As global tensions continue to rise and the United States takes a more aggressive posture abroad, Americans are once again asking a question many believed belonged to the past: who would be drafted first if a major war breaks out?
According to the National Archives, about 1.8 million men were selected during conscription to support American troops in Vietnam (1964 to 1973) – and 17,671 of those draftees were killed in combat.
“Regardless of whether someone volunteered or was drafted, we must honor all who answered the call of duty,” Vietnam vet Joe Parsetich told Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in 2023. “Their sacrifices were as important – and their blood was as red – as anyone’s.”
Though the last man was drafted into the military under the Selective Service System (SSS) on June 30, 1973 – and there’s currently no active draft – the legal framework to reinstate one remains firmly in place.