Conscription in the USA, also called the draft or compulsory military service has been employed several times throughout history. This has usually happened during war time but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War.

 The United States discontinued the draft in 1973 changing to an all volunteer-moving force, thus there is currently no mandatory draft. The Selective Service remains in place as a contingency plan. Men between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register so that if need be a draft can be readily resumed.

• Civil War Out of 2,100,000 US soldiers, 2% were drafted and 6% were paid substitute
• World War I 2.4 million were drafted in World War
• World War II 2/3 of the men that served in World War II were drafted
•  Cold War and Korean War 1,529,539 were inducted, 1.3 million volunteered, the remaining were drafted
• Vietnam War 9.2 million served, of that 3.5 million served in Vietnam. 2,215,000 were drafted
• End of Conscription
• Post-1980 draft registration
• Health Care Personnel Delivery System

Our US History in regards to the Wars and the Draft are interesting.
 We need to appreciate our freedom that we have today in 2010.

  Written by , Carol Paul Americanism Chair, ALA Auxiliary Unit#470