole surviving" wording in the regulations has been misinterpreted since Viet Nam days.

There is a hardship exemption, and there is an exemption if other sons have been killed in action, but these are rare. The hardship exemption kicks in if the person is the only possible support of a family member, but the barrier set is extremely high and few meet it.

One of the organizations I work with (and counsel for) the Center on Conscience and War, has vast amounts of reliable information on the draft:

http://www.nisbco.org/

[in_cog_ni_to]

19. Thank you. I don't need you to post the regulation.

I'll just tell her and she can google it if she doesn't believe it. Thanks again! :hi:

[Bridget Burke]

22. During the last draft....

An only son had an exemption if his father was KOS.

Who knows what the new rules would be? Especially if there are a couple of surviving daughters...

[Number9Dream]

25. Another way out...

From all the excellent info. provided by DU'ers, it appears to be very difficult for middle-class & poor only sons to avoid a future draft. However, if one has wealthy relatives, one can pull strings to get into the Texas Air National Guard, then refuse to take physicals, and finally just not show up.

[HockeyMom]

27. My Dad and Uncle in WW2

My Grandma was a widow and an invalid during WW2. Both my Dad and my Uncle had to register for the draft. However, since Grandam had no means of support or medical care, my Uncle, her older son, lived with, financially supported, and took care of her. He claimed a deferment based on that. He was granted it. They drafted my Dad.

[Toots]

32. Yes and I was

:shrug: I am an only child.

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. No.

There is no draft in this country, so no one can be drafted.

[SmokingJacket]

39. Then what are all these 18-yr olds registering for?

Of course there's no draft now, but rules and infrastructure are in place in the event there is one.

[Freddie Stubbs]

41. The Selective Service is in place so that IF the draft were reinstated

there would be a pool of eligible draftees. If Charlie Rangel were to get his way, any exemptions would have to be provided by the new law reinstating the draft.

[Kingofalldems]

43. Another anti-Dem response

FYI---Rangel introduced the bill to out the chickenhawks in Congress and their wealthy contributors. He knew it wouldn't go anywhere.

[Freddie Stubbs]

44. Reinstating the draft would require an act of Congress

If they were going to do that, they wouldn't even have to introduce a bill for it. Just pass a bill introduced by a Democrat. That way the votes will blame BOTH parties.

[dogday]

36. I only have one son who already is in the National Guard

He was in training when his unit went to Iraq and missed it, however I feel like he will be called soon. I worry every day that he will be in the middle of this mess and yes the worst case scenario goes through my mind and I feel so helpless...

[Ilsa]

37. I'm thinking about all of the fundie families with six+ kids,

versus those of us who chose to have only one or two. If there was an exception made for this, the Fundies would have a conniption fit because their boys could be drafted and my sis's could not. Besides, with so many families having only one or two kids, I wonder if they could draft enough to fill their needs if they needed a draft and allowed "only son" exceptions.

[mandyky]

38. It used to be that one could be drafted but

not serve in combat if they claimed only living son status. As others have mentioned, who knows what the rules will be with this crew.

[lonestarnot]

40. 1, 10 doesn't matter

[stanwyck]

42. A new draft would encouter many changes

families are smaller now. So more parents would face losing not just their only son but their only child. One possible positive aspect of a new draft could be the long-in-coming legalization of pot. Right now, a pot conviction will keep you out of the military. And DUIs will either keep you out or delay your ability to enlist. Also, except for the Army, a high school education is required. My son is a Marine and I was surprised to find out that the Marines require the actual high school diploma...and will not accept a GED. Also, the minimum age requirements and physical requirements would undoubtedly be revised.
Look for changes if the administration feels the draft is warranted. They'll want to include as many young people as possible...well, except for guys like Cheney (Other Priorities) and Limbaugh (anal warts) and Delay, Lott, Bolton, Gingrich....you know, all the macho chickenhawks.
(Bolton was born in 1948 but didn't serve in the military during the Viet Nam era. Maybe he wouldn't be such a "kiss up, kick down" kind of guy if he had).