Who Could Be Drafted? Inside the U.S. Military

Google data indicates that searches for World War III and U.S. draft regulations have surged in response to recent Middle East hostilities. According to reports, searches for “WWIII” and “US draft age limit” increased following these significant global events. With many Americans wondering who would be draughted if the selective service system were to be reinstated, this demonstrates increased concern about how tensions would impact military service obligations. Federal law preserves guidelines for reactivating the system in times of emergency, despite the fact that the US does not have a draft.

Would America Support Conscription for WW3?
This is consistent with results from a recent Atlantic Council survey. According to their survey, 69% and 65% of respondents, respectively, believed that significant wars between powerful nations might break out in the next ten years. After the Vietnam War, the United States abolished military conscription in January 1973.

The majority of Americans are generally unfamiliar with the draft process because three generations of Americans have not been required to serve in the military. Nevertheless, in the event of a national emergency, the government maintains comprehensive protocols for reactivating conscription.

Knowing who gets called first is the first step to understanding how this operates. Men aged 20 would be the first to be draughted. Then, depending on military requirements, it would spread to other age groups. Approximately 16.4 million men in the country between the ages of 18 and 25 have records kept by the Selective Service System. In contrast, there are currently about 1.3 million active-duty members serving in all branches.