National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service
Link to the commission’s website.
The full report of the commission will be released on Wednesday, March 25. However, the commission gave an advance briefing to the Pentagon on Monday and to Congressional staffers on Tuesday.
The one thing we know for sure is that the commission will recommend that Congress require women to register with Selective Service on an equal basis with men and be liable to be drafted on an equal basis with men. The report covers other topics as well, but this is the only thing publicly commented on to this point.
However, Congress will likely NOT have to take any action to accomplish this.
The case National Coalition for Men v Selective Service is currently awaiting decision at the Fourth Circuit. The District Court had found in favor of National Coalition for Men but stayed its own decision pending appeals. I would expect the Fourth Circuit to uphold the District Court and with the release of this report, the Supreme Court will likely not bother taking this case. So as soon as the Fourth Circuit upholds the District Court, as I expect, the District Court will likely issue an injunctive order requiring Selective Service immediately begin registering women and requiring women to register.
I am glad to see that the commission came to this conclusion. Equal treatment is important, but it MUST work both ways. If women have equal access to all military careers, they must be subject to the draft on an equal basis. Fair is fair.
